So my cars turbo'd and been running the same map for 2 month running just shy of 20 psi.

I haven't used car in the last week or two but the last time i used I was getting very slight missfire in boost which I put down to spark plug blow out, so I gapped the plugs and everything was fine again.

Today my car was a little hard to start, and seemed to stall easily when coming to a stop, it seemed to get better but still was hard to start every time it was switched off. I investigated whilst I parked up and couldn't see anything out of the norm other than the expansion tank was past the max mark, the temp gauge was pretty solid other than a blip I seen once were it went just a little higher than normal for a very short period but then settled.

I was running late for an appointment booting it when suddenly I lose a quite a bit of power but car was still running and loads of white smoke was coming out of the exhaust... Great

I had to drive it a quarter of a mile where it's sat now ready to flat bedded to my mates who will tear it down and hopefully it isn't bad

There was no mayo under the dipstick but a very small amount under the oil cap.

I suspect the HG has gone (in a way hence previous issues) or was going, and it must of relieved pressure because coolant was sprayed into the engine bay looks like it came out of the expansion tank. I checked the rad level etc and it was still full.

I pulled a log off the ecu and the car hadn't been running lean or knocking (well from what I can see from the log).

I'm running 20 psi and obviously the power has something to do with but I didn't think this was on the limit from the plethora of threads I read on here considering the car is an 04 that's covered 46k. Car was not low on coolant nor oil. It could have maybe had the HG done in the past who knows.

My question is I wonder what caused it and has anyone done the HG before on an s2000, it'll best case I guess need a slight skim and new HG put on. Also has anyone replaced a HG, and been fine ever since? And how long would it take to take head off skim and fit new HG and put back together? A full day or something?

Is there anything to bear in mind when doing or anything to look out for?

At the end the day I'll have to see if it's caused any/lot of damage and won't know that till it's tore down.

Bit gutting as it was running great and I was going to retire the car for winter hence my thread

Cheers

 

Maybe you lifted the head a little. Time to add arp head studs and a new head gasket

 

20 PSI seems to be a bit much.

 

Thanks Anyone else?

Thing is now hopefully if it's a case of fitting a new HG what studs and HG do I go for, I may lower boost a touch and timing but the car was tuned properly.

Don't plan on going more than 20 psi

 

are you on stock compression? If so you shouldnt be any higher than 15psi unless you are running e85 or race gas.

 

arps and a honda oem gasket

 

exactly, what fuel are you using? i would more concerned about detonation destroying ring lands as opposed to popping a HG with 20psi on pump gas. ron and mon rated octanes are two different things.

 

I'm on UK pump gas which is a little higher than US equivalent.

Mase when he came over here found the limit was 21/22PSI on our gas, so i actually went for 19.5PSI.

It had been on the dyno a few times and there was no detonation.

I just hear ARP bolts with OEM gasket have failed again.

thanks

 

that sucks the bolts stretched?

 

I dont know till i tear it down, i think its a HG failure (from mayonnaise i can see).

Either head lifted, headlifted and took out HG or something worse

I might as well do it properly thus fit OEM HG (as i've read people have trouble with aftermarket ones?) and fit ARP bolts or FullBlown bolts.

I dont plan any running anymore than 19/20 psi, i might in fact lower the boost/timing a little and fit Brian Crower stage 2 turbo cams to get power more efficiently without running high boost if everything is ok and lower the boost, though do Brian Crower stage 2 turbo cams raise dynamic compression? - because last thing i want to do is raise compression.

Pretty pissed because i fitted it all myself etc etc and only enjoyed the car for 2 month, i was really loving the car having for years decided against a turbo setup

I'm just praying its easily fixed and nothing bad or more problematic damage.