Engine repair question about 2008 Town and Country 3.8L
OK lots of good comments so far.
Now let's get down to some basic DIY diagnostics, to help the owner get this fixed.
1. White steam coming out exhaust on first start. Check
2. Pull the 3 front spark plugs in order to see which one is "Steamed" clean. Check
3. If you can isolate which of the front 3 cylinders is leaking coolant through a visual spark plug veiwing. Then if you follow up with a compression test on those front 3, you may find that it is cylinder #6 (front on driver's side), as that is a common cylinder to go first.
The nice part about cylinder #6 on the front v6 bank is it is the easy head to pull, no front engine accessory parts to pull to get the head off, although the simple intake manifold has to come off first.
Cylinder #6 showing carbon washed off by steam.
Initial compression test should show a lower compression reading on the leaking head gasket Cylinder, like #6.
Seeing proofs of #6 being the problem, I would just do the front v6 head gasket (the simple one).
These are simple engines to do as they are not the complicated overhead cam, but are simple pushrod engines. So you don't have to pull the whole front of the engine down just to get the head (s) off.
Some simple diagnostics and some help from a friend, you can be well on your way again. All for the price of 1 head gasket.
Key is: diagnose which cylinder it is. Good Luck
☆☆☆☆☆
OK lots of good comments so far.
Now let's get down to some basic DIY diagnostics, to help the owner get this fixed.
1. White steam coming out exhaust on first start. Check
2. Pull the 3 front spark plugs in order to see which one is "Steamed" clean. Check
3. If you can isolate which of the front 3 cylinders is leaking coolant through a visual spark plug veiwing. Then if you follow up with a compression test on those front 3, you may find that it is cylinder #6 (front on driver's side), as that is a common cylinder to go first.
The nice part about cylinder #6 on the front v6 bank is it is the easy head to pull, no front engine accessory parts to pull to get the head off, although the simple intake manifold has to come off first.
Cylinder #6 showing carbon washed off by steam.
Initial compression test should show a lower compression reading on the leaking head gasket Cylinder, like #6.
Seeing proofs of #6 being the problem, I would just do the front v6 head gasket (the simple one).
These are simple engines to do as they are not the complicated overhead cam, but are simple pushrod engines. So you don't have to pull the whole front of the engine down just to get the head (s) off.
Some simple diagnostics and some help from a friend, you can be well on your way again. All for the price of 1 head gasket.
Key is: diagnose which cylinder it is. Good Luck
☆☆☆☆☆
