SR-low comp/burning coolant

[KoukiMonsta]

ok guys so somthing is up with my sr. heres some backround.

last week it started to overrheat, so i pulled out the water pump and thermo. both look good. so then i put the pump back in and NO thermo. then do a coolant flush. after that i go for a drive and smeel burning coolant. i figure mayb spilled stuff or a leak in somethng i had just replaced. next morning i come out and my reserve tank has lost ~a cup of fluid!! but NONE is under the car.

go for another drive, same shit i smel burning coolant, no visible leaks, nothing under the car and im loosing a shitload of the stuff. this leads me to think HG is bad.

so then i do a comp test which gives me ~100 across the board. and add a capfull of atf and each goes up by ~10psi.(none are higher than 120)

im leaning towards a bad HG but needs some expert advice. this is my only car i have to drive it to school everyday...

[jspaeth]

What does your oil look like?

Drain it and let us know...

[KoukiMonsta]

i have never seen oil w/ coolant in it but my oil looks normal to me.

also is it bad letting my car sit w/ no oil?

[SoguRacing]

you probably do have a blown headgasket. do a leakdown test to identify which cylinder it is. it will be better than a compression test.

[KoukiMonsta]

you probably do have a blown headgasket. do a leakdown test to identify which cylinder it is. it will be better than a compression test.

i forgot to mention i dont have a leakdown tester, and i have been looking around town for months. people dont even know what the hell im talking about.

[SoguRacing]

it's by far the best test to determine your problem..and where it is. I hope it's not a cracked block. the fact that it's still 100 across the board...which is very low, assuming you did the compression test correctly. norm is 156. buy yourself a leakdown tester. it will be your best asset in this diagnosis. A blown hg will be low in 1 cylinder or joining cylinders depending where the hg was blown. doesn't seem to be the problem here. I'd be leaning toward a cracked block of the sort and perhaps some severely worn piston rings.

[KoukiMonsta]

it's by far the best test to determine your problem..and where it is. I hope it's not a cracked block. the fact that it's still 100 across the board...which is very low, assuming you did the compression test correctly. norm is 156. buy yourself a leakdown tester. it will be your best asset in this diagnosis. A blown hg will be low in 1 cylinder or joining cylinders depending where the hg was blown. doesn't seem to be the problem here. I'd be leaning toward a cracked block of the sort and perhaps some severely worn piston rings.


this is why i am scared.

yes i know how to comp. test.

i had this thought....i used one of these to flush my coolant. Amazon.com: Prestone AFKIT0 Prestone Universal Flush and Fill Kit: Automotive (http://www.amazon.com/Prestone-AFKIT0-Universal-Flush-Fill/dp/B000CCFY5W)

now i did this when the block was HOT.....and i ran COLD hose water through my cooling system.....could that crack a block(i know its there in theory but really?)

[SoguRacing]

You know...I don't really know.. I know where you're getting at but remember that's it's always a possitility. perhaps that crack as always been there it's just bigger now that did the flush with cold water and a hot block. How was the coolant that came out of the engine. did somebody before you use some sort of block sealer?

[KoukiMonsta]

You know...I don't really know.. I know where you're getting at but remember that's it's always a possitility. perhaps that crack as always been there it's just bigger now that did the flush with cold water and a hot block. How was the coolant that came out of the engine. did somebody before you use some sort of block sealer?

that was rele my idea. like the last straw or something....

no idea about the sealer, i hope not...

[SoguRacing]

get that leakdown test done :) only way to find out

[buentellomma]

have you checked your freeze plugs? maybe you have one thats leaking or even missing... but it sounds like you have a blown head gasket. is your car smoking?

[KoukiMonsta]

have you checked your freeze plugs? maybe you have one thats leaking or even missing... but it sounds like you have a blown head gasket. is your car smoking?

freeze plug...i doubt it but possibly in the rear.

no smoke.

