2nd Opinion:Antifreeze/Water Usage

[davbell22602]

97 K1500, 350 automatic

I have to 1.5 quarts of water from a 3 quart ice make pitcher or antifreeze every time I drive it. Seems like it stops after 1.5 quarts. Not overheating or leaking it anywhere. Not smelling in the cab or leaking in the cab. I smell it coming out of the exhaust. I got quoted yesterday $1600 for head gasket repair which having both heads checked and resurfaced at a machine shop. Service Dept mgr. said if it was his he wait it out til starts overheating and keep driving it before doing the head gaskets.

Meanwhile I'm going autozone tomorrow to buy the coolant system pressure tester for testing coolant pressure and radiator caps.

 

[Sunset_Z28]

I had a truck similar once and that thing ate intake manifold gaskets.

 

[davbell22602]

Far as now the intake gasket has never been replaced. I had never replaced it since getting the truck at 99,136 miles back in 2010. I have 148K on it now.

 

[ScottyBoy]

Trade that truck in. NOW!

 

[txab]

Can't you do the R&R on the heads? Aren't you a mechanic? Pull 'em off and take to the machine shop yourself. As stated look at the intake gaskets first

 

[davbell22602]

txab,

Im not 100% sure its the head gaskets cause Im not overheating yet.

 

[ScottyBoy]

Do a Briggs and Stratton engine swap. Problem solved.

 

[PenguinLTZ]

Put it in your new shop and yank the intake. You will know what it Is then. How is your oil level? Is it milky? Is your radiator being over pressurized at all?

 

[davbell22602]

Put it in your new shop and yank the intake. You will know what it Is then. How is your oil level? Is it milky? Is your radiator being over pressurized at all?

Oil is not milky at all. Not sure on the other or how to tell.

 

[Black02Silverado]

I'm with the Penguin on this one.