So my MC (3.4L) just hit the 220,000 mile mark and my low coolant level light came on. Me being curious (since there was no puddle on the ground) I checked the oil and sure enough it's milky white. I'm assuming it's the head gasket. I've heard the rebuild kits are pretty expensive and time consuming to rebuild. Would it be worth the rebuild kit, a new motor, or a used motor from a junkyard? I know going to a junkyard runs the risk of getting another bad motor, but at the same time I'm a college student and am pretty tight on money. I don't really want to part with the car because I've invested about $1000 in parts over the last year or so (suspension related) and I can't sell/scrap it because I can't get the title from the state.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

 

$150 for the gaskets heads and up by fel-pro. Probably want to send the heads off to be checked. I bought a set of remand heads for $150 ea when I bought a non - runner and found the head was damaged.

The lower intake manifold gaskets for those 3400s in that time wore out and can cause the same problem - oil and coolant mixing. Is it overheating? Also this is a fairly easy, straight forward repair for gaskets since its OHV - you don't need to deal with a cam or timing chains or anything. Do you have tools/any experience working on engines? As far as time goes, I did a head gasket replacement on a 3400 all in one nights back in college so I hope that can give you some encouragement to try yourself.

Edit: call a few machine shops for pricing in your area as well as them machining your heads it will probably be about 80-90 for that just call and ask.

 

It has not overheated at all. I've actually never done anything engine related. All my work I've done is suspension related. How will I know if it's the head gasket or lower intake manifold? I know the head gaskets are more prone to going on these engines, but my car hasn't overheated so I didn't know for sure if it was the head

 

Hydrocarbon test for exhaust gasses in the cooling system. For head gasket. I think you can rent a kit for O'Reilly or some other local parts store; if not rent you can buy one Lisle 75500 - Combustion Leak Detector | O'Reilly Auto Parts

As for lower intake manifold, usually if it's those black plastic gaskets it's failed. You would look for black plastic 'sandwiched' in between the head and the block.

edit: as for the video, I didn't watch it, just pulled for example. Also with the tool posted, not necessasitly recommended, I just googled O'reilly combustion leak test and it came up - so any brand or someone can recomend a specific one.

here is the gasket set at amazon
Also, since its common to do lower intake manifold gaskets, there is probably a write up guild. Of course it's always recommend to have a manual.

 

Odds are it's a bad lower intake gasket. But at that mileage, eh, head gaskets are not out of the question.
As WBODY mentioned, get a Fel-Pro kit that handles heads on up and you should be set. I normally would recommend the metal core LIM gaskets, but in this case, I would only spend the extra money if you really expect it to last longer than 300K miles (not sure what condition the body is in).

You don't have to send the heads out (but sending them out is a better peace of mind). I have done a few 3100/3400 head gasket jobs and we checked the mating surface with a straight edge, all was good.

 

The body is in fairly decent condition. There's some rust creeping up the sides but not too bad. I'm planning on looking into it later in the week/this weekend once I'm on break and can dismantle stuff without losing anything. I really appreciate your guys' help and hopefully can make the 300k mark