[nezwick]

On my way home from work and the car started running really rough, but I made it home. Popped the hood, observed boiling coolant in the reservoir.

Went inside, ate dinner, and came back out to check on it. Started it up, and it ran REALLY rough. Lots of white smoke out the tail pipe.

See video:


Head gasket, right? This sucks! I just replaced it when I did the engine swap over the winter.

 

[Dave94LX]

pull your dip stick and see if there are bubbles on it. That is a tell tale sign. From the smoke, I am guessing it is a head gasket though. Perhaps it had an imperfection that you didn't catch before installing.

 

[nezwick]

I did check the oil and it looked fine around the dipstick.

I also pulled the valve cover and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary with the oil under there.

Looks like I get to drive that asinine S-10 until the weekend when I can take the head off the car to see what the problem is.

 

[Jeffescortlx]

Compression check.

Normally I'd say cracked head if it over heated, but if you put a HG in recently, then I bet its just a leaky HG.
Did you have the head resurfaced and torqed the head bolts to spec?

 

[nezwick]

Yeah, I put the head gasket in about six months ago now.

The head was resurfaced and checked by a local shop prior to installation, new head bolts (Fel-Pro) were installed, and torqued per the specs in the Haynes manual.

I'm taking off school tomorrow to work on this. I know I should really just buy a compression tester too. I'll be at the auto parts place at 8am when they open.

I was watching my gauges as I always do and the temp needle never got hotter than slightly above dead centre. I know they are never quite accurate but yeah.

 

[white-lightning]

Man that stinks. Hopefully it is only a head gasket. Yeah those gauges aren't very accurate, my fuel gauge has been stuck on full for the past few days.

 

[swiftymc]

Does the smoke smell kind of sweet? if it does it prolly is the head gasket

that sputtering sound brings back bad memories of my 1997 escort LX may she rest in peace

 

[nezwick]

Yeah, it smelled sweet.

I got it all torn down this morning and I'm taking a quick break. Here are pics. The point of failure was between cyls 2-3. Spark plugs and pistons 2 and 3 were wet.

I am disappointed in the amount of carbon buildup too. All this was completely cleaned out about six months ago and it's already really cruddy.

 

[dave8338]

That SUCKS! I would throw a straight edge on that head and make sure that it is not warped. Did you overtighten the center head bolts first, when putting things back together? As far as the carbon...that's not bad at all. What brand/type of oil are you using?

 

[nezwick]

I don't THINK I overtightened them, but anything is possible. It could have been that, or a weak gasket I suppose.

I run Motorcraft 5W30 full syn, changed every 5k. Stock Motorcraft plugs, and probably 95% Sheetz gasoline, and lately I've been running 87 octane since gas prices are back up.

 

[nezwick]

Gah I can't find my Haynes manual... I need the torque specs and tightening order for the SPI...


Anybody have these right off hand?

 

[cklaubur]

I don't see the tightening order, but I found the torque specs:

Step 1: 30-44 ft. lbs.
Step 2: Loosen 1/2 turn
Step 3: 30-44 ft. lbs.
Step 4: Tighten an additional 1/4 turn from Step 3.
Step 5: Another 1/4 turn from Step 4

Casey

*EDIT* My Haynes manual doesn't list the tightening order for the SPI, but I remember from the last time I removed the head on my SPI that they were the same as the 1.9L:

9 3 1 5 7
8 6 2 4 10

 

[Jeffescortlx]

and lately I've been running 87 octane since gas prices are back up.

Wait, what were you running before? I've heard running too high of a octane can cause carbon build up.
Or if your Injector/MAF/ECU might not have a happy combination.

 

[nezwick]

Thanks Casey!

I was usually running 89 octane gas, because strange as it sounds, the engine actually sounded quieter with 89 or 93. There are no bad pings or anything on 87, it's just noisier. My Cougar was the same way so I always ran 93.

For a while there when I was running the SPI injectors and MAF, I know the car was running too rich, so that might be where all that carbon came from. Once I switched to the 1.9 injectors and MAF, it seems to be running as it should. I think you participated in the thread where I was trying to figure out the proper MAF/ECU/injector combo.

Well it's all back together and running great again!

Hah I just noticed that I put this in the wrong section. The engine is an SPI, not the 1.9 anymore.

 

[nezwick]

Also: I ran the head to the local engine shop before installation (about a minute away from my house) and the guy did a quick check of the head (for free!). Nothing fancy, just took a straight edge and checked for warpage and looked it over with a magnifying device checking for cracks. He said it was in acceptable shape and to go ahead and use it... I didn't get a full diagnostic done since I needed it back right away.

He noted the hardened buildup on the faces of the valves too but said it shouldn't have much effect on anything. It was there when I got the engine anyway.

I did buy a compression tester kit today, but didn't do the test. I'll do that this weekend. I hope it's decent.

 

[ciento44]

The higher octane won't REALLY hurt it. We run 93 octane on the EGT, mainly because i haven't gotten around to checking the timing yet, and don't want to get a backlash because the PO didn't know what they were doing on repair or something.

Plus, the other cars take 93 as well. This makes it easier to remember.

If it runs better, then go ahead and do it. Bump up your timing while you're at it so you can take full advantage of it. You MIGHT see a gas mileage increase. The Celica gets about 29mpg combined on 87 octane with stock 10 degrees BTDC. On 93 octane with 17 degrees BTDC, it got 34-36mpg combined before i put the OMGHUEG tires on it. And that's a 2.2 litre stupid Camry motor.

 

[Jeffescortlx]

You work fast. Allready fixed eh.

I was usually running 89 octane gas, because strange as it sounds, the engine actually sounded quieter with 89 or 93.

Your not crazy. Mine exshaust is quieter with e85 then regular low octane pump gas.

But yes, I bet your wrong MAF/Injector combo is what made a mess with carbon on your head.

 

[nezwick]

So the cooling fan and temperature gauge do not work.

I have pulled all fuses to check for blown ones and found none.

If I disconnect the ECT sensor while the engine is running in order to invoke the fail-safe, the fan still does not come on.

I checked any and all things I could have possibly disconnected when doing the head gasket and found that all connections are good. The fan is plugged into the harness, and I reseated the connection just to be sure.

I know there are tons of cooling issue threads on here, and I will continue to skim them for my answer, but I'm hoping somebody gives me something to check.

I know that they both were working before I changed the head gasket.

 

[nezwick]

Since I can disconnect the sensor and the fan still does not turn on, this tells me the sensor is not causing this problem.

My next step is checking the relay(s)? I don't know how to test relays.

I'll also jumper the fan directly to the battery to see if the fan spins at all. Maybe the fan motor is burned out. That wouldn't explain the dead gauge though.

The fan does not seem to get its usual quick "burst" when the key is first turned on either.

As strange as it may sound, is there anything in the back of the cluster which could have gotten burnt on which the fan depends?

 

[Benlightnd]

Check the bolt that holds the support bracket for your heater hose / sensor bracket. Assuming your still using the old hose and sensor set up for a 1.9.

IF you took the bolt out of that bracket ( where is bolts to the flywheel housing ) and you didn't get it back in or tight, your sensors won't be grounded and your temp gauge and fan won't work.

That's the only thing that comes to mind that you would have disturbed while taking the head off that would affect gauge and fan.

I've seen cases where folks did tighten that bolt but had some grease or dirt under it and that kept it from grounding.

Easy to check if you run a temperary ground wire to the base of your sensors and see if your gauge starts working.

Just a thought