Engine repair shop

[Zeus]

Hello friends,
I just drove my 78 coach to storage and when I got there, noticed a lot of fluid dripping underneath. I'm pretty sure I've got a blown head gasket.
This is too big a job for me. I live in Fort Worth, Texas.
Can anyone share repair shops that can and will work on our vintage coaches?
Thank you for any inputs.

Chris Kime
78 Eleganza II

 

[GMC Cruse]

If it's a lot of fluid, I doubt if it is a head gasket. More likely a freeze plug or a radiator or heater hose. There are heater hoses running all the way to your hot water heater in the back. Check these items, the fix may be one you can handle.

 

[tmsnyder]

I agree with Mike, open up the hatch and look around for the source of the leak. Crawl underneath with a flashlight and look around. It's probably something simple.

If it's near the front I'd suspect the overflow tank or the radiator. (make sure you have the low psi rad cap on it 5-7 psi? and not the higher pressure 12psi cap, it'll blow your radiator open. Maybe that's what happened...

 

[Zeus]

The fluid is milky green coming out of the PCV hose and out the vent on the air cleaner case. It's definitely not just coolant leak. I also took out the connection to the hoses to the water heater.

 

[Tybalt39]

I agree with Mike, open up the hatch and look around for the source of the leak. Crawl underneath with a flashlight and look around. It's probably something simple.

If it's near the front I'd suspect the overflow tank or the radiator. (make sure you have the low psi rad cap on it 5-7 psi? and not the higher pressure 12psi cap, it'll blow your radiator open. Maybe that's what happened...

Also make certain it is the correct cap that works with overflow tanks; my PO had the wrong style of cap. Once I replaced it with an overflow cap my problem was solved (vomiting coolant from the cap when the engine was at temperature).

 

[GMC Cruse]

With a lot of coolant out of the PVC hose and vent, my first suspect would be an intake manifold problem (bad gasket or crack) not a head gasket.

 

[tmsnyder]

Oil pan probably has a bunch of coolant in it too, can you drain and verify?

 

[Zeus]

Thank you for the inputs. I'll check both when I can get back to it.