I have a 2000 Chevrolet Camaro, how can I tell if I have a cracked block? It starts up and runs fine. The only issue is anti-freeze going into my oil housing.
6 Answers
Would there be any other problems, if I cracked the block? Would my car even start or run? Would fluids spew out of other places under the hood?
I'm trying to sell my car as is.... but I am an honest seller and would like to give as much info as I can to the buyer.
A very small crack in the block might cause the engine to lose some coolant into the crankcase or the exhaust, but other than that it could run and perform as normal. More likely you have a head gasket that is bad or a cracked head. Same thing here as a crack in the block, if it is not very big the coolant loss might be small and it would operate somewhat normally. An engine tear-down will be necessary to determine the cause. On some engines an intake manifold gasket that is bad can put water in the oil.
As a female, I am a little worried about being taken advantage of... how much (estimation of course) would it cost for a mechanic to look my car over and determine the issue and how much am I looking to invest to fix it, I've called around and it's between 700 to 1200 depending on the issue. Is this correct? Thanks for replying.
Prices vary widely and depending on the issue I think those prices are in the ballpark. I would think $500 - $700 might fix a head gasket provided it can be done without removing the engine. If it needs a cylinder head then the price goes up the cost of a rebuilt head. If it is a bad engine block then likely a rebuilt or used engine will be needed and $700 won't even come close to that. My advice (keeping in mind it is an opinion) would be to try to sell the car as is. After all a 2000 Camaro is 15 years old and may not worth repairing and turning around and selling it. Just a thought. Best of luck with it.
