Methinks my headgasket is toasty.

[LA_phantom_240]

Here's the skinny: Overheated the car a while back (few months), didn't panic, manually turned on fans and she cooled down fast. No ill side effects. The other day I drive to work and notice my temp gauge chilling a little bit higher than usual just before I get there, so I get to the parking lot and I'm REALLY low on coolant. I fill her up and don't think twice about it. Now it seems like every other day I put a little water and coolant in top off just a little. Coolant isn't dirty as far as I can tell, oil isn't milky, and there's no steam coming from my fart cannon. She's a little sluggish as far as I can tell though. Maybe just a tiny leak? I really don't wanna get into this motor, as I'm probably getting rid of the car soon. Any ideas?

[jspaeth]

I would agree with you....if you don't see oil in the water, or water in the oil, then there's gotta be a leak somewhere....

[Xandy Boosts]

I bought a craftsman radiator pressure tester from sears. Pumped to 13 PSI, found two very tiny leaks in those hoses that run under intake mani. Took me a week (since I work) to take off my intake manifold and replace every got damn hose down there.

Take it to a shop, and get it pressure tested or buy the craftsman kit for $80. Then work from there.

[graysil80]

does the exhaust have a different smell to it like it burning just alittle i ha a friend with the same problem his head gasket was bad and it had glogged up coolet ports but his coolet was bad thought

[LA_phantom_240]

Originally Posted by graysil80

does the exhaust have a different smell to it like it burning just alittle i ha a friend with the same problem his head gasket was bad and it had glogged up coolet ports but his coolet was bad thought

Um... my exhaust stinks. Its running no cat.

[graysil80]

different from the normal stink

[LA_phantom_240]

Originally Posted by graysil80

different from the normal stink

Not that I can tell. It doesn't smell sweet like a normal coolant burnoff smell. I'm hoping its something stupid like the water pump leaking... but I don't smell coolant under the hood.

Forgot to mention, once in every three times or so when I check my coolant, I get a small piece of what looks and feels like 'Ultra Black' Gasket crap floating at the top of the radiator.

[sr20det drift]

NAPA has a nice kit i think its going for lets say 30$ or so

[LA_phantom_240]

I have a pressure tester.

[steve shadows]

do a compression test

probably before even posting in here, next time...

[J ROK]

If its a KA, dont be too worried, I had a blown head gasket for over a year, daily driving and monthly events where I would try to blow it up. And I end up selling the motor in the end. It was weird though, only everyonce in a while I would see a little oil in the coolant.

[LA_phantom_240]

My headgasket IS bad

Took off the radiator cap, and looked... No bubbles at idle. Revved a little, and no bubbles, took it up to about 4000 rpms, and it started shooting up at me with bubbles... Gay. Totally gay.

I know that it is generally frowned upon on Zilvia, but maybe one of those 'block sealer/headgasket fix' types of solutions may work? Its apparently not a bad leak, but a leak nonetheless. If it doesn't work, I'll just swap the motor and rebuild this one.

[Xandy Boosts]

I don't get it. If you have a pressure tester, how come you aren't using it?

I have no leaks or anything but I think my coolant spills out too when I rev it high with no cap on.

[LA_phantom_240]

Mine doesn't spill... it shoots. Foamy as all hell. Tons of LARGE bubbles. And my pressure tester isn't with me right now, its offshore with one of the mechanics I work with, where he has to test the cooling system of a power pack for a crane on a production rig.

[i need tires]

yea the shooting out normally means the exhaust gas' are getting into the cooling system and thus BHG

i had the same problem on my car. shit sucks!

[Xandy Boosts]

damn that sucks. been reading about alot of BHG's lately.

when I had my head gasket blown, I read around about some chevy/chevrolet/one of the american car companys where they have some coolant tablets.

the tablets are like finely ground up ginger and some other stuff or something. people say that that stuff works for about 400 miles or so, so it's a temporary fix. I never tried it myself, I just swapped out and put a new KA in but you could try it I guess. good luck man

[LA_phantom_240]

Originally Posted by Xandy Boosts

damn that sucks. been reading about alot of BHG's lately.

when I had my head gasket blown, I read around about some chevy/chevrolet/one of the american car companys where they have some coolant tablets.

the tablets are like finely ground up ginger and some other stuff or something. people say that that stuff works for about 400 miles or so, so it's a temporary fix. I never tried it myself, I just swapped out and put a new KA in but you could try it I guess. good luck man

Nah. If I fix it, I want it to be permanent. Either I'll keep the car, or trade it to a friend for his car. I'm not gonna trade a car with issues, that's shady.