My $59 problems/tuning a turbo camaro

[fasteddi]

When your wife works a different shift then you do, and you dont have kids ya get alot of free time. And the car was just calling my name

Im having a blast getting the car going the way i want it, just tweaking on the tuning, and then when warm weather comes, ill have to "rinse and repeat"

[fasteddi]

Well I new it yesterday but I was just lying to myself....I blew the drivers side head gasket. I know for sure as it steams out of the base of the head under the drivers side ex manifold...Just when I was starting to have fun this happends

So tuning is on hold till I get that fixed. Crazy thing is I actually knew it the moment it happen, but was just trying to think optimistic since I never saw BAD oil or OIL in the antifreeze. But after I worked on it today and patched some things up with it, I started it and yup there comes the steam and milky oil in less then 2 min of idleing. This sux man, But I guess I had it comeing with 11psi of boost......I guess I should just be happy that nothing is broken.

[JeepsAndGuns]

While ya have it down, I would probably go ahead and change the other side too.

And while you at it, might as well clean the heads, and do a little port/polish, and 3 angle valve job.

[fasteddi]

While ya have it down, I would probably go ahead and change the other side too.

And while you at it, might as well clean the heads, and do a little port/polish, and 3 angle valve job.

Yea im thinking to change the other side. Actually i ported and polished the heads and added a cam about 4 months ago, but used some cheep head gaskets since i never though id see boost or hi-compresion. Opps I should have planned better i guess and gotten better gaskets. I didnt plan the turbo build, it was a sorta spur of the moment thing, after I drove for a month or 2 with the added power of the cam and heads, i wanted more power....its addivtive!

[EagleMark]

Bummer...

I'd drain all the water and oil right away, change the oil and run it a couple minutes and drain oil again! If still milky change oil again! Get that motor flushed of any water/antifreeze! Then do quality head gaskets, maybe check heads, don't want to take any off if not needed but you may need to surface them, and look into ARP head bolts. Read the instructions and use correct lube on head bolts. Add oil and antifreeze and run engine till warm, change oil again. See what specs are for re-torquing heads?

[fasteddi]

Tq is 40# then a additional 90* turn. Ill look into better gaskets, better head bolts and some lube.

I waited like a hour after i knew the head gasket was blown and drained all the oil since i figured what was gonna be in the pan would drain at that point. Milky...thats a shame for sure. I am really bummed!! But thats a part of the process I guess.

I honestly heard the pop when it went.. then when i got home to see what happend( i would drive the car 1/4 mile then shut it off for a minuet, over and over for like 3 mile(not letting the temp get above 220F)) That was the process to get home, I looked at the coolent and it was low as can be, all in my overflow i have(holds 4L) So today i drained the oil earlier, it looked fine, the anit freeze was fine(didnt smell) then I added new oil and coolent and instant steam! I think i didnt see it the yesterday becasues the coolent was so low because it blew out of the radiator into the overflow and out of that also.

Ill inspect the heads, the block and make sure nothing isnt warped(Im praying that its ok)

[EagleMark]

Probably not warped but with this much boost it needs to be perfect!

I said to drain water and oil then change oil run without water and dump oil again, without water so you could flush engine, no reason to flush with water still in it as the oil will just get more water... get the motor flushed now, do not wait... it will be fine.

Proper lube on headbolts can make a huge difference in what actual torque is! ARP head bolts don't stretch like stock ones do.

Tq is 40# then a additional 90* turn

I've never seen that before? And they have to be done in sequence usually from inside out, look at your manual.

[Six_Shooter]

I've never seen that before? And they have to be done in sequence usually from inside out, look at your manual.

It's called "Torque to yeild."

I don't recall why it is done this way, but there was a reason for it.

[EagleMark]

Maybe that's how they figure in stretch?

[fasteddi]

Probably not warped but with this much boost it needs to be perfect!

I said to drain water and oil then change oil run without water and dump oil again, without water so you could flush engine, no reason to flush with water still in it as the oil will just get more water... get the motor flushed now, do not wait... it will be fine.

Proper lube on headbolts can make a huge difference in what actual torque is! ARP head bolts don't stretch like stock ones do.

I've never seen that before? And they have to be done in sequence usually from inside out, look at your manual.

Ok ill look over the manual again, for the sequence for the head bolts. I just remember the Tq...I literly read it out of the book when i did the sequence before.
Are you saying to run the car now?? With no water and fresh oil??(to flush it)Or do you mean do that when i initially start it up??? Im new at this blow head gasket thing.....

I already got the crap oil drained earlier, as i didnt want it just stitting in there because i didnt know how much coolent got in there....it was a sad milky mess though...sad day here.

[gregs78cam]

Yes, put new oil, no water and run it for 1 or two minutes, and make sure you get AAALLLLLL milky oil out. Maybe do it a coupld of times. If you don't you will have rust on your journals. It doesn't take long for that to happen. Then look seriously at head studs. The torque to yield process is actually a more accurate way to torque a bolt/nut. Because the pitch of a bolt is constant, however the friction generated in the threads or under the head is not constant.

[fasteddi]

Yes, put new oil, no water and run it for 1 or two minutes, and make sure you get AAALLLLLL milky oil out. Maybe do it a coupld of times. If you don't you will have rust on your journals. It doesn't take long for that to happen. Then look seriously at head studs. The torque to yield process is actually a more accurate way to torque a bolt/nut. Because the pitch of a bolt is constant, however the friction generated in the threads or under the head is not constant.

Ok Im at work right now.. so as soon as i can, put oil in it(even though the head gaskets shot) and run it for a minuet and drain it, and do that till the oil is not milky anymore?? Am I getting that correct? Should I put any ATF or any solvent based flush in with the oil?? Thanks so much as Im new to this sort of break down on this car.

[gregs78cam]

you got it. The idea is to flush the milky oil out of the journals, and shut it off before the milky oil mixes up in the new oil, and just gets diluted. May only need once, but twice won't hurt at all.

[EagleMark]

Cheap oil! No reason to use solvent or ATF. Yes run the motor with no water idle for 2 minutes, drain oil change filter. Let motor cool 20-30 minutes, if oil looked like crap do it again. Rev engine to 1500 this time and sling oil all over to wash it out. Even if you have to do it three times. Your motor will be fine.

If you leave water and antifreeze (milky oil) in rod, main, cam bearings lifters, oil pump, they will rust.

Back to head bolts and lube. Old school drag racers used peanut butter! Really. It was tested and did better then oil, antiseeze and a couple other things and almost as good as modern day head bolt lube... you can probably find the article or link off ARB website.

[fasteddi]

Ok thanks guys!! I cant work on it till about noon tommorow. Will it be ok till then I hope?? Ill get oil and another filter after I leave work (ive only got one spare right now) Then after that Ill start to tear her down and get those heads off and fix it.