Blown head gasket?

[tristan89]

So I just put in a thermostat, car didn't have one in before I bought it, ran fine before I replaced it oil looked fine, now the oil looks a little milky and there was white smoke/steam coming out of the exhaust, not sure which since it's 30 degrees out. Is this a blown head gasket?

[tristan89]

It's in a sr20 if it makes a difference

[jr_ss]

Pictures of coolant?

[tristan89]

What would coolant look like, why would you need a pic to tell?

[sil14zenki]

compression test? does the exhuast fumes/smoke have a sweet/bitter smell to it:?

[tristan89]

It smells kinda sweet but I also run e85 so it always smells a little sweet, the oil just started getting milky after I put a thermostat in, could I have overfilled it and belw the HG?

[sil14zenki]

E85 smells good once burned, coolant does not. Try to do a compression test. And are you having to keep adding water?

[tristan89]

I don't know I just fired it up and had it running for a few minutes and checked the oil once I noticed the white smoke

[jr_ss]

What would coolant look like, why would you need a pic to tell?

I meant oil, my bad... When was the last time you changed the oil?

Like others have said, compression test motor or get a hydrocarbon tester, that'll tell you for sure.

[tristan89]

Changed the oil maybe 3-4 weeks ago

[tristan89]

Also how do you post pics to this forum

[Javi802]

You could check your coolant as well. If you take the radiator cap off is the coolant a milky color?

Should only be the color of the coolant mixture. Not milky looking.

[97nismo]

Compression test takes 10 minutes

[tristan89]

All cylinders are reading about 175ish with the engine cold

[Javi802]

you need to test compression when the engine is at operating temp. As well as making sure the throttle is open all the way.

Is it smoking non stop? Or on a cold start only?

[tristan89]

I haven't driving it, is it okay to drive if the head gasket is blow? Because I don't want to fill my oil with coolant while driving it to see, and yes throttle is wide open

[tristan89]

So I started it and no smoke was coming out, then after a minute white smoke was coming out? Why would it do that?

[s&tcustoms]

http://www.autozone.com/loan-a-tools/block-tester/oem-block-tester/391378_0_0/

Go to autozone and rent one of those, it tests for combustion gases in your coolant...(caused by a blown headgasket.)

[97nismo]

I am not saying you did the compression test wrong but I have a had a few sr's some built some stock and I haven't had one read over 165 across all four and usually they are 150 across...

[jr_ss]

I am not saying you did the compression test wrong but I have a had a few sr's some built some stock and I haven't had one read over 165 across all four and usually they are 150 across...

My SR reads over 180 across the board...

Just as I suggested and someone recently repeated, go buy a hydrocarbon test and test your coolant.

[tristan89]

Well the compression test was on a cold engine so it's going to read higher, I need to re do it just don't know if it's safe to drive it how it is

[Javi802]

Maybe its actually oil that is burning?

Turbo seals shitting out...?

I don't know man

[tristan89]

Better not be the turbo! It only has 1000 miles on it!

[Javi802]

Could be the valve cover spark plug well gaskets seeping oil into the cylinders.

[Javi802]

Then again, the fact it didn't have a thermostat in it is kind of suspicious. Ive heard of people removing the thermostat because they were too lazy to find out why their car was overheating.

Overheating can and will cause a failed head gasket

[tristan89]

The guy I got it from lived in Vegas and said he didn't need it because it was so warm down there, I wanted to put a metal head gasket in just wasn't planning on doing it this soon haha

[Javi802]

do a compression test with the engine at operating temp.

I would think you'd for sure have low compression if the head gasket was done for

Unless the gasket is just now starting to go..? Not sure if head gaskets can go slowly or if they just flat out fail when they do.

You can also get a head gasket leak tester as stated from someone above.

[jr_ss]

Sounds like another excuse to me. Every car needs a thermostat to run properly, except say a drag car. You don't efficiently cool the engine without one. The coolant needs time to stay in the radiator to dissipate heat. Not to mention engines and their Ecus are designed to run at a specific temperature. If it's constantly running outside designed parameters it uses more fuel and is in the end less efficient. Put a thermostat back in it.

[tristan89]

Thermostat is in and staying in, I live where it gets below zero so I definitely need one!

[tristan89]

So I did a block test and another compression test, I got about 118 psi for all cylinders, the block test didn't do anything, the solution stayed blue the whole time, depending on when I check the oil it looks like coffe with a bunch of cream in it and other times it looks alright, I did notice some steam coming off my radiator though, and the radiator fluid is the color of rust, I use green coolant to fill it.

[Javi802]

Your head gasket is probably toast man.

Do not drive it like this. You could ruin the engine


Time to disassemble

[Javi802]

Then again, diagnosing over the internet is hard.

Do some research and double check everything you're doing. That your compression testing correctly, that your compression tester is actually accurate. That you used the radiator coolant test correctly etc.

Im pretty sure the hydrocarbon test should have turned the blue liquid yellow if your head gasket were indeed blown, but then again, the milky/creamy colored oil also points to head gasket.

Ive also read that a blown head gasket typically yields different compression results in different cylinders and not the same in all. Unless its just total shit..?

[tristan89]

I drained a couple ounces of oil and it looked like think hot chocolate! Definitely head gasket isn't it?

[Javi802]

I would bet it is.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KzhLGA4ZOTo/TlPNy6zShrI/AAAAAAAAAJo/vDjrbnTLybQ/s1600/headgasket001.jpg

[Javi802]

does it look like that?

