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Blown Head Gasket?
Topic Started: Feb 1 2010, 07:32 PM (3,141 Views)
ken
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here is my tale of woe. I headed for work the other morning and about five miles from the house I looked down through my sleepy eyes and saw to my horror the temp gauge was pegged :-/ . stopped the geo and found the radiator completely dry. Found some h20 and got her home without I think any excessive overheating. here is my dilemma, I have just finished (some weeks ago what I thought was a succesful valve job/ head remove and replace. fellin pretty good about my self and now this. The car has been acting "funny" as in on start up running as if on one cyl, then cleaning up and running fine. I think this might be accumulted water in one or more cylinders while parked. Also it is having spells of fast(2k) idle I think this might be no water flow past temp sensor making the computer think the engine is cold. All this is speculation on my part I am seeking your opinion of the blown head gasket diagnosis. I filled the radiator today and ran the thing for less than 5 mins and when I removed the radiator cap there was a great deal of pressure in the cooling system the water in side was cold. I filled the radiator and ran the engine without the cap and a continual stream of bubbles issued from the neck of the rad. these could have been just the usual "post rad fill" bubbles but they looked smokey. I then put the cap on for a couple of minutes and when I removed it discovered a great deal of pressure again cold water. As much as I don't want to pull the head I'm thinkin thats what I ned to do. If I do will I have to buy new head bolts and what did I likely do wrong? I did use some "copper coat" stuff and I torqued all to specs and in sequence.as there is no emoticon for hysterical screaming and suicidal depression I'll close

PS If anyone has knowledge of diesel engines I also got one of those not working right Thanx all Ken
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Johnny Mullet
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Fear the Mullet

Sounds like you are having either a head gasket issue or warped head. When the head was off the first time, did you check it and the block with a straight-edge?

Post the diesel issues in the "General Tech" section and maybe someone can help.
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ken
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Thanx for the input. I had the valve job done at a shop and the head was milled. I guess that's what you call it. is there a particular type of straight edge used to check for flatness? and what "deviation" from flat is acceptable? Is a warped block common? or even possible?
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bogs
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Duct tape heals all wounds

Sorry to hear the rough luck :(
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ken
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thanks I'm thinkin maybe I'm making my luck. top down season is coming so I MUST get this fixed
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Johnny Mullet
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Fear the Mullet

Warped block not common at all, but heads can get above the .004 limit. You can rent a straightedge at a parts store. What kind of gasket did you use? I am sure after the head is back off, you will find the source of the leak.
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Memphis metro


Is the timing correct? Incorrect timing can cause fast idle and fast idle can make a engine run hot. Just a thought. I just went back and reread your complaint. You might just have a thermostat problem as well. Is the top radiator hose getting hot?
Edited by Memphis metro, Feb 1 2010, 08:27 PM.
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ken
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Thanx for the input engine doc. the timing has not moved and the idle rpms were 800 or so like they are suposed to be. I ruled out a tstat because it doesn't run hot until the water is gone from the rad ( I think). All this is good stuff to make me think this through and not jump the gun.
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jellybean


in the morning when first cranking over does it hesitate (stop)before starting if it does you have water in the cylinder try pulling the plugs and see if you get water when cranking do this after it has sat for a while and have some one operate the starter while you watch. keep clear because it can come out with some force. the hesitation is a matter of degree and even if you don't notice it you could still have leakage. check the head bolts for tightness stuff happens good luck and if no one answered yes you always will need a new head gasket
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Murf 59
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Did you replace your head bolts? Our are designed to be used only once. They stretch. 3Tech sells them new. And the straight edge must be exactly flat. No BS.
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ken
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Thanx every body. the head is off. water everywhere. No other apparent problems. The head bolts did not SEEM very tight. I did use a torque wrench and did them up to the specs and in sequence (they were new)What ft lb do you guys use ,how much will they tolerate? Knowing what I know now I wish I had just checked the head bolts B4 taking it all the way down but oh well, Anyway head is off to the shop to be checked for warpage.Probably fine but it did get hot so better safe than sorry.
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Dallas


did you check the gasket out?
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ken
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I'm not sure what I would be looking for but there are no glaring problems with the gasket. I'm really starting to get creeped out by this thing as I can't get a bead on what is going on and that usually costs money. the head is flat the head shop checked it said it was fine. He said and I quote"these things don't usually give much trouble. he questioned whether it was a "simple" torque sequence or a complicated multi step one. the way I read the manual it was as simple as tighteneing them in sequence. I did turn each bolt in sequence the same amount say a quarter turn each from snug to final torque. In other words I didnt snug all then tighten each to final torque. My question is did I do it right? Autozone computer says 54ftlbs. I havent checked my book but that sounds like the number I used. at $54 gasket and $20 bolts dong this repeatedly will get expensive. Oh yeah the pvc valve was packed full of what looked like mud.
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jellybean


ken look for cleaner areas in the combustion camber thats the water path did you chase the threads in the block
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rmcelwee
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From my engine rebuild page:

I used the torque sequence in the picture. I tightened all the bolts to 10 ft-lb, then 20, then 40 then finally and 54 ft-lbs. Be sure to coat the threads on your head bolts with a little oil (let it drip off) before putting them in:

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