I have a 2000 volvo t6 s80. background, we drove the car appox 6 miles, check coolant light comes on, pull over, has coolant in reserve thing, add more-light went off-drove 10 more miles, parked, go out of car and everything leaked out underneath the car. mechanic came and took car away-said an hour later I need a new motor-cracked head. get car from mechanic b/c no money to fix right now. have a friend look at it that is fairly knowledgable about cars-car has been sitting 2 months, fill it up with coolant, start the car-it sputters horribly, but no water in oil, seems like a leak near a hose. my question-can I drive it 4 miles to another mechanic for a 2nd opion? no white smoke nothing like that.
I would have it TOWED (NOT DRIVEN) to a knowledgeable mechanic for a second opinion. I would be interestd to know what exactly the mechanic did to determine you had a cracked head. The last time I was invoved in this was with an old Chevy straight 6, and the head came off before our mechanic determined the exact nature of the problem (cracked head).
I don’t think you should drive it at all. Have it towed, but definitely get a second opinion. A cracked head, even if that’s the problem, does not necessarily mean you need a new engine.
I don’t know how anyone can see a cracked head in an hour. It takes longer than that to remove the head and inspect it for cracks.
I am so sorry. Vovlos respond badly to overheating because of some of the parts are aluminum and some are steel. It is very unlikely that it is a leaky hose, although when you watch the fluid leak out it does appear to be a leaky hose. A second opinion is fine but do have it towed.
It sounds like your car blew a head gasket through no fault of your own. The head may have been cracked before or when the gasket blew, or it may have cracked when you drove it again. The engine may indeed need repair or replacement.
The symptoms you outline are typical of a cracked head, and a good mechanic can make that diagnosis quickly from the symptoms, without opening the head. If you have taken the Volvo to this mechanic before, and liked his work, it seems reasonable to have him do the work.
If you are lucky you have only blown the gasket. But would not be a good thing if your mechanic led you to believe it was only a gasket when the repair may be much more expensive.