Well, I guess I should never tried to stop the original intake manifold leak which now has apparently created more pressure on the engine , after the new gasket was installed, and resulted in the head gasket leaking. Crap. Plus, its only going to get worse after they did the compression test. Its over $1000 now....way too much for an old truck I drive once or more a week. Anybody think a good sealant like Blue Devil might be the cheapest fix?

 

First off, your mechanic is full of crap. Fixing the intake manifold leak will have NO effect on the head gasket. You mention in your first post that you had the head gaskets changed two months ago. Either the gasket used was crappy and failed, or the head was warped and the gasket failed, or the mechanic installed the heads improperly. Any of those three issues are the mechanic's fault as he should have used good gaskets and checked the head for a flat sealing surface. One other possibility is your truck has been overheated and either cracked or warped the head.

Your mechanic is either a liar or incompetent. Or both.

No sealant known to man will fix your problem. All those additives that claim to fix any kind of internal engine problems are pure BS. Radiator leak fix can stop a leak, but it will also plug cooling passages in the radiator--ruining both your radiator and your engine when it inevitably overheats. There are no shortcuts to fixing broken engines. People buy that crap because they don't understand engines & attribute magical properties to simple mechanics. Think of it this way: take something--anything--metal in your house and break it. Now, pour Blue Devil all over it. Wait and see how long it takes for your broken whatever to heal. The inside of your engine is no different.

Your best bet is to find a buddy who will help you do the work yourself. Somebody who has a bit of experience turning a wrench. Get the Shop Manual for your rig. Not a Haynes or Chilton, but a real shop manual that the GM mechanics use. They can be had on ebay pretty cheap. Read up on the procedure, follow the manual to the letter, put on some rock & roll. With a couple of buddies helping out it can actually be a fun weekend. Supply pizza & beer. Remember, you now owe your buddies when they need help on their rig.

If getting greasy doesn't appeal to you, find a good mechanic. And yeah, if you don't do most of your own work, older rigs can be prohibitively expensive to own.

 

I first thank you for responding, but also must fix a mistake in my first post. I did not have the head gasket replaced...it instead was the intake manifold gasket. I thank you for letting me know that I did NOT screw up by deciding to have the manifold gasket replaced , since I was told about the EXTRA pressure it created and caused the head to leak. RIGHT now..I am waiting for a call from the shop to give me the final decision. I am not tech savy,,but only a retired old man who needs the truck to drive 1-2 times a week to the store or doctor. No savy friends to help! I just hope its not a head gasket..they cost too much for me to pay. This is my first GM product and its discouraging. I will drop you a line in a few hours with the final decision.

 

I have the same issue on my 93 Blazer. But I haven't had any lines replaced. Happens only if the truck has been sitting for over 5 hours though. Its not a coolant smell. Kind of like gas.