[97nismo]

Yep it's toast

[tristan89]

No it's an even darker color! It's like someone put a lot of chocolate in it!

[tristan89]

http://http://s626.photobucket.com/user/Annaleise-Dnae/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image.jpg.html?filters[user]=98018669&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0

Does this look like blown head gasket?

[tristan89]

http://imageshack.com/i/f0cgu9x0j
Blown head gasket? That is 15 minutes after changing oil, drove about 5 miles to drop my girlfriend off

[jr_ss]

http://imageshack.com/i/f0cgu9x0j
Blown head gasket? That is 15 minutes after changing oil, drove about 5 miles to drop my girlfriend off

You have coolant and oil mixing. Typical culprit is the headgasket, but there are other areas that could cause the contamination. Start with the headgasket, it could probably use a refresh anyway.

[tristan89]

I did a napa oil text the one you send in to their lab, it said I have no coolant in my oil but there is milky stuff on parts of the top of my valve cover.... What in the wold could this be from?

[blksylv]

how are your pcv and oil catch can set up?

[tristan89]

No oil catch can, and pcv is stock I believe

[tristan89]

Also how do I loosen the cams porkers with rocker arm stoppers installed? I can't get a wrench around the hex part of the cam because f the rocker arm stoppers

[tristan89]

My pcv it T fitted into the line that runs across the firewall to where the brake fluid is and goes into the intake manifold

[tristan89]

Also where the pcv connects to the valve cover is where the milky ness is

[blksylv]

pcv is supposed to run to a vac line off of the intake manifold. do you have the stock catch can still plumbed in? reason I'm asking is that I had a friend that put a breather on his pcv valve and had the same issues that you had. he ended up with greenish residue in his aftermarket catch can also. here's a pic of how the stock system is setup.

http://www.hiwtc.com/photo/products/3/09/05/90523.jpg

[fufanu180]

Yeah that oil cap pic is a solid sign that you are having issues with the head gasket.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tristan89]

Also how do I set up vacuum/boost lines? I have a greddy intake manifold with two nipples on the bottom of it, and then I have the 3 nipples on my throttle body, I also have stock charcoal canister

[Bleakley]

I did a napa oil text the one you send in to their lab, it said I have no coolant in my oil but there is milky stuff on parts of the top of my valve cover.... What in the wold could this be from?

Hold up... BULLshit? Your condition is clearly oil and water/coolant mixing. How/where else is your oil going to be contaminated by water than from your cooling system...

[Kingtal0n]

Sounds like another excuse to me. Every car needs a thermostat to run properly, except say a drag car.

My friend, this part is right :D



You don't efficiently cool the engine without one. The coolant needs time to stay in the radiator to dissipate heat.

This is a myth. Think about this, if the water is spending less time in the radiator then it is also spending less time in the engine.

Here is what I saw, this guy said his oil was milky. Do not run an engine with milky looking oil, period, I dont care how the water got in there.
What a mess. You cant just replace the headgasket and slap it back together in it, fill it, and run it now. that milky coating will remain on everything inside, its like whipped cream.
You can try the multiple oil change routine but... I have my suspicious thought that engine may spin a bearing if you arn't careful how you proceed. You will need that motor to hit 215*F+ and hold it there to try to force the water to all evaporate. You may need some kind of accessory vacuum pump to assist the pressure drop in the crank case to help the water evaporate. The problem is the oil is emulsified in it, that will be the challenge. Yes the more I think about it, the more I think you need to lower the pressure in your crankcase, even if the engine is off, to get that water out. Perhaps an overnight vacuum pump running at just a few psi with respect to the atmosphere. My best chemistry guess, someone else has any experience with this?

[s14boy]

coolant in oil is what your 1 picture appears to be change head gasket. but it seams you are having problems removing rockers off the head i have a hard time believing you will be able to replace the head gasket and install everything correctly to spec. just my 2cents if you don't know what your doing take it to a mechanic or be prepared to pay to teach yourself sometime you dont get it on your first try

[tristan89]

Shit..... Timing chain jumped two links, what do I do?

[tristan89]

coolant in oil is what your 1 picture appears to be change head gasket. but it seams you are having problems removing rockers off the head i have a hard time believing you will be able to replace the head gasket and install everything correctly to spec. just my 2cents if you don't know what your doing take it to a mechanic or be prepared to pay to teach yourself sometime you dont get it on your first try

Not having a hard time remove rockers, just following septs in the FSM and it says to loosen cam sprockets but I can't get a wrench on the hex of the cam with the rocker arm stoppers, I was wondering if I could remove the rocker arm stoppers before loosening the cam sprokets

[Dboyizmlg]

Not having a hard time remove rockers, just following septs in the FSM and it says to loosen cam sprockets but I can't get a wrench on the hex of the cam with the rocker arm stoppers, I was wondering if I could remove the rocker arm stoppers before loosening the cam sprokets

Yes, you have to remove rocker arm stoppers first.
Then put cam caps back on, and then use a wrench and ratchet/impact gun to lossen cam sprocket bolts.

REMOVE RAS FIRST!!!

[Kingtal0n]

you dont need to loosen the camshaft sprockets to adjust the chain.

You just remove the tensioner and there will be plenty of slack in the chain to adjust.

[tristan89]

I think the reason the HG blew was some of the coolant Chanel's were rusted shut on the HG so it creeped into the cylinders