[buentellomma]

if your exhaust is not smoking then your not burning coolant... i would start checking for any small cracks in your head or block. sounds like you have a major issue at hand

[kushlivin]

dont mean to kill your mood but BLOWN HEADGASKET, from what your describing, if you check WP, and therm and ur still smelling coolant and ur overheating... check ur coolant for oil(choc-o-late darkness).... could be a faultly temp sens but inlikely, is she smoking??? Drunk Posting FTW

[KoukiMonsta]

dont mean to kill your mood but BLOWN HEADGASKET, from what your describing, if you check WP, and therm and ur still smelling coolant and ur overheating... check ur coolant for oil(choc-o-late darkness).... could be a faultly temp sens but inlikely, is she smoking??? Drunk Posting FTW

no its not smoking i can just smell the coolant burning when i drive, and thats not overheating just at operating temp.

im going to drain the coolant today, and do a leak down test hopefully if i can find a damn compressor.

DOES THE MOTOR NEED TO BE WARM FOR A LEAKDOWN TEST? cuz I can't exactly warm it up.......

[Soup Nazi]

now i did this when the block was HOT.....and i ran COLD hose water through my cooling system


I think this is where your problem may be. It's possible you have a crack. Not a 100% sure, but it's very possible

[slider2828]

If you can smell your coolant while your driving, then you have a coolant leak.... Its probably under your intake manifold or near heater core.... Its probably leaking....

Coolant mixed with oil looks exactly like chocolate milk. EXACTLY like it... If your oil doesn't look like that then check for spots I pointed out.....

[KoukiMonsta]

If you can smell your coolant while your driving, then you have a coolant leak.... Its probably under your intake manifold or near heater core.... Its probably leaking....

Coolant mixed with oil looks exactly like chocolate milk. EXACTLY like it... If your oil doesn't look like that then check for spots I pointed out.....


i agree w/ u about the coolant but i dont see any leaks i have checked everywhere. and it never makes it to the ground...like a puddle.

And there is no coolant in the oil

[fliprayzin240sx]

i agree w/ u about the coolant but i dont see any leaks i have checked everywhere. and it never makes it to the ground...like a puddle.

And there is no coolant in the oil

You dont have to have puddle to have a leak. Most of the time, if you have a crack in one of your hoses under the manifold, itll only leak when the temp is hot and the system is pressurized. Most of the time, when the car is at operating temp, you're driving the car so you'll never see a puddle or even yet, anything wet. Plus the engine being hot, shit just evaporates.

As far as your compression goes, it might still be a blown HG. Oil and coolant doesnt have to mix to show you that its a blown. You can try to pressurize the cylinders and see if you see bubbles coming out of the radiator. Your compression has to be going somewhere. The oil trick suggest that its not going thru the piston rings so thats a slight relief.

[slider2828]

Yeah at idle your car doesn't pressurize the system a lot, so chances are it will burn off... Have someone rev your car to about 4k rpm, see if that will generate leaks or bubbles, but in general see if you can bring it to a mechanic or rent a coolant gun to check for leaks..... I bet its a pin hole leak...

[KoukiMonsta]

ok, so the pinhole leak is a possibility....but my worry now is compression!!

so i did the leakdown test(cold motor,w/ no oil in in) set each cylinder to TDC. cylinder 1 is closet to the rad. also had rad cap off and saw now bubbles ever.

1-50%, could be heard through tailpipe.
2-20%, heard through dipstick
3-50%,heard thru dipstick and txhaust
4-27%, couldnt hear any leakage....

what does this mean? exhaust valves arent always sealing?...

[j87w]

#1 - You have exhaust valve/seat issues or your motor was not on TDC
#2 - You have piston ring sealing issues
#3 - A mix of exhaust valve/seat issues and piston ring sealing issues
#4 - You should of heard 27% leakage coming from somewhere.

#1 and #3 cylinders are WAY too high. You have some serious issues in these cylinders. #2 and #4 are also high but not as bad as #1 and #3. I would go ahead and consider teardown.