Hey guys-

Well, crappy news.

I just got the Koyo and FAL fans on (fans were rubbing, but I got that taken care of). The car is still eating coolant (1/2 gallon this week... thought it was a crappy bleed job... now I know its not that).

Here are a few pics of the dipstick and the oil fill cap. The oil resembles booger color... COOLANT BABY!

Looks like she is being flat-bedded to the mechanic's place tomorrow. This is a Laskey Motor that I purchased used, so I am kinda SOL (the seller is going to work with me, as it has not been in the car for 100 miles, and has been eating coolant since the beginning).

Would a blown HG result in enough back pressure on the radiator to crack the plastic top end tank (assume its a 9 year old plastic piece...)? The HG might explain my radiator issue, if so...

Ordering an OEM HG tomorrow from my local dealer (hopefully they have one in stock). Can anyone recommend a "copper spray" that can found at any national chain? Mike Laskey said to spray the gasket with that, let it get tacky, then install it.

He also said that the most common reason for HG failures (when not pushed) on engines this age (3 years, 20,000 miles) are the head studs not being re-torqued after a FEW heat cycles (as in MORE THAN ONE). The seller admitted he did not recall his mechanic re-torquing anything, so at least he is being honest...

Pic 1: Back of the dip stick (looks "mostly" normal... only a bit milky at the tip):

Pic 2: Front of the dip stick (looks like a booger color... very "milky"):

Pic 3: The inside of the oil cap. VERY boogery colored, and consistency is compromised. I am NOT starting this engine again with this oil in it...


First thing tomorrow, I am going to pull and inspect the plugs for any signs of water (milky looking, or rusty) and am going to get a leak-down test done. Pending those results, it will be flat-bedded to the mechanic (no overheating issues so far, but I do NOT want to trust that oil).

Can I get a confirmation of these symptoms leading to a blown HG? Just trying to get some more assurance before the testing is done (I am not a mechanic by trade, and info on the internet can be sketchy sometimes).

Thanks guys!

John

 

Def looks like coolant in the oil john, pull the plugs and check them...Have a leakdown test done. But def. looks like the hg is blown.
Sorry to hear that, atleast the seller is being good about it!
good luck
jordan

 

Thanks man. Yeah, I am hoping they will help me out a bit... They have kind of hinted at it... Meeting up with him this weekend to deliver my OEM engine (he bought it off me).

When modifying cars, gotta roll with the punches... I view it as a new experience... I have never had a HG blow, so it will be cool seeing one changed out!

If its blown, I am also having the head checked to see if it is still within spec in terms of warp-age. We got a race shop locally that is actually pretty good at machining blocks/heads. They do all the v8 work around here (there is ALMOST NO import scene around here, unfortunately).

John

 

Ha, I changed my headgasket for the 3mm inlinepro, Now im wishing I stayed with stock compression for now and than went with a built motor!...But ya live and you learn.

 

Built motor will be coming eventually anyways though.

 

really, isnt mase close to you? is that who tuned your car? I have a high import seen around me and a few muscle cars, other than a 04 cobra mustang thats modded, nothing very worthy...and also my friends fully built integra. Def. do a leakdown test but that def. looks like coolant in your oil....Is there any oil in your coolant at all? Or have you noticed any white smoke?

 

^Mase tuned the car when it was NA. I cannot seem to get ahold of him to get on his schedule... I have tried through him and his partner, Kevin... He is just REALLY busy, and you need to hit him at the right time. I have a feeling he is waiting for me to get all my "issues" sorted out before I can get on his schedule...

I had a local guy tune mine (he is AEM trained, and all the settings were conservative, we had not even gotten around to playing with the boost controller yet). He is pretty good, so I do not have any worries... Timing and AFR's are all conservative through all conditions. The leanest the car gets is 13.5 at idle. 11.5 on high load. 13.0 low-load cruising. Not perfect, but not aggressive by any means!

I have white smoke while it warms up (no noticeable smoke out the tailpipe when the pipes heat up). I thought it was because I was cat-less... The white smoke from the dip stick hole while running is definitive, though, I think...

I have not seen any oil in the coolant, but I will check the radiator tomorrow (have not checked that cold yet, just the overflow reservoir level).

John

 

the white smoke while it warms up does it smell sweet like coolant?

 

mmmm maple syrup hahaha

 

^ Idont think so...but could be!