Trouble starting, overheating, idling rough on 2000 Leganza

[Ali]

I've had the car for a little bit now, and its been running fine until recently. I've replaced the timing belt, changed the oil, replaced the transmission fluid, and changed out the spark plugs and wires. The car is at 72k miles.

Last week, I've noticed the car idling a little rough. A day or two afterward, it gets more rough and the car had trouble starting. The engine just wouldn't turn after a couple of tries, nothing to do with the battery. I decided to limit my driving until I can figure out what's wrong. Two days after, the engine starts getting a little hot, the gauge making it inside the space from the notch just below the red. Yesterday, it definitely hit the red. I immediately parked the car and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. I was pretty close to home so I drove back, freaking out whenever the temperature gauge climbed up. I think I've noticed it not idling rough for a little bit when I was at a light.

I've done a little research but only on the problems individually, I'm not sure how all these tie together. I've got solutions from replacing the thermostat to installing a new head gasket. I honestly have no idea.

[Ali]

Welp I just replaced the thermostat just to confirm my previous suspicion; head gasket blew.

I really don't get it. I'm not super great with cars or anything but I take care of them and drive responsibly.

[buddha102]

how about a check engine light? is it on?

[daewoomofo]

how did you confirm the head gasket is blown? do you have oil in the coolant, or coolant in the oil. did you do a compresson test?

[Ali]

Not before but it just got on, but I figured a sensor burned out (the engine light). I've got the usual symptoms of head gasket failure like milky oil and white smoke from the tail pipe (though not alot at the moment). I want to try those sealant things as a temp patch up until I can get it done properly, but I can't find anything that tells me they work kind of well.

I really have no idea how difficult it could be to do the head gasket though. The service manual makes it look imposing, as I'd have to remove two engine mounts and etc.

[buddha102]

engine mounts? wtf? i know in lanos u can get to head without removing the engine mounts

hmmm... try fixing that check engine light, might fix one of the problems

[Ali]

Well, I know that in order to replace the timing belt I absolutely had to remove the right engine mount. I might not actually need to do it for the cylinder head but I'm not entirely sure, and I really can't find any posts about someone with a Leganza that took out the head (and the search function on this forum is rubbish! Any word that's a car term is deemed "too common" and would return "too many results" or some crap).

I forgot if I can unscrew that plate that helps keep the timing belt cover in place while the engine mount is still on, just so I can have a little room doing whatever I need to do on the timing belt side. I'd have to take a better look at the car.

I'll be looking up the trouble code to find out what it is. but if it isn't anything big, it won't be a high priority as getting the head gasket done.

[Ali]

Just to ask, should I do anything special when I get the head out? I'm going to get it machined obviously but is there anything interesting I could add just for the hell of it?

[daewoomofo]

im not sure where its posted but i beleive that there is a specific order that the head bolts need to be removed in. also if you search for removing a nubira head it should be the same. the 2.0 (nubi) and 2.2 (legy) are basicly the same engine.

[Ali]

I know, I've got the monstrous 2.5k page PDF of a service manual with me. I was thinking if there was anything I could add to make it run better, though. By the time I'd have the head removed, half of the engine is already torn apart. I figured at that state I could try to do something small and neat with it, but I'm not sure what. All I'm good for is fixing a problem, I'm not big on car theory.