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View Full Version : Head Gasket or Rings? **UPDATED**



Ashy
06-03-2011, 16:58
Right chaps, old whitey has had a pretty bad smoke problem... I haven't really driven it as it had no MOT etc when I picked it up. I took it out for its first drive last week and put the smoke down to a bad turbo... I changed the turbo for a known good one and took it for a run today. Anyway its still well smokey, seems worse if anything.

So I've done a compression test:

WP End - 135psi - 80psi - 100psi - 90psi - Gearbox End

:cry:

Anyway, the smoke looks very white, as if its water.... But I'm not sure why its low on 3 cylinders... I know the engines been stood for a long time so could the rings be seize into the pistons... Seen this before on engines that have been left standing for years...

Whatcha think chap, just do a H.G. and see what happens, or go for a rebuild?

I chucked some old oil down the pot on the gearbox end and re-did the test but it regitered 80psi... :confused: weird car.

:)

Ashy
06-03-2011, 17:09
heres a vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPHcvF2Eo_c&feature=player_profilepage

HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPHcvF2Eo_c&feature=player_profilepage)

Brigsy
06-03-2011, 17:17
Comp is low on all cylinders really imo..if its not drinking coolant/overheating id say rings..

Purple_rob
06-03-2011, 18:47
Defo looks like water. A couple of things spring to mind to check.

Is it loosing water?.
Does it pump the water jacket up straight away from cold.

Its defo going to be head of and inspection. I had the same symtoms from a cracked liner from over heating.


Rob

James5
06-03-2011, 19:08
Niall, Those comp results are :crap: I would say time for a strip down well new rings and new liners at least, also get the head tested could be a cracked head?, smoke is very white is it loosing coolant? any mayo mix in the oil?

R5TURBORON
06-03-2011, 20:19
Did you do the comp test with the trottle wide open. If you didnt can give weird readings

Ashy
06-03-2011, 20:50
Did you do the comp test with the trottle wide open. If you didnt can give weird readings

Give me some credit mate :cartman:

I don't know if its losing coolant, I dont really want to take it for a drive as it would be like a red arrows exhibition!

Oil looks nice and clean... But like I say I haven't driven too far. when I have driven it the water temp hasn't gone over 1/2.

R5TURBORON
06-03-2011, 20:52
sorry didnt mean anything by it just had a mate that did his with throttle shut :coffee: :laugh:

Andy M
06-03-2011, 21:06
Is the car a running C1J? Got to ask these days :D

Pressure test the coolant system as a starting point.

Whip the plugs out too and crank the engine, see if it spits any coolant.

SP33DY
06-03-2011, 22:02
Sounds like a nail mate, I'll bung you £250 for it. Think of how pleased the wife will be when the number of fives making her lovely house look untidy is reduced from 3 down to 2 :D

Ashy
06-03-2011, 22:10
Is the car a running C1J? Got to ask these days :D

Pressure test the coolant system as a starting point.

Whip the plugs out too and crank the engine, see if it spits any coolant.

I'll do a pressure test when I find my cap, good idea :)

Yes this one is a C1J... For now.

Steve, good try, might swap it for your Clio if you ask nicely ;)

V Man
07-03-2011, 15:24
Is the car a running C1J? Got to ask these days :D

Whip the plugs out too and crank the engine, see if it spits any coolant.

Yeah George, whip the plugs out and stick your eye near the plug hole while I turn the engine over and see if water comes out:cooter:

Ashy
07-03-2011, 21:56
Yeah George, whip the plugs out and stick your eye near the plug hole while I turn the engine over and see if water comes out:cooter:

No one would be that daft George - Would they? :confused:





:cooter:

Ashy
11-03-2011, 20:15
Right guys need help again...

So I've whipped the head off and I'm still unsure as to whats wrong (although ive got a couple of theory's)

So with the head off the looking into the Pot that was giving the hiest compresion reading you can see honing marks on the liner. This makes me think this pot was recently relaced as theres no honing marks on the other 3. This would lead me to think the rings were gone on the other 3 hence the smoke and low comp reading.

However, on the other hand i we assume that one liner was replaced recently I have concerns over whether the head gasket was sealing against the block as it doesnt look like it has been cleaned properly and is badly corroded see pic....

http://www.rtoc.org/files/Technical%20Files/Ashy%20172%20turbo/bores.jpg

Whats your thoughts?

