Anybody ever replaced a head gasket

This weekend I pulled my boat to the lake not remembering that I had seen a low coolant message on my dash a few days before. When I stopped at the docks to put the boat in the water I saw the message ENGINE TO HOT and realized I was sitting at about 240 or 250 temp. So I let it cool down added some water from water bottles and put the boat in the lake. Now when I went to pull the boat out of the water it ran fine but sounded like a real bad exhaust leak. I drove the boat home and had no problem with it over heating. The weird thing is once the truck heats up the horrible sounding exhaust leak goes away, its only there when I first start up the truck. By two or three miles it goes away. I was told by a friend it could be a head gasket, what do you think

The truck is a 2003 silverado with the 5.3 and 90,000 miles

What are the chances I cracked my exhaust manifold. My oil isn't milky and I don't have any leeks anywhere.

A cracked Exhast manifold wouldnt caused an overheating issue. Are you thinking a low coolant level casued the engine to overheat, and then the High heat cracked the exhaust manifold? That scenario is possible, but I'm not sure its likely.

Why does your friend think its a head gasket? what clues lead him to that conclusion?

A bad head gasket can allow water inot the intake or into the cylinders themselves. It wont always show up as moisture in the oil. Is there any steam / white smoke coming from the exhaust?

I havent seen any steem in the exhast. Yes I think the over heating caused the manifold to crack I forgot I had low coolent when I pulled the boat to the lake so it over heated. I posted this on GMfullsized.com and they also think is is a head gasket. But a guy on that website told me to check the exhust manifold and see if any of the bolts are sheard off. I just noticed that two are sheard off on the drivers side on the farthest back cylinder and is cleary not touching the head. Does this mean I am screwed or can I just buy some long tuded header and fix the problem

Your going to have to get the sheared bolts out of the block using an EZ out or a tap out tool. Soak them good overnight in Liquid Wrench before you try. After you get the botls out, Id jsut put a new exhaust gasket on and see if that fixes it. If it doesnt, your back to looking for cracks and either a new exhaust manifold or a set of headers

Is it still loosing coolant or running hot ? if not I doubt its a head gasket . The manifold warped with the heat once you take it off you may not be able to line up the holes. You must find out where the coolant went have you checked the water pump?

Find someone with a block checker.

head gasket. just replaced mine in my boat. not too difficult and im no mechanic. check your oil to see if it is clear or chocolate milky looking. then pull your plugs to check to see if water/coolant is in the cylinder head. you probably find the cylinder where the gasket faulted.

you could use a header if they make it

you got too hot causing a blown exhaust gasket

when the truck is cold take the radiator cap off start the truck if it bubbles big strong bubbles most likely blown head gasket.the only other sign is white smoke coming out of the exhaust. the block checker pictured above is a excellent tool but cost like 70 dollars .

Just checked and there are no bubbles or white smoke. Check the oil again today and it still looks good, also its high 80's today (wish I was at the lake) and its not over heating or losing coolent. I sure hope I don't have to replace the engine.