How To Test A Blown Head Gasket (3.1L V6 Chevrolet And Pontiac Vehicles)

Testing for a blown head gasket isn't difficult. And here you'll find the four blown head gasket tests explained in a step-by-step manner.

Two of the four tests can be done under 5 minutes and don't require any tools whatsoever.

You can find this tutorial in Spanish here: Cómo Probar El Empaque De Cabeza (Vehículos Chevrolet y Pontiac Con Motor 3.1L V6) (at: autotecnico-online.com).

This tutorial applies to the following vehicles:

• 3.1L V6 Chevrolet Beretta: 1994, 1995, 1996.
• 3.1L V6 Chevrolet Corsica: 1994, 1995, 1996.
• 3.1L V6 Chevrolet Lumina: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001.
• 3.1L V6 Chevrolet Malibu: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003.
• 3.1L V6 Chevrolet Monte Carlo: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999.
• 3.1L V6 Pontiac Grand Am: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998.
• 3.1L V6 Pontiac Grand Prix: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003.

Symptoms Of A Blown Head Gasket

You'll see one of the following:

• A blown head gasket will cause an engine no-start problem.
• - or -
• The engine starts and runs, but it overheats within minutes and apparently for no reason at all.

Now, if the engine in your vehicle starts and runs but has suffered a blown head gasket, you're going to see one or more of the following symptoms:

• The engine overheats for no apparent reason. All engine cooling system components (like fan motor, water pump, etc.) are working fine.
• White smoke is coming out of the tail-pipe and it smells like anti-freeze being cooked.
• The engine won't start.
• The engine oil is thick and a milky white color.

TEST 1: Engine Oil The Color Of ‘Coffee With Too Much Creamer'

This first test is the easiest and fastest to perform. All we have to do is check the color of the engine oil that is sticking to the engine oil level dipstick.

If the oil has a milky white color, like a cup of coffee with too much creamer, then you can conclude that one or both of the head gaskets on your 3.1L V6 Chevrolet (Pontiac) vehicle are blown.

If the oil has a normal color to it, then we move on to TEST 2.

Let's get started:

1. 1

   Open the hood.

2. 2

   Pull out the engine oil dipstick.

3. 3

   Check the color of the oil sticking to the engine oil dipstick.
   
   You'll see one of two results:
   
   1.) The engine oil looks like coffee with too much creamer.
   
   2.) The engine oil is its usual normal color.

Alright, let's analyze your test result:

CASE 1: The engine oil has the color of coffee with too much creamer. This test result confirms that one or both head gaskets are blown on your 3.1L V6 Chevrolet (Pontiac).

CASE 2: The color of the engine oil is normal. This is the correct and expected test result.

The next test is to see if the engine's compression pressures are escaping into the engine's cooling system (radiator). For this test go to: TEST 2: Coolant Shooting Out From Open Radiator.