I think I blew a head gasket.

[robmerrill]

Hi,

Sorry to start another head gasket thread but i just want to make sure.

First I had failed emissions because of little high on the HC. I had just replaced the spark plugs and the emissions guys said I should drive around in 2nd or 3rd gear and let the engine rev-up to burn the HC out of the cylinders.

So I would drive around in 3rd gear and rev-up to 3k rpms for about a mile. I did this for a few days.

Then I decided to drain the anti-freeze. I would drain, put water in the radiator, take a quick ride with heater on come back, let it cool, drain again, fill with water, take another qucik ride and drain. Then filled with 50/50 anti-freeze.

Then the next day I decided to drive in 2nd gear and got it up to to 4k rpms and push it a little to far and it went to 4.5K and then a little pop and the alot white smoke started to come out of the exhaust (like puff clouds). I got it home (I was only a 1/4 mile away) and looked under the car, clean. I opened the hood, clean. I check the oil, antifreeze, spark plugs, clean (no mixtures of oil/antifreeze). I did a quick compression check and got 145-150 on all cylinders. I also checked the turbo inlet and throttle body, clean. And no overheating.

I let it alone for a day and started it up yesterday and after a minute it started to smoke (white) and when I put it in drive it stumbled and I did not go to far. Each time I hit the gas pedal more white smoke. I checked oil, anti-freeze plugs again and all was clean. And no overheating.


I raised the car up and looked undermeath. I did notice a little oil on the bell housing (probably rear main seal).

Is this typical head gasket? How bad is it? Do you think there is more damage/cracks? Did changing the anti-freeze cause this or was it the high revs?

If this is a head gasket is there anyone in the Long Island, NY (Queen/Nassau) area that I could pay to help me change the head gaskets??

 

[Razor]

Sounds like blown turbo. Oil burns white.

Headgasket will milkshake the oil or puff puff puff out the valvecover. Or have a miss like someone disconnected a spark plug. So if the engine runs smooth and doesnt miss.. HG are fine.

 

[robmerrill]

Unfortunately the engine is not running smooth. It feels and sounds like a plug wire is not on right. I could not barely made it out of my driveway when I decided to put it in reverse and back it into the garage.

 

[Razor]

Start disconnecting injectors until you find the cylinder with the miss. Once you find it, perform a compression test on it. You cannot obtain 140-150 compression with a blown gasket. And your plug for that cylinder will be messed up as well.

 

[robmerrill]

Sorry but I have never disconnected any injectors. Do they just pop out? Please explain how I do it. Also do I do this as the car is running? What should happen?
Also if its the turbo, what should be the signs? What should I look for?

Thanks,

Rob

 

[Razor]

while the engine is idling, you squeeze the connector and unplug the injector. If there is a change in the way it idles, that cylinder is firing. If you unplug an injector and the idle doesnt change, then you found your cylinder.

Another way is to disconnect spark plugs from the coil pack. Just be careful you dont get ZAPPED.

The idea is to disconnect cylinders one at a time. Either fuel or spark. Your choice.

 

[MrMNTTA]

Here's a dumb question...........

Are you building any boost at all when you were driving previously?

 

[robmerrill]

Now I Thinks Its The Turbo

Well now that I think about it the boost seemed alittle low. I could easliy get it to 15-20psi but right before the white smoke it did seem to go at all.

I also realized that when I checked the spark plugs for anti-freeze I put back the wires to number #4 and #2 backwards (which made the car not run correctly).

Well last night I started the car again with the radiator cap off (to look for bubble or pressure). Ten minutes later and alot of white smoke the radiator was fine. No bubbles. The car also idled smoothly.

Then I noticed drops of oil below the turbo? I took the shield off and I found oil on it. I also noticed that I lost a half a quart of oil for the dip stick.

Is this the cause of the white smoke? Is the turbo blown or just a gasket? Can I get the turbo rebuilt if blown or do I just buy a stock replacement? And how do I check it the turbo is blown?

What do I do next?

Rob

 

[Sweet6]

Check the oil feed and return lines on the turbo to make sure they are not leaking. Otherwise it could be a turbo seal causing the oil leak.

 

[Razor]

Sounds like blown turbo. Oil burns white.

I was right 2nd post.

Take turbo off and send to Precision Turbo for rebuild

Or buy a new turbo.

 

[robmerrill]

I was right 2nd post.

Take turbo off and send to Precision Turbo for rebuild

Or buy a new turbo.

Yes you were. Good call and thank you.:wink:

 

[robmerrill]

Some more pics of the turbo

I did notice a vacuum line was off (please see pic #3587). Should it be together (see pic#3590). Its on the same hose that goes the wastegate actuator.

#3587

#3590

Would this cause problems?

More pics of turbo. Anyone see anything weird?

 

[Quiky One]

Do you not trust Julio? His opinion is valued more than anyone on here. If you boosted the car with the hose like it is you will hit 30+ PSI. Did you boost recently with that off?

Jason

 

[MrMNTTA]

I think Julio's right. If your cylinder tests all came back good, you don't have a blown head gasket.

Last question from me:

Did you ever once during this whole time blow your dipstick out of the dipstick tube? This could be an indication of a blown head gasket as well.

 

[robmerrill]

I believe it has been that way since I have owned the car, 6 years.

What kind of damage could it do or did I do?

Is this why the turbo went?

I trust everyone on this board. Just want to show what I found yesterday.

No blown dip stick.

 

[Razor]

That broken hose IF the turbo was healthy could of melted down your engine bad. Better get all the hoses around the turbo replaced as well as replacing the turbo. Your IC is going to be full of oil as well.

That hose you show pictured will cuase your boost to go to max when broken like that. Be happy you didnt go WOT for long, you would of blown the HG's

 

[Quiky One]

Be happy you didnt go WOT for long, you would of blown the HG's

If not worse..

 

[edv2]

Just Some Input,i Have A Few Blown Head Gaskets Under My Belt And A Partially Blown Head Gasket May Have Good Compression Until It Fully Blows!also Coolant Can Leak Between Head And Or Block Because Of Head Lifting Under A High Boost Condition Which That Boost Line Leaking On The Turbo Can Cause!also Oil Burns Grayish Blue Color And Coolant Burns White!the Turbo And Or Head Gasket Could Have Been Damaged Under A High Boost Condition!hope This Helps!

 

[1chance]

My car ran fine for months, but it smoke here and there, and at idle. Any pulled the engine to put one in i built, and remove the heads, the HG were blown in the lifter valley. These cars run good even with blown HG sometimes.

 

[robmerrill]

Just Some Input,i Have A Few Blown Head Gaskets Under My Belt And A Partially Blown Head Gasket May Have Good Compression Until It Fully Blows!also Coolant Can Leak Between Head And Or Block Because Of Head Lifting Under A High Boost Condition Which That Boost Line Leaking On The Turbo Can Cause!also Oil Burns Grayish Blue Color And Coolant Burns White!the Turbo And Or Head Gasket Could Have Been Damaged Under A High Boost Condition!hope This Helps!

My car ran fine for months, but it smoke here and there, and at idle. Any pulled the engine to put one in i built, and remove the heads, the HG were blown in the lifter valley. These cars run good even with blown HG sometimes.

You guys are killing me! I finally thought that my car was going to be OK but just replacing the Turbo and now I have to worry all over again.

Also just to let you know that I was able to get a very good stock turbo from a great member here and I received it yesterday. I am going to install it this weekend and I will let everyone know how it turns out.

Thanks,

Rob