Head Gasket Problems???????????

[Mystic Terminator]

I think I blew my head gasket. I have the following symptoms:

1) Exhaust smells a little different (Cobra Jack noticed it, I also think it does now too)
2) Antifreeze spurts out from radiator cap while on track. I tried various levels of coolant in the overflow tank + burped cooling system to no avail. Temps are below max temps I have seen before and cap was changed to no avail.
3) Appearance of three antifreeze puddles on garage floor below where X pipe connects to Catback, one for each flange. (I am running a weak antifreeze mixture)
4) Engine hiccupped on track twice w/ plenty of fuel in tank.
5) Engine idles rough when I start it, and shakes like it has a broken motor mount.
6) Trail of water that appears to have run from outside of exhaust pipe where it connects to exhaust manifold on right side all along the bottom of the pipe to the flange by the X

How much time to replace the head gasket myself?
Does the K member need to be dropped engine removed?
Is it straight forward or a nightmare to do myself?
What is a good price to pay a shop to do it?
Can the car be driven on track w/ a bad gasket, or is it very bad for the engine? Track event this Friday…

Click to read more...

 

[Bob_Kurgan]

do not attempt to change the head gaskets yourself if you are asking questions like 1-6... this is no pushrod motor. Take it to a professional and then get the tune checked when you are done!

 

[ShelbyGuy]

no pushrods means its easier, in my tiny little world. but my frame of reference is FE engines, which are more involved than windsor moders.

vince, i have the tools to time the cams. the rest is just like any other engine, with the exception of the head resurfacing. mod motors want it mirror smooth.

does this mean you're calling off friday? i'm ok with moving it to october.

 

[Zack]

Welcome to the club!
I wasted no time fixing my head gasket...

 

[doug@performance]

Sent you a PM Vince. Let me know when you get a moment.
Thanks
Doug

 

[Mystic Terminator]

does this mean you're calling off friday? i'm ok with moving it to october.

I will be there Friday, just may not be driving. I need to pick up some tires from Scott Schafer.

 

[doug@performance]

Welcome to the club!
I wasted no time fixing my head gasket...

I will have your gaskets here tommorrow.
Thanks
Doug

 

[FuelSlut]

Welcome to the club!
I wasted no time fixing my head gasket...

Oh so you figured out the problem Zack. Well at least you did the teardown yourself and saved some $. I wasnt aware these cars were known for popping head gaskets especially the 03-04 motors. Only the design flaw in the flow of coolant to the driver side head, wich I fixed with the LDC cooling mod.

 

[Mystic Terminator]

I pulled all the plugs, no evidence where it is coming from.

 

[Flyn]

I pulled all the plugs, no evidence where it is coming from.

No trouble codes?

 

[Mystic Terminator]

No trouble codes?

P0001 - Driver drives like a girl

 

[ShelbyGuy]

didn't you have audrey as an instructor once? she can drive the wheels off a car.

 

[PETSNKE]

Any chance it could be your cooling mod plumbing?


I thought code P0001 was "Drives Like A Girl With Her Hair On Fire"

 

[Dana]

Try a leak down test. That may show something, or pressurize the cooling system and check for leaks. Pay close attentioin to the area of the heater hoses.

Dan

 

[Mystic Terminator]

didn't you have audrey as an instructor once? she can drive the wheels off a car.

Audrey is insane! In a good way.

Any chance it could be your cooling mod plumbing?


I thought code P0001 was "Drives Like A Girl With Her Hair On Fire"

I don't know how it could be the cooling mod.

Try a leak down test. That may show something, or pressurize the cooling system and check for leaks. Pay close attentioin to the area of the heater hoses.

Dan

I did a compression test today, except it was on a cold engine w/ all the plugs out w/ 6 rotations. Measured cyl press from 155 ~ 170. I will try tomorrow w/ a warm engine and all plugs slightly loose as instructions indicate. I will also look for a leak down tester.

 

[Bob_Kurgan]

compression test wont tell you anything except if you had a big hole in a piston etc..

DO a leakdown and warm up the motor prior... also, go and get a RADIATOR PRESSURE TESTER and pump it to 15-20psi... let it sit for about an hr and see where it is... make sure the plugs are out of the motor though.. if you go back and the pressure has dropped, crank the motor and see which cylinder has antifreeze coming out of it.

 

[rdsnake]

Only thing I have to say is, Id make damn sure you had a head gasket problem before fixing it. I'v heard you can remove the heads w/ engine in car (head bolts only, NOT STUDS)

 

[Mystic Terminator]

Only thing I have to say is, Id make damn sure you had a head gasket problem before fixing it. I'v heard you can remove the heads w/ engine in car (head bolts only, NOT STUDS)

I did a search on leak down tester and it appears very easy to construct. So I will try and put one together this week.

 

[blubyu]

I did a search on leak down tester and it appears very easy to construct. So I will try and put one together this week.

http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/long29.htm

Cheap to buy also.



Good Luck!

 

[Sharkster]

I heard it was unusual for these engines to blow a headgasket... any truth to that.

 

[nytebyte]

Yeah, that's what I heard too.

Don't they have a multi-layer aluminum gasket?

 

[dun4791]

Good luck figuring it out Vince. Hopefully its something simple. Looks as though you and John are going to be busy though......

 

[dun4791]

Any chance it could be your cooling mod plumbing?

Vince does have coolant mod #001 on his car..............

 

[Mystic Terminator]

Vince does have coolant mod #001 on his car..............

I thought it was #002.

 

[dun4791]

I thought it was #002.

Nope, your car was put into service first, and I made the final revision of the mod when I produced the first 2.