Engine Problems, please help!!

[SilverBullet00]

To make a long story short here are my symptoms:

Loss of engine coolant
Oil in sparkplug well (only one cylinder)
Sparkplug being forced out
decrease in performance
oil consumption is fine, down about a 1/4 or a quart (since june)

I called the dealership and they said they would have to look at it to be sure, but It sounded like a blown head gasket. They want 2,000 to replace both head gaskets.. What do you guys think it is?

Im probably going to do the work myself with a couple friends, there is no way Im going to give them 2,000 for 2 gaskets!!!

 

[streetstang03]

sounds like headgasket to me too.

 

[Dark Knight GT]

Sounds like a head gasket to met as well. Oil rings on some of the pistons might be going bad as well. Can't really tell til the motor is broken down and inspected. However, 2,000 dollars just to replace a set of head gaskets is outrageous. I would shop around, and look for someone else to do the work. Dealerships are bad about ripping people off.

While you got the heads pulled, if you ever wanted to do a set of cams or cylinder head work, now would be the time to do it.

 

[sgarlic]

If you experience any overheating or white smoke from tailpipes, it's a sure sign of a blown headgasket. If so, watch that temp. gauge like a hawk. If it overheats, you could warp the heads.

I'd do it myself if I were you.

 

[SilverBullet00]

There has been no overheating yet at all, and how hard would it be to do myself? How would I know for sure its a blown head gasket, a compression test? Would it be better to take it to the shop and have them diagnose it for me, and then do the work myself?

And if I had to replace the gaskets I would TOTALLY put cams in it.. the only bad thing is there is no place around here to tune it for me... can you tune it at all with a mail tune?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

+1 for put in cams while you are in there... you will need a good torque wrench and good instructions for that advanced repair...

 

[SilverBullet00]

Do you have to remove the engine to remove the heads? If so, thats going to seriously suck....

 

[02greenGT]

go buy a chiltons/haynes book and do it your self its a great learning experiance on how a motor works on the top end. These cars are pretty easy for head gaskets, make sure you inspect EVERYTHING. do not use the old head bolts without cleaning them meticulously. pay attention to torque settings, expect a weekend project 4 cases of beer, couple pizza and 2-3 buddies.

 

[Dark Knight GT]

Do you have to remove the engine to remove the heads? If so, thats going to seriously suck....

No, you don't have to pull the block from the engine bay to remove the heads, though it does make the job easier. It is something you can do with basic tools, but if you don't have any wrenching experience to this level, you might want to leave it up to someone who does. There are tons of great tech threads at Modular Depot concerning head swaps and cam installs. Probably would be a good time to read up on them. As for a tune, you can get a mail tune to help with the cams. It won't be as great as a dyno tune, but it will be good enough to get you by.

 

[Smokeurhonda]

Check your dipstick. Look for what's called "milkshake". It looks like what it's called, it's like a chocholate color. If so it's deffinatly a blown head gasket. This is what happens when the oil and the coolant mix. If you do have this DO NOT drive the car. When coolant gets into your crankcase it acts like sand on the bearings and tears them apart. You can also do a compression check. If you do have low compression in one cylinder do a leak down test to see where it is coming from. Good luck.

 

[SilverBullet00]

alright, thanks guys.. ill keep you posted!

 

[Cory281]

When you have a blown head gasket coolant will usually mix with your oil in the oil pan. Why don't you try draining your oil and see if it is mixed with coolant.

 

[SilverBullet00]

I thought about doing that, but when I checked the dipstick today there was no sign what so ever of coolant in the oil. Ive been checking into parts at different shops and I mentioned my problem to MPH, they said from what I was describing it sounded like a bad valve or valve seal.

So right now I am thinking about getting new stage 2 heads and stage 2 cams, with maybe an intake like the p-51 as well.. However, I havent thought of the whole "how am I going to pay for this" part yet...

I noticed that in the new 5.0 magazine there was an add from fox lake talking about a P-51 power pak that came with the p-51 intake, stage 2 heads and cams.. its suppose to make 120-130 HP... I need to find more info on this..

 

[streetstang03]

cant wait to see the price tag on that combo. the p51 intake is insanely priced by itself.

 

[Dark Knight GT]

I thought about doing that, but when I checked the dipstick today there was no sign what so ever of coolant in the oil. Ive been checking into parts at different shops and I mentioned my problem to MPH, they said from what I was describing it sounded like a bad valve or valve seal.

So right now I am thinking about getting new stage 2 heads and stage 2 cams, with maybe an intake like the p-51 as well.. However, I havent thought of the whole "how am I going to pay for this" part yet...

I noticed that in the new 5.0 magazine there was an add from fox lake talking about a P-51 power pak that came with the p-51 intake, stage 2 heads and cams.. its suppose to make 120-130 HP... I need to find more info on this..

Honestly, I would hold off on buying ANY aftermarket intake piece for a little while longer. I say this because HPS has their aluminum lower intake comming out, and I'll be one of the first to get one, and test it. The HPS intake should only cost around 700 dollars for both their upper intake elbow, and their full aluminum lower intake, which is portable for more gains. How well it will work, the dyno and track will tell. Main thing in our favor is its a full aluminum intake that doesn't give any clearance issues, and is about half the cost of the P-51 intake from Fox Lake. Also, I hear BBK is working on an aluminum lower intake, Purple Racing already has one out, but no dyno results as of yet and Dragon Performance "might" make be working on one in the future as well.

I would go with the head and cam package though, assuming you have valve train problems as it is.

 

[prsrizdgt]

If you can't get to a dyno, a good tuner will work with you after some datalogging, to get it real, real close. Maybe not perfect, but it will be a few horsepower you may not miss for the cost or situation your in (no dyno I mean). I know an excellent tuner in Virginia. If you need him, PM me. He did my car. 98 auto, roots blower, 90mm LMAF, cams, 11.8 A/F ratio.