My car is overheating a lot and my oil looks like it's getting a little antifreeze in it. What's the problem?

My trusted mechanic told me that I most likley need a new head gasket, which will run upwards of $600. Is this a good idea? The car has been overheating, and I (or my mechanic) could not find a leak anywhere, but the oil is starting to look cloudy of antifreeze! The car has been working great other than overheating. I'll fill up the radiator, and a few days later it will start overheating again and the radiator will not be full! My mechanic told me not to drive it until they can fix it, in order to keep it from screwing anything else up. I appreciate any advice anyone can give me. Thank you for your help!My car is overheating a lot and my oil looks like it's getting a little antifreeze in it. What's the problem?
your mechanic is correct. if you continue to drive this vehicle, your engine will seize(freeze), and need to be replaced. shortly before that happens, you will notice a trail of white smoke coming from your exhaust. this is a sure indication that the leak has worsened and you are about to lose your engine.My car is overheating a lot and my oil looks like it's getting a little antifreeze in it. What's the problem?
without knowning with car you have,i would say your mechanic is right.if you keep on driving it,it will cost you lots more.600 bucks is cheap compared to 2500 bucks.
The first thing you need to do is stop driving it immediately! The water pump died on my car while on the freeway and before I knew it overheated and died. The result of this was a cracked head. You could pay someone to do the work or if your up for a challenge you could do it yourself. Just get the shop manual for your car and it will tell you step by step instructions on how to remove/install the cylinder head. Once you get the head off you'll need to take it to a machine shop to be tested. If it is cracked you'll need to get a replacement from the junkyard or buy a new one. If you get one from the j-yard you'll have to have it tested at the machine shop too.
head gasket, hopefully you didn't warp the head.
Most mechanics can do a test on your radiator to see if there is exhaust fumes getting into the cooling system. They use a liquid which changes color if there is carbonmonoxide present in the cooling system. They usually charge around $10.00 but it will tell you for absolute sure if it is the head gasket or maybe a cracked head. Yes it is not a good idea to drive it if antifreeze is getting into the oil at you might damage your engine bearings.


This is a very common problem in cars unfortunately.
Yup, deffo blown a gasket. Price seems about right, as is advice!
headgasket, cracked head , cracked block. but more than likely a cracked head. pay the money and get it done right.
Your mech. sounds right, though do stop driving it! antifreeze in the oil literally fries a engine... if you've gone for some time like this, might as well either get a new engine, or have this one rebuilt, it is hell on the bearings and eats em up in no time.
Most likely a blown headgasket.


You should have it repaired right away or you could lose your engine.
Yeah, sounds like a head gasket. Get some other estimates but that sounds close to the cost of repair. The gasket kit itself is cheap but the labor to replace it can vary. If you don't have the issue fixed soon you'll either overheat or hydrolock the engine.
Hm ya it could be a head gasket. 600 sounds to much for a head gasket. I bet he including the time in that. If it would cost 600 to fix i would not take it to him. Phone up some other mechanics in your area and ask them how much it would cost to replace a head gasket.
you have a blown head gasket. The $600 price will include machining the heads back down IF the heads are warped. If not you will save $250
sound a bit pricey, change to thermo in it first and chane all the hoses also.thats was all i needed.
Change head gasket asap or else you might have to change the head or even the rings if you ignore or wait and see !





Overheating shold be attended to asap. The sooner you remedy,the less you spend and your CONSTANT WORRY will disappear.
thats the head gasket, you can probably do it yourself, just get a manual, the gasket and the right tools. the gasket shouldnt be too much, and 600 seems about right. it usually takes around three to four hours on some cars, sometimes more or less depending on the car, and they will increase the price of the gasket by usually around three hundred percent