Hey guys more problems with the Merc Sable it's about to give up the ghost which is fine one thing though I was wondering about it lately. I turn on the ignition and when the engine is running it sounds like there's something rattling inside. A metallic sound coming from the engine. It's gotten worse it's a weird humming noise now. When I hit the gas there's little power and I can smell burnt gasoline coming out of the tailpipe. The smell is the kind of smell you associate beaten down cars from the 80s that some people drive today.

Is this a head gasket problem? Would it be save to drive? I need to move it away from the road so these people can do some road maintenance tomorrow (how convenient not giving a warning in advance). The last thing I want is a freak accident involving me, a gasoline engine, and a boom.

[poke]

Sounds worse than a head gasket problem.....which typically don't make noises, just over-heating, loss of power, etc. If a gasket blows between two cylinders, there's a possibility of different symptoms.

Run a compression check on the cylinders....should clear up the mystery.

you can check the oil... and if its a milky consistency... then your HG is prob gone. but with that sound you say... it might be a rod. But do run a comp test

AH!!!! What year is your Mercury Sable? I had a 93 Ford Taurus with the 3.8 Essex and the damn head gasket blew up everytime time you turn around.

The Head Gasket problem usually arises when you floor the accelerator and it take a while to rev up with a few shakes here and there, if that's the case.....*UGH* I feel really, really sorry.... Head gasket instalation usually is necessary to take the whole engine out because of a few obstricted parts that need to be taken out anyways.