Yikes, I've been there. I'd look to source a set of good condition factory oems and then add the Halo kit. If I recall correctly, the kit was under $150. Huge difference without breaking the bank.

Well that ain't good.

Very nice. Love the color.

I saw the pictures, but am not sure what the pblm is...A little goo in the cooling system? That could come from somebody using a little grease on o-rings when putting system back together.

What other symptoms of a failed head gasket do you have?

Pull the engine! LS swap time! With a manual!!

Not much other than the car getting too hot, but that could've easily been caused by the cheap thermostat, or almost no coolant in the system. I'll hopefully have it back together tomorrow with a new tank, tstat, tank mount plate, and upper hose.

Before I knew there was no coolant in the car I test drove it. Nothing out of the ordinary drivability wise. No smoke/ steam out of the back, no milkyness on the oil cap. Guess I'll see what happens when I have it back together. I'm preparing for the worst.

FYI that's not head gasket. That's a little water / oil mix from the car likely sitting outside, sitting for extended periods of time, or just not getting hot enough. You see schmoo like this all the time.

Change the oil, flush the coolant, and get the car up to temp and go for a nice long drive.

Get yourself one of those combustion testers to be sure, but I'm 99% certain that's not head gasket.

How is oil getting in the cooling system from sitting? This is all new to me lol so Im here to learn

No head gasket failure! New thermostat and expansion tank and the car runs cool. Got it fixed just in time for a bunch of snow to test it out.

Unfortunately the last person who worked on it botched the cooling system. Ex. tank mount is destroyed and the tank was held on with zipties.

I purchased a new manual specific mount only to find out they had cut the one they used to fit around the radiator... which is for an automatic car.

I'm having the radiator, hoses, and mount replaced next week and then it'll be good to go!

Always love finding effed up stuff done by incompetent dingleberries.

The previous owner of mine really enjoyed cutting into wiring harnesses and just twisting wires back together with electrical tape. Removing the instrument cluster and putting black silicon over all the warning indicator leds. Ripping out the stock speakers and putting in garbage no name speakers using giant sheet metal screws into the door.... also cut the stock speaker wire harness off. Six different bolts on the stiffner plate. Zip ties on the cv boots.

Anyway, glad to see yours is getting sorted out.