My 1999 Monte Carlo is overheating, what's causing this?

Question

I have a 1999 Monte Carlo 3.1. It started overheating a few days ago & and I could barely get it home. Yesterday we tried changing the thermostat (that only took 3 hours since it's located under the throttle body) and It looked like it worked from idling in the driveway & once I took it around the block it started to overheat again. I was almost back took the last turn around the block and..it dies. I glide down the street a little and turn the car back on to get it back into the drive way. So I guess the thermostat isn't the problem. There is also a beigeish sludge on the cap to the oil. I do currently have water in my coolant reservoir since I was 3 miles away from home on my original journey. I was thinking it could be the lower intake manifold since GM cars do have a problem with that since they use Dex Cool coolant, but I'm really hoping it's not that since that is a really expensive problem I can't afford to get fixed and sounds too complicated to take on at home.

Answer 1

yea it does sound as if you have a head gasket problem when the water turns like that , you also might check the oil itself if the dipstick has water on it you know for sure or has the same milky yuk on the stick ,, good luck!!

Answer 2

the chocolate milk under your oil cap points to a head gasket problem.  have the block tested if there are not any visible leaks.