Help! Coolant not circulating!

[BoarderTy]

Alright so today i was driving to school when i noticed the car starting to steam i looked at my temp gauge and it was fine, running where it normally does. Then my low coolant light came on. and i went into school asked my shop teacher if i could bring my car in later. I went out later to get the car and there was a huge spot on the ground i smelt it and it was coolant. Brought it into the shop looked around the engine trying to find a spot to where the leak was coming from, we think it was coming from the back right side of the engine, kinda underneath the fuse box. so we filled the coolant tank with water and parked it out back, after school looked under car, no leak spot on ground. got in, drove it to my aunts about 5 miles away looked again and there was NO water in the tank! it was dry!! had my uncle look at it, he couldnt tell either. Filled it up with water again. and now it has been at the right temp and the same amount of water stays in. Also, alot of soot and condensation has been coming out the exhaust, and a little white smoke. Heard something like, blown gasket, water pump. everything. THE COOLANT/WATER IS NOT CIRCULATING AROUND INSIDE THE ENGINE...AT ALL. WE COULD HEAR THE WATER BOILING INSIDE THE ENGINE BLOCK. PLEASE HELP ME!!

[Redog]

You have a leak somewhere.

If it was teh 3.4 I'd say the LIMG leak, but maybe it's a head gasket on the 4 banger :(

[BoarderTy]

Alright and just a general guess...how much is a head gasket to have replaced?..

[kwhauck]

just do it yourself and save a lot of money....

[widbyj]

Sadly the gasket is not expensive but the labor can be. Might be a good time to get real familiar with your engine! I'm kinda surprised it even runs if it is consuming antifreeze so rapidly...

[Nate's Alero]

check the bottom end thermostat housing gasket area.. they leak there

[Oldsman]

Sounds like maybe head gasket and water neck. headgasket is not going to leak coolant on ground at least the driver side. i would look at the black plastic water neck out head on driver side see if coolant leak from there. i think this is what nate is trying to say

[Nate's Alero]

Sounds like maybe head gasket and water neck. headgasket is not going to leak coolant on ground at least the driver side. i would look at the black plastic water neck out head on driver side see if coolant leak from there. i think this is what nate is trying to say

yep, thanks Scot

[AleroDrime]

wait if your saying its only leaking when the cars running id go looking at your lines, make sure ones not cracked.

[Afugy]

The coolant on the ground was from the tank? Check the hose coming off the tank for wetness, how it looked like it came from the other side of the car is magic. We have a sealed cooling system, if the head gasket is blown it will be pushing air into the system and pushing coolant out of the tank.

DO NOT drive your car around till you know for sure that your head gasket is not blown!!

My cost for my head gasket change was about 350$ but could have been less if not for all the little extra stuff that I bought. Look to spend around 300$ if you do it right.

[RockfordAlero]

dont drive your car till you figgure it out or you will end up like me... without a car ,,,anyone got a motor? ha