continue with engine replacement?

[tracyb]

i posted earlier about a possible head gasket problem. now i have the car in my hands and have started taking it a part to replace the engine. i drained the oil, and it looks fine but the radiator fluid is reddish and has a slippery feel to it like it might have oil in it. so does this scream head gasket problem and continue replacing the engine or should i go on to the leakdown test. (i would have it leak down tested alreadly but i have gotten around to purchasing the tool)

thanks for the help
-bart

 

[Lextreme II]

try this http://lextreme.com/PDF/overhaul.pdf

 

[Zuffen]

Bart,

Have you run the engine? Don't trust some one else to diagnose the problem.

IUZ's have tough head gaskets so the only way it should blow one is if it runs out of coolant. As you state it has coolant I suspect the diagnosis is wrong.

The correct colour (color) coolant in your car red.

I wouln't pull the heads until I 200% sure I had to.

You say the oil is fine, so if the gasket's blown it's between the cooling system and a cylinder. I'd do the leak down test first.

The Head bolts are "elastic" and must be replaced along with the head gaskets.

This won't be cheap, particularly if it wasn't needed.

I'd do a leak down test. Plus I'd try to get it running so you can listen to it.

What are the symptons?

 

[Lextreme II]

Rod,

You are right again. Dont open the engine unless u have to. Once its open, then u will need new head bolts and gaskets..

 

[tracyb]

ya, trusting others diagnoses has bee the biggest headache for me, be for i was able to get my hands on the car i thouhgt for sure it was a head gasket, but now that i have the car i'm not so sure.
so now to what i know for sure- the car ran and drove great untill an "all of the sudden loss of power". it still runs but has no power, it feels like its going on four cylinders, the oil didn't look foamy at all when it was drained today and didn't show any sign of water that i could tell. the coolent is red which i wasn't sure about but now i know thats fine, but it still has that slippery feeling on the fingers(maybe thats normal its been a while sincei have flushed a radiator and it was always the green stuff if that makes a difference). when the engine was running i looked for bubble going into the overflow tank and didn't see any. and that is where i'm at to date. i'm thinking that i will make a leakdown tester tommorrow and so what happens.
thanks for the info
-bart


-if its a gasket the engine will be replaced, i trust i can do it but i'm not really wanting to tear the engine down. b/c as i understand if the gasket is gone it a might as well just replace the whole engine thing.

 

[Lextreme II]

When is the last time u change your water pump? I had the same problem last week. Water pump wasnt working properly and my car ran hot and get lots of bubbles and my radiator got shot because of pressure from the hot radiator water. Dont jump into HG unless u rule out everything first.

 

[tracyb]

i dont think it the water pump because we have only had the car for about 3000mi so as far as the history of the car all i know is that some really old guy drove it and that about it.

-edit- saw that there was somthing about sounds asked, and at idle it purrs like a kitten but when you hit the gas it has a sort of studder and gains rpm slowly

 

[chrisman]

gains rpm slowly-- to me-- means that the timing is way off.. i really think you should check the timing belt, and check the timing via a timing light.. it really sounds that the timing belt is on wrong.. i also think that the head gasket is more than likely OK.. just my 2 cents..

 

[Peewee]

Timing belts don't just go, and then start working again.

The only way for that to happen if is the timing belt tensioner fails, and the belt slips a few teeth on one of the cams.
This will cause a drop in power, even one tooth on the cam will drop lots of power.

Also, maybe one of the ignitors is stuffed, or one of the coils.

I highly suggest finding a fellow Lextreme member nearby, and getting him/her to come over and swap around some things.

It sounds like something simple and cheap.

 

[Zuffen]

I think Peewee is headed down the best path.

The description sounds like ignition to me.

Coil, wires, distrbutor/rotor, igniter.

I'd start by removing one plug lead at a time and checking it has spark (be carefull it can kill you) once you figure which side of the engine has the problem work from there.

If one whole side is gone, check the coil/igniter. Swap them side for side, one at a time. If the dead side swaps you know where yur problem is.

When doing diagnosis only ever change 1 thing at a time. That way you can be pretty sure of the problem.

Work slowly and methodically and you'll find the problem. Don't rush and assume or take short cuts.

Now get up from the keyboard and fix your car.

Once you've fixed it tell us what was went wrong. But don't be slow in asking for advice. We're all more than willing to help.

 

[Peewee]

If one whole side is gone, check the coil/igniter.

Not quite Rod.

Each coil does the 2 outside cyls on its respective bank, and the 2 middle cyls on the opposite bank.

 

[Zuffen]

Peewee,

Whilst I'm aware of it I thought it may get abit complicated.

 

[tracyb]

first - thanks for all the responces they're really helping,

as soon as i get out of class today i'm going to chsck for spark then throw a timing light on it and if that doesn't tell me anything i'll doa leakdown test so i should know alot more by tonight

i'll post as soon as i know more

 

[tracyb]

wow, i'm glad that i didn't go blindly changing the engine out as the mechanic said had to be done. i just checked the driver side plugs, to find that the two out side plugs had no spark and the middle two do. so i got a coil that shoud be be here tommorrow and that should hopefully be it .

again- thanks for the help

 

[Peewee]

Outside plugs on drivers side are given spark by the coil on the drivers side.

If changing the coil doesn't work, look into changing the ignitor (should be able to swap the two plugs to test it). If the outside plugs now have spark, but the middle ones don't, then its the ignitor.
If the outside plugs still don't have spark, look into changing the plug leads

 

[Lextreme II]

Good call Peewee. That is why this forum is so valuable. Now our new member save thousands on repair just because a mechanic misdiagnose it.

 

[tracyb]

yes indeed thousands saved thanks for all the help.

ended up being the driver side coil which took me 30 min to find cause i didn't know where to look. but as soon as i fould it, it was too easy.

i know i'm on the verge of repetitive but thanks again.

 

[Peewee]

So its driving like its brand new now?

 

[tracyb]

yep, like new.

 

[Peewee]

Awesome!....