Also thinking of putting some oil in each pot and seeing if it leaks overnight... Would this be a good measure of how worn the rings were?

Any ideas welcome.

Cheers Ashy.

Matt Cole
11-03-2011, 20:45
Petrol marrow in the pots and see if it leaks down. :agree:

Ashy
11-03-2011, 20:52
Petrol marrow in the pots and see if it leaks down. :agree:

Ok cool, got some somewhere, i'll give i a shot!

See what I mean about the corrosion? the old head gasket came off in 1 pice, looked brand new.... The residue and corrosion on the liners and block must of been there before the new gasket was fitted...

I'm really not sure its the rings... The smoke is just so white as if its water vapuor.... theres minimal crank case pressure and the catch tank is bone dry.... :confused:

TNT ANDY
11-03-2011, 21:15
Replace all rings - not expensive and easy to fit at this stage

Skim head + liners

Fit thick head gasket (sure these exist) to bring CR down again.

All relatively cheap.

raj
11-03-2011, 21:16
have you checked the head for flatness? as that corrosion looks terrible:crap:

Do you have a flat pane of glass lying around?

oil the cyl heads mating face and then place the glass on top, give it a gentle press. if its totally flat obviously the oil will make contact to all of the glass:agree: if banana'd there will be no contact in a certain area.

Ashy
11-03-2011, 21:30
Replace all rings - not expensive and easy to fit at this stage

Skim head + liners

Fit thick head gasket (sure these exist) to bring CR down again.

All relatively cheap.

I've got plenty of spare heads, pistons, liners and blocks for that matter so building a new lump up wouldn't be an issue and tbh i'm not trying to do it on the cheap the truth is I don't want to waste time rebuilding it if its not necessary.



have you checked the head for flatness? as that corrosion looks terrible:crap:

Do you have a flat pane of glass lying around?

oil the cyl heads mating face and then place the glass on top, give it a gentle press. if its totally flat obviously the oil will make contact to all of the glass:agree: if banana'd there will be no contact in a certain area.

Thanks for the tip, I'll just take a few heads to work and clock them on a machine to make sure they are perfectly flat before fitting :)

Ashy
11-03-2011, 22:06
done the petrol test, within 10 mins pot 2 was empty! Other 3 are unchanged.

Looks like i need a set of rings too... :crap:

Rob@Backyardracing
11-03-2011, 22:15
The best thing to have done was poor a very small amount of oil down the plug hole in to the bores after the first comp test and then re test, if you comp raises its bore or ring related and not head or gasket.. sorry i didnt notice this earlier :(..

Wups...
And i just read the last line.... ill get my coat and head back to the civic forums... :ashamed:

Rob@Backyardracing
11-03-2011, 22:20
while its apart check the valve seats with petrol test just make sure these aint fooling any readings..

Ashy
11-03-2011, 22:33
The best thing to have done was poor a very small amount of oil down the plug hole in to the bores after the first comp test and then re test....

Thing is i did do this on the cylinder nearest the box and the compression reading was slightly lower :confused:

Scoff
11-03-2011, 23:04
so its hone, rings, lap valves, clean and back together then ! mornings work :D :cry:

I'd be checking those liner tops for pitting. Maybe the block was sat outside without a head for a while.

Ashy
11-03-2011, 23:14
so its hone, rings, lap valves, clean and back together then ! mornings work :D :cry:

I'd be checking those liner tops for pitting. Maybe the block was sat outside without a head for a while.

Aye, should have everything i need to re-buid it over the weekend... I just really didn't want to have to remove the sump... Cant be bothered with the sealant, such a crap design.

Sparkie
11-03-2011, 23:18
so its hone, rings, lap valves, clean and back together then ! mornings work :D :cry:

I'd be checking those liner tops for pitting. Maybe the block was sat outside without a head for a while.

chemical metal and some sandpaper = flat liner tops.

he did say cheap....

James5
12-03-2011, 09:46
Aye, should have everything i need to re-buid it over the weekend... I just really didn't want to have to remove the sump... Cant be bothered with the sealant, such a crap design.

Niall you can use a cork sump gasket :) Mike can sort you out with one:agree: