I have a 2000 celica gt-s and temperture is at hot and the mechanic said the head gasket is blown. i pulled #3 & #4 plug to see if coolant is in cylinder but seems dry, checked oil dip stick and oil cap no sign of water, exhust seems a little moist running hot.hoe do i confirm if it is the head gasket ? mac

Yes, if there's white smoke coming out the exhaust the engne is burning coolant it has to get into the combustion chamber via a broken head gasket, a cracked head or a cracked block. A simple leak down test will identify the problem cylinder. I hope this helps. Take care.

Does it get hot mainly when parked or stopped at a red light or does it get hot even when the car is in motion?If its only when your stopped,the cooling fans are probably not working due to a blown fuse,relay or bad fan motor.If the coolant inside the reservoir seems to boil once the engine gets hot,that can be caused by a defective radiator cap.A blown head gasket will also cause overheating.If you let the engine idle for a few minutes,shut it off,pull all of the spark plugs,see if any plug or two adjacent plugs are wet with coolant, that's a sign of a blown head gasket.If you constantly need to refill the radiator with coolant, that's another sign.

Do a combustion leak test at coolant filler cap,
for exhaust gasses

Clean up coolant in plug wells & pressure test
cold & hot

If you have coolant leaking out of the muffler the head gasket is most likely blown. The head gasket has passageways through it for coolant water, exhaust, intake and engine oil. Depending on which location the gasket has ruptured you can mix fluids or gasses in several combinations. The only way coolant can get to the exhaust is through a cracked head or blown head gasket. If the head is cracked and another head is installed a new head gasket is installed because reusing a used gasket is very risky. The only to be sure what is broken is to take the heads off. If only the head gasket is blown the head is usually warped and should at least be milled if not replaced. I hope this helps.

If the engine is not overheating but the coolant appears to be boiling you may have a blown head-gasket. Remove the spark-plugs, pressurize the cooling system and check for coolant in the cylinders.

A blown head gasket. This is common if you ever let the engine overheat. Aluminum heads will warp if allowed to overheat even for a few minutes. If you check the coolant there may also be oil in the coolant. Remove your spark plugs and see if they are all the same color on the tip of the plugs that are inside the engine. Usually one or two of the plugs will foul with oil or coolant and not fire like the other plugs. You could also have a cracked head or engine block. It is a complex job for the home mechanic to remove and replace the head gaskets. If you do, take the heads to a shop that will test for cracks and rebuild the head before you replace the head gaskets and intake and exhaust gaskets. This is a complex job for the average home mechanic.

a cracked head or blown head gasket,will cause your vehicle to have a miss in the cylander where the crack is or where the gasket is blown. you can also see coolant leaking if the gasket is blown. you can also see water in the oil,and white smoke come from the exhaust.
to tell for sure that the head is cracked,and not just a blown gasket is to remove the head. you will instantly see if the gasket is blown. if its not,then turn the head upside down and look at the small space between the valves,as this is where 99% of cracks occur.

2000 grand am replace motor with blown head gasket . now new new motor getting hot . coolant fan only turning very slow

I had the same problem this winter. The head gaskets were blown, took the block apart and replaced all the gaskets. Cost about 300 - 400 in parts and took one full day to finish with 3 men who aren't particularly experts but who aren't rookies to say the least.

Goodluck

I hate to tell you this but its possible...

You have a leak. Look around on the driveway and try to determine if you have an external leak as opposed to an internal leak. If you see no coolant on the ground, suspect a blown head gasket. Do not continue to drive this car in this condition. If it does indeed have a blown head gasket, serious engine damage will occur.

Check your exhaust for white smoke. Chances are good you have a blown head gasket and coolant is leaking into the engines combustion chambers and is essentially burning off. Also check your oil, if it looks like caf mocha, this will confirm coolant is leaking into the oil via the blown head gasket