Happy new years everyone!

The car in question is a 1995 Camaro V6 3800 Series ll.

Does anyone know how to figure out if you have a blown head gasket. I have no water in the oil, and no evidence of any oil in the radiator. Spark plugs are dry and normal.

The car runs fine but it overheats really fast. The radiator has been checked out and is fine the water pump is new and works fine. This might be a helpful hint; if I take off the radiator cap and start the car, after approx 30 seconds the water shoots out of the radiator like it was throwing up. Then I add more water and the flow is fine. I removed the thermostat so it is not a stuck thermostat. I have bled the air screw on the thermostat housing and have replaced top and bottom radiator hoses.

If it is a head gasket what would be the best way to figure out what side is blown?

Thanks!

 

Happy 2k5

This isn't exactly third gen related, so that's up to the mods.

Anyway, compression/leak down tests.

 

have you checked if the fans turn on? And when the fans turn on? It really doesnt sound like a head gasket, but never hurts to do a compression test.

I'd still bet my money on a fan problem. Perhaps just a fan relay switch, or could be the PCM not working right (had the PCM burnt lately? did they make sure the fans turn on at a certain temperature?) if it's stock, then could be a PCM gone out (though I doubt it since there'd be a load more problems than that).

 

Trapped air bubbles have done this to me. I doubt its the fans, if after 30 seconds its puking. Drain it down a bit, pull the stat housing and fill the block first, then the rad (im not familar it 3.8's so i dont know if its possible)

Are you getting bubbles in the coolant, after the puke?

 

I have tried filling the block thru the thermostat and it does not help. My wife drove the car and it overheated while on the freeway at about 65 MPH the car died due to the heat. I was called and after the car had cooled I fillied the radiatorwith water and it started right up and I followed her home. I did notice white smoke from the exhaust after we got off the freeway. The car was driven about 5 miles and did not overheat. I went out this evening and tested the water puke again. It does it immediately upon startup! I don't think it is normal for a car to do that just because the radiator cap is off. My '89 does not do that. I believe this motor has the reversed cooling like the the LT-1.

Any other suggestions after this added info?

 

looks the head gasket is blown. same thing happens on a mazda 626 i looked at. it also overheats.