Headgasket problem? This is really confusing!

[s14sr]

ok guys this is really starting to tick me off but someone please help me out.-I have a 1996 240 (~140,000 miles) and it is completely stock.-Last month the upper radiator hose connector (the plastic piece) broke off. So, i had Midas replace it.-I am having overheating issues and i have BRAND NEW waterpump, t-stat and radiator.-I had Midas take a look at it and they said it is my headgasket because it would run hot on the highway but not in the city.-I drove it around the city and now it is starting to overheat while im in the city and lord knows what will happen if i take it on the highway.-I have bled the stupid air bubble crap so many times now that i am sick of doing it and it doesnt do me any good.

Symptoms to why I believe it isn't the headgasket:-No mixing of coolant and oil in my radiator-No coffee cream looking oil on my dipstick-I do not see white smoke coming out of my tailpipe

Symptoms to why I believe it is the headgasket:-Midas has stated that the exhaust side of the engine is getting into my coolant lines thus creating "air pockets" and causing my car to overheat.-When it gets hot and I shut my car off, I can hear pressure and bubbles going into my coolant reservoir.-I started with very low coolant reservoir and after all the heating and stopping the car too cool down, it was almost to the max line.

So, my questions are:-Can it be the headgasket or am I just not bleeding it right? If I'm not bleeding it right how else am I supposed to do it?-Can the headgasket be done by a newb like me?-Is 1200 dollars from Midas a fair price for getting my head gasket changed + getting my head resurfaced?-Can it be anything else? -Any way to test my to see if it is my headgasket? I heard if you take the radiator cap off and let the car run it should spit out coolant like a geysar. Is this true? -Thanks a lot guys! -My sn is sunrat39 on AIM. Please this is my daily driver I need help with this ASAP!!

[Nismochick240]

dont pay 1200 bucks for a headgasket repair mine just blew and its only costing me like 300 bucks lol

the way i tested mine was pull out the spark plugs and see if there is any antifreeze on the plug.

[s14sr]

300 dollars for getting a headgasket done? I paid more to get my radiator changed out!!What is everyones price on headgasket changes? If i drop 1200 i would shoot myself cuz i can use it towards a SR20 or swap out to another lower mileage KA and use the rest of the money towards manual swap or something.

[RICERRIFFIC]

First Thing i would do is check to see if theres build up of minerals in the radiator. if you use regular water to fill the radiator up then it probably is coated on the inside make heat transfer almost impossible. another thing i would check that will tell you right away if its a head gasket is when its cold. pull the rad cap off and start the car . if it blows water out the top as soon as you start it you got a bad head gasket. exactly what midas said. also try that when its hot just be carful when opening the cap when its hot. Also highly unlikely on nissans but my vw had a problem with overheating and it turned out to be the rad cap itself was bad therefore not holding pressure and never opening the t-stat.

[s14sr]

well it was slowly overflowing when i turned the car on (cold) with the rad cap off. does it have to be like a geyser or just it actually escaping the rad?

[The Mic]

Symptoms of a blown head gasket are: reduced power, white or blue smoke out the tailpipe, oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil. You can check for a blown head gasket by removing the coolant cap and watching the coolant level when you add the compressed air. If it rises or you see bubbles, you have a leaking head gasket.

[s14sr]

OK so i put back my old radiator cap and a new thermostat.. well it takes it a lot longer to warm up... and it likes to stay a quarter way up from the C mark a lot until i drive it around for a good while. I guess is this normal or ok? It hits the halfway mark but it just takes a while and i havent seen it go past that halfway mark yet, and i hope it doesnt either. alright thanks fellas!