Oil in coolant should I...

[2ndwind]

run it once in a while anyway or let it continue to sit (since last April when discovered) until I have the money to pull the head, have it checked, then fix whatever is wrong? On the one hand, I'd hate to pull it and find major issues I'm not prepared to fix right now (son going to college in fall). On the other hand, If it only requires a head gasket, I'd hate to wait till both kids are out of college (eight years).

Other symptoms before stored: blue smoke on cold start ups, strong running, started running hotter than normal, thus the discovery. Will running it occasionally wreck it? Should I get the weight off the tires if I don't move it?

[So Cal Mark]

the problem with running it occassionally like this is that you will have at least one cylinder that sits with coolant/water in it. That can ruin a cylinder wall amongst other problems. I'd pull the head, you can always reassemble it with a new head gasket if you find major issues

[124JOE]

nothing to sweat
take it apart
ill bet it only needs a gasket

running hot is from low coolant level
you know THE BURP

and you cant stop the leak with it together

[baltobernie]

Remove each spark plug individually. The cylinder that has a leak will have a spark plug that is very, very clean. Do this before undertaking repairs, so you know where to look.

Every once in a great while, the cylinder head bolts closest to the leak can be tightened a little and the leak stops. Not usually, but worth a try if money is tight. But Mark has the best idea; invest in a head gasket and pull the head. Much better chance of success.

Leave the car on the ground for storage, or support the four individual suspension points on jackstands, keeping the shock absorbers and bushings in their normal, loaded state.

[2ndwind]

Thanks guys,
I used to do head gaskets on SOHC Toyotas pretty frequently 20 yrs ago. I was "afraid" to open it up, find a bigger issue than I can afford to fix right now then let it sit so long I forget how to put it back together. Gettin' so ancient the memory bank is a broke as the money bank. I know, I know, I'm acting all mamby-pamby. It seems the consensus is to pull it to save the cylinder wall(s). I do have a good manual to put it all back together. Time to get out the bullet heater for the garage. Thanks again.

[So Cal Mark]

I'll keep my fingers crossed that it's a minor issue!
Just as an aside, I'll have a multi layer steel head gaskets next week!

[vandor]

Likely it is just the gasket, but you'll want to do a valve job if the head is off anyways. The blue smoke on startup is likely the valve seals.

[dmwhiteoak]

Csaba , In the past when I worked on v-8's it always seemed after doing a rebuild on heads the rings didn't last long afterwards. It always seemed the oil rings were the first to go. Is this not a problem with these eingines?