Old mini-van overheating-blown head gaskets??

[callbay]

My friends 1994 Chrysler mini-van overheated. It has 234,000 miles on it but is in decent mechanical shape. Friend says she pulled off the road right away when she saw steam and had it towed to an independent garage. They replaced a heater hose but it still overheats. They told her $1,000 for new head gaskets (minimum) and maybe the heads are cracked. It was not the thermostat the garage said. It does not seem to leak anymore.

Would bad cylinder head gaskets make it overheat?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[mattd]

absolutely. sounds like she cooked the the engine when it overheated. with the age and mileage of the vehicle they were probably tired. If they pull the heads to do headgaskets, DEFINITELY have the heads checked for cracks.

 

[bigjl]

A '94 Minivan with a problem like that there are only two choices in my mind.

Second hand engine or time to get rid.

I wouldn't try to problem solve an engine that may or may not have been cooked.

The engine could have been overheating for several miles before the hose blew due to too much pressure caused by the overheating.

Sometimes the symptom you notice first isn't the actual cause.

Hence why I advise to just change the engine.

If it was mine I would get rid of it.

 

[bullwinkle]

A '94 Chrysler minivan? Sounds like a scrapyard refugee WITHOUT anything wrong with it! If it's a 3.3 I'd go shopping at the local pull & pay-those engines are usually close to indestructible!

 

[JTK]

What engine, 2.5L or 3.3L? 2.5's are about as easy to work on as a lawnmower engine.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

With that many miles on it, the Chrysler transmission is on borrowed time.

If you replace anything, try to find a lower mileage engine and trans combo to swap in.

Sounds like she overheated the engine somehow (neglect?) and it built up pressure and blew out a hose and cracked / warped / blew gasket from mall the heat.

 

[The_Jeff]

If it's the 4 cyl it might be in front of the sturdy 3 speed automatic or even gasp a stick shift!

But since the OP said "gaskets" it's the V6. Could be the mitsubishi 3.0...

 

[dishdude]

I am pretty sure that in 1994 the 3.0 could be bolted up to the 3 speed auto. Not that it really matters - just thought I'd throw it out there.