Posted by DAvid on Sunday, September 22, 2002 at 10:56PM :
In Reply to: need help with a chevy posted by Ryan on Sunday, September 22, 2002 at 6:59PM :
I would think that a head gasket would show up while RUNNING as the compression from the increased cylinder pressure would leak into the cooling system. That's what my F--d Escort did. Every time it pulled up a hill, bye-bye coolant, bye-bye head gasket. This is more likely just a hot little engine and when the water stops circulating, it reaches a boiling point inside the block around the cylinders and head. When the cooling system is not holding pressure properly (raditor leak, bad cap*, leak around a hose clamp ring or heater core) it will allow the superheated coolant around the engine's 'hot spots' to turn to steam and it will push out whereever the resistance is lowest. One unit (cc, pint, whatever)of water/ or coolant can expand to 300 same-sized units of steam. Use the coolant leak check fluid to check the gasket. If that doesn't show a leak, just let it idle a bit before shutting it off. See if the problem occurs still.