Well, my car may be a goner.

[TheMightyFavog]

It has started running very roughly when I shift from park to drive, then smooths out after a while. After talking with my local mechanic, he told me that there is a real possibility that the head gasket is on its way out, due to a recent overheat caused by a rusted out coolant hose. However, it could be a vacuum leak or even the spark plugs. (IIRC, they might just be the ones that came with the car when it rolled off the line in 1994.) If it's the head gasket, I don't know what I'm going to do, frankly. A new junker will definitely be the answer, however, I have no money for which to buy a car, at least till my tax refund. I don't know, I just don't know.

[Turbineguy]

1. Back in the late great '60's

we used to fix things like that in high school auto shop class. I did a lot of brake overhauls. Back then the idea of having a pimply youth fix your brakes didn't seem like a liability issue.

There are also rent-a bay places with tools. Replacing a head gasket takes some time, but is not difficult. Not as difficult as troubleshooting anyway.

[TheMightyFavog]

2. If I tried to do that, I think the car would end up exploding...

I'm not very mechanically inclined...

[TheMightyFavog]

3. And it looks like the only car anywhere near my price range is bad.

An 85 Delta 88, 95K, Probably gets worse mileage than a Hummer H1. Why that beast didn't get snagged up by Cash For Clunkers, I don't know.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

4. I'm in the same boat

My old crasher has had a bad year, and I'm afraid it's on it's last legs. It's going to cost me a packet just to get it through inspection. Unfortunately, I'm not anticipating any money coming my way at tax time...

[TheMightyFavog]

5. Ugh, inspection. At least I'm fortunate to live in a state that doesn't require them.

That's gotta suck.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

6. I'd check with another mechanic

Head gaskets seem pretty simple: it is intact, or it is not. "on its way out" makes no sense to me.

"Rusted out coolant hose" also seems a little strange, too.

I'd have another mechanic take a look.

Good luck with it.

[TheMightyFavog]

7. The coolant hose was explained to me. He's a good mechanic.

GM put a metal hose in the bit between the heater core and the reservoir in order to negotiate a tight corner. He showed me the part in question and I watched him pull it.

[TrogL]

8. A head gasket with a pinhole leak puts out a tiny bit of smoke

A fully blown one leaves a cloud of smoke a block long.

Been there, done that.

[TheMightyFavog]

9. Same here.

Had that happen a few years back. Fortunately, I was close to home when it happened. Although, I really don't se much in the way of smoke coming out the thing. Maybe it is just the plugs...

[Bombero1956]

10. there are 5 sure signs of a blown head gasket

1. white exhaust smoke because water from your cooling system will get into the combustion chamber. The exhaust may smell sweet from the antifreeze that's boiling.

2. Air bubbles in your radiator. A gasket leak will cause bubbles of air to come into your radiator. To check for this, you should first remove the radiator cap then warm up the engine. When you rev the engine, you will see bubbles come out from the top of the radiator.

3. If the oilcap has a milky white substance on it that's coolant getting into the lubrication system.

4. If your spark plugs have a greenish tint on them that another sign.

5. If the engine runs poorly and idles roughly that a sign as well.

By the way I hope the spark plugs on your car aren't from 1994 because they should've been replaced long ago.

[Paulie]

11. Does it act that way on a warm start, after running for a while?

Or only with a cold start after sitting overnight? Does the engine sound like it's running faster or slower at idle than you expect, or surging fast/slow/faster/slower? If it's not throwing any codes or warning lights, that's odd. If it only happens when you shift then I blame the trans.

[TheMightyFavog]

13. Well I started it after sitting for a couple days

And it did not run rough when I shifted to drive to take it to the mechanic. And now that you mention it, the engine was warm. It started on Saturday when I drove down to the city to do some shopping. It happened after I ran into a couple stores.

[dimbear]

12. If it is the head gasket, you just might limp along a little while with a sealant in the radiator.

Or you might be throwing away ten bucks. Gambler?