Is this a HG? Quick help needed!

[4G63dsmpwr]

Situation:

About 4-5 days ago, I had my head rebuilt by a REALLY good machine shop locally - they do tons of race engines, and stuff like that so I know this was properly done. I spoke with about 5 different people, all said they do great work. My friend also had them build a race 4G63 with all the toys, so they know these motors. Anyway, I got the head back about a week ago, and installed everything with a brand new OEM headgasket..

Now about five days later... I'm driving and the heat doesn't feel hot at all - sign of low coolant... So I pull over and just let her idle... Look under the car - no coolant leaking after sitting ther for about 10min. Look all around the engine bay - no coolant...

I checked my datalogger, and she's staying right between 199-206 F. Ok so I get back in, and continue heading home. By the time I reach my house, the temp is climbing fast - climbs all the way to 230 - thats when I shut it off.

Went outside this morning, and topped off the coolant with a funnel. Left the funnel 1/2 way full, hoping she'd fire up and then when the T-STAT opens, the level will go down - right? Went to crank over engine, with the funnel still in the thermostat housing. As soon as I cranked the key, coolant went flying right out of the funnel. Not with too much force, but made a mess everywhere in the engine bay.

Ok now the questions:

This is a blown headgasket right?

Why would I blow a headgasket 4 days after I put a brand new rebuilt head on, and a brand new Mitsu HG? Everything was done PERFECTLY, everything torqued down properly, everything checked w/a feeler guage, etc.

Could there be anything else causing this? Like a cracked block or something? I dont know what to do...

I don't know whats going on, but this sucks ass. I guess I'll be ordering a new headgasket! Damnit, sometimes I hate these god damn cars!!!!

 

[RavenX]

if you say the shop put everything back in have them take a look at it. I sure hope you have warrenty on that kind of stuff. If i were you i would of spent the $ on a metal headgasket either cometic or the mitsu one. But thats just me. Just call them up and tell them whats up am sure they would take a look at it

 

[DSM90AWD]

Went outside this morning, and topped off the coolant with a funnel. Left the funnel 1/2 way full, hoping she'd fire up and then when the T-STAT opens, the level will go down - right? Went to crank over engine, with the funnel still in the thermostat housing. As soon as I cranked the key, coolant went flying right out of the funnel. Not with too much force, but made a mess everywhere in the engine bay.

The proper way to fill up the coolant would be to fill it to the max cold level.. replace the rad cap.. take it out for a drive.. and then fill it up again once it cools.

No heat often means the coolant level is low so is not reaching the heater core.

Did your fan(s) come on when the temps started to rise?

 

[kalla]

Like the previous poster said, the proper way to fill the coolant system is to fill through the radiator cap until full (when cold). If coolant is coming through top of the thermostat when the car is cold, the thermostat is jammed open and you should be replacing it asap. Good luck.

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

First off thanks for all the replies!

As far as the shop, my friend works at a shop, thats where we did the head swap - however this what after hours, I didn't pay a shop to fix it.

Yes, the fan came on. I do not have AC, and their is no AC fan.

THERMOSTAT: Ok, now RIGHT before this happened - I tossed in a brand new T-Stat and Gasket... Would a totally blocked/jammed thermostat cause everything I described? I just dont understand how, when the car is ICE cold (sitting outside in 20deg weather over night) I top it off, and go to crank over - and it spits out coolant like it did...?

Can I just reomve the T-Stat all together, and try to run it like that?

This caught my attention so much because there was smoke/steam coming from the t-stat area when this was going on... Thanks a ton, any info on the above would be great!

 

[SlowSpyder]

inspect the head/block. Basically when the radiator cap is off and you crank the car and coolant spits out it means the combustion chamber pressure is getting into the coolant system meaning you have a blown headgasket or a cracked or warped head. How was the condition of the head or the block. Ask the shop if they inspected for cracks and what did they use to inspect for cracks.

 

[4G63dsmpwr]

Well me and a friend INSTALLED the head, but it was rebuilt by MotorTech, a local machine shop... We inspected the top of the block, what we could see when the head was off - there were no signs of cracking or anything like that.

The machine shop went through the entire head, and made sure everything was ok. Resurfaced, hot tanked, bead blasted, etc. I told him to go through everything, and replace anything questionable.

So the whole business about the thermostat probably isn't going to make any difference right?

UPDATE: As soon as I start the motor, smoke comes from the engine bay ALOT. As soon as I let go of the gas, she doesnt run anymore. I cant pinpoint where the smoke is coming from, because of the fact when I'm near the engine bay, the car is off.

So its 99% that its a headgasket, right? There is no other explanation for coolant to spit out, when the car is completely cold, right?

Thanks guys!