Out of nowhere I had my coolant blow out of my reservoir. Took it to the dealer and they said the the headgasket is broke, or I could have a cracked block that is allowing exhaust gases to enter my cooling system and over pressurizing the system to the point that it blows off.

They gave me three options.

1. Bite the bullet up front and put in a new motor with a 3yr/100mi. warranty. Most Expensive Option $5100 installed

2. Used Motor with a chance of this reoccurring and no warranty. 2nd most expensive.

3. Tear the motor down to the heads and have it possibly be just the head gasket. But I run the risk of it being more than the gasket itself, and having the problem snowball into my worst nightmare. and become really $$$$$

I have seen a few other posts where people have had the same problem. The car never once overheated. and has about 60k miles.
For those that have had this happen was it only the head gasket? or did it also wreck the heads?

Anybody know what choice I should make? or have any advice?

Thanks alot

 

This is the first head gasket issue that I have heard of. Hope this isn't going to become a pattern. What kind of mods have you done?

 

The car is as stock as they come.

 

That sounds horrible, I would also get quotes from reputable local engine shops as they may be able to provide the same quality of service as the dealer but at a lower price.

 

Did they perform a compression test to see which cylinder is affected? Although I haven't heard of a stock 4.0L blowing a head gasket, that could be the cause, and the repair wouldn't be as expensive as a new/used motor. In terms of "internet diagnostics", from what you've typed I doubt that it's a cracked block.

 

I had the same thing happen last summer on my car - pre nitrous (CAI and tune, and quite a bit of track time). Only a head gasket replacement, no other damage to anything and I was around 80,000 miles at the time.

 

With no up coming symptoms it sounds kinda weird. Hopefully is it just a head gasket, I would recomend checking out that first. Two things will happen, it will either be the head gasket and you replace it, or it could be worse. If it is worse than you already have the motor partly torn down and easier to continue further.

As "theblackstang" said, check with a local engine shop. Most times you can get service the same or better quality from guys that work with engines everyday. And they probably won't be as pricey.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

 

Replaced the motor with Brand New and still have coolant spewing out the reservoir cap

 

Have you tried replacing the reservior cap?

 

$5100 later and it was just a bad coolant cap.