Is it possible to blow a headgasket and not have water in the oil and oil in the water? Reason I ask is because a while ago I blew something and at first I thought it was the intake manifold gasket. There was white smoke pouring out the back of my car but it wasn't coming out of the tailpipes. Water and oil was thrown all over the back side of my motor compartment and it was burning off the headers while getting it home. The car never overheated nor did I see bubbles in the overflow tank. No oil in the water/radiator at all. It looked very healthy green. So I got it home and drained the oil. Oil looked perfect. I was confused and thought well maybe I just blew an intake gasket (which was probably causing my rich condition all the time).
Well I just pulled the intake off for the first time and it looks absolutely fine! I didn't know GM used a metal gasket on the intake?! I'm about to take the heads off and see if I did blew a headgasket now. Anyone know what the heck may have happened?
yes. the gasket will blow away from the cylinder and out the side or back. Should be fairly easy to see where it coming out of . Check the oil before you start the car up again though.
FWIW & IMHO:
Head gasket, as my car just suffered the same symptoms and it was a blown head gasket. I have heard that when you blow a head gasket, all of the pressure is above the deck level and as a consequence generally no water gets in the bottom end. My motor blew oil and water (mostly or all oil) all over the motor compartmnent, made a mess.
Good luck with all
well this is very interesting...i just removed the passenger side head...to my surprise i DO have a blown headgasket...it blew on the #4 cylinder right at the edge on the intake side...it really blew too, guess that was one too many 27 psi runs
i still don't understand how the oil and water got all over the engine compartment...why didn't my car overheat? i drove 70 miles after i blew the headgasket trying to get it home...i guess the bearings are toast...but i drained the oil and there was no water in it whatsoever...so maybe the motor is fine
it doesn't matter, i am rebuilding it anyways...i am just curious as to what happened here...
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK YOU CAN'T BLOW A HEADGASKET WITH NO DETONATION: yes you can! when i blew the gasket i had no knock retard whatsoever...just goes to show that when you detonate little by little over time...it really does eat away at the gaskets...in fact it looks like on the #4 cylinder side of the exhaust manifold the gasket was partially gone too but not yet blown...
Don said:
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK YOU CAN'T BLOW A HEADGASKET WITH NO DETONATION: yes you can! when i blew the gasket i had no knock retard whatsoever...just goes to show that when you detonate little by little over time...it really does eat away at the gaskets...in fact it looks like on the #4 cylinder side of the exhaust manifold the gasket was partially gone too but not yet blown...
The head gasket can blow having never been subjected to detonation.. At 27# of boost, the heads are likely to be lifted off the deck, either due to bolt stretch, or the head/block deck yielding.....
You're blowing combustion gasses (and possibly water) into the lifter valley, which then blows the engine's oil (and water, if any) out of every orifice it can find. I blew 3 holes on both gaskets and drove around the block - my engine compartment looked like someone dumped 3 QTs of oil all over it and even the windshield was coated!
Year and a half ago I popped a head gasket between 1&3 and almost though 5&6. My own fault. I was too low on fuel, sucked air boost spike to 25# the knock sensor went off but it was too late.
It skipped at idle, but seemed to run fine above idle. Until I ran a compression test the following day and 1 & 3 only had 80 # of PSI.
All those transitional knock runs take their tolls on them gaskets..those whacky BLM's will contribute to inproper fueling and BOOM there it goes..
I have seen more blown headgaskets on cars raced with BLM issues than under any other condition. If there is a tuning issue..Boom there it goes..always does.
27 PSI is nothing... stock HG's can easily handle 30 PSI..has been done by many.. once you've replaced themm..ahh thats another story.
Originally posted by Razor All those transitional knock runs take their tolls on them gaskets..those whacky BLM's will contribute to inproper fueling and BOOM there it goes..
I have seen more blown headgaskets on cars raced with BLM issues than under any other condition. If there is a tuning issue..Boom there it goes..always does.
27 PSI is nothing... stock HG's can easily handle 30 PSI..has been done by many.. once you've replaced themm..ahh thats another story.
yeah you are probably right...i never did get the car tuned 100% correct...not to mention i beat the hell out of the car and detonated it back when i was really not knowledgable of tuning and running with alky for the first time, etc. it was only a matter of time, i'm surprised it lasted that long! just goes to show that these cars CAN take quite a beating...
it's ok though, i will rebuild the motor from scratch, get a better combo and tune it perfect now that i am ALOT smarter than i was before...you gotta remember this motor was NEVER opened whatsoever and has taken a 17 year beating, most of the abuse coming in the last 3 years when i started modding it...you live and learn they say
Hey man..where ya been..long time brother. Drop me a line with some pixs..or link.
I hosed the watch..I went diving..and somehow left the crown open..well it got water inside..was an expensive diving trip
Don..I hear ya.. the experiences in life that $$$ cost you money, usually are the ones you learn the most from. Good luck on the build..keep it simple..it will live a long and happy life. pay attention to clearances once.. you'll never have to check them again. Best advice I can give you
i just took my car apart...and #4 was toasted on my motor also.
It had so much pressure when it pooped that it blew both breathers out of the vc's. . When it happened i thought it broke a piston or something. it was unreal. The car smoking like a 200k mile motor with no rings left in it. Geez was i scared when i lifted that head off.
ok i found some more interesting findings while pulling off the driver side head today...the number 1 and 3 pistons have small pin head sized holes in them! the holes aren't all the way through the piston but they are noticeably deep...plus the number 2 piston has the same hole...and 4 pistons are scortched on the surface on top...yeah looks like my motor has taken a beating over the years that's for sure...the heads look ok, no chipped valves or anything
needless to say i am getting new pistons...who wants to bet the cam is completely worn too!
