420A 420a engine has white steam pouring out from behind cylinder head after timing belt job?? 137k miles on motor

[Rdawgflex]

EDIT:

Now the motor starts and runs right but the rear of the cylinder head has white steam/smoke pouring out from it. How TF did my head gasket blow or did I crack the cylinder head I wonder? Ill get under the car and look behind the motor and upwards to see if there's discoloration at where head meets block and obviously will look for any cracks in the head. So I guess now it may be worth it for me to pull the head myself and have it checked/decked and reinstall with new gasket if it checks out? If not, then I buy and install a reman'd head and new gasket anyways and im thinking that will stop the white steam pouring?

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[BLACK'98DSM]

Please no more vise grips on the crankshaft and no hammering on the camshaft sprockets!

Where is the car located now? I'm up for doing the job myself to save it from whoever else might start hammering on it.

 

[Rdawgflex]

appreciate the reply and i had a feeling y'all would hate the vice grip pic. Sorry! It's in my garage in central Arkansas. Doubt anyone will be able to help me and the shops are probably going to charge me what I paid for the damn car so I think I'm screwed.

I saw where one can buy a reman head but then i could screw something up replacing that so I think I have to cut my losses and just never do a timing job again. Still, what a POS design where one job can ruin the car and it wasn't even driving..

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

It isn't necessarily a bad design. It's just a high compression interference engine. Timing instructions exist in the FSM for this reason.

 

[jesse12345]

It's not a very hard job once you get it down. I always turn it over by hand 3 or 4 times to make sure everything is still lined up. Sure the motor mount is the dumb part, but it's not bad. I guess I wouldn't give up that easy. If it was running good before the timing job hopefully you didn't bend any valves.

 

[Rdawgflex]

It's not a very hard job once you get it down. I always turn it over by hand 3 or 4 times to make sure everything is still lined up. Sure the motor mount is the dumb part, but it's not bad. I guess I wouldn't give up that easy. If it was running good before the timing job hopefully you didn't bend any valves.

I agree its not that hard once i read the full guide the 3rd or 4th time (I can get the that motor mount plate off insanely fast now ) and was able to spin it by hand several revolutions to ensure the marks lined up and they did but this is just stupid bs now. Everything is lined up right and the mfer barely starts and sounds worse than ever. Problem is any option I try now is a probably a lost cause money wise. Reman head? 500 bucks and whose to say I dont mess it up replacing it. $1500 for the shop and they said it may not run still, other shops wont even touch it. I really dont want to drop any more money as it was supposed to be a cheap fun daily. Now i guess I lost 3k like nothing but oh well Id rather cut losses and save money for a better daily.

 

[pauleyman]

I agree its not that hard once i read the full guide the 3rd or 4th time (I can get the that motor mount plate off insanely fast now ) and was able to spin it by hand several revolutions to ensure the marks lined up and they did but this is just stupid bs now. Everything is lined up right

I dont think so. Those cams do not look lined up to me.

and the mfer barely starts and sounds worse than ever. Problem is any option I try now is a probably a lost cause money wise. Reman head?

Do you think you bent valves?
This may be harsh but it sounds like you didn't understand the job before you started. That isn't the cars fault.

500 bucks and whose to say I dont mess it up replacing it. $1500 for the shop and they said it may not run still, other shops wont even touch it. I really dont want to drop any more money as it was supposed to be a cheap fun daily. Now i guess I lost 3k like nothing but oh well Id rather cut losses and save money for a better daily.

This is a difficult and costly lesson. I made a similar mistake at 17 but in my case it was a non interference car so all I lost is time and a dent to my pride.
Choice is yours. If are still not confident in your ability to repair then yes you have a choice to make.

 

[Rdawgflex]

Ok update I tried starting it and it started up and ran evenly BUT now the damn motor is pouring white steam from the rear of the cylinder head.. so how the heck do I have a cracked head or blown head gasket when it was fine before the timing job? Im about to go back out and check for a crack in the head. Does that sound like a blown HG on these 420a motors? The damn thing was finally running right timing wise and idling but boom white smoke pouring out from behind the head..

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

White steam coming through the exhaust would be indicative of a headgasket issue, but not on the exterior of the engine. You probably just have an external coolant leak finding it's way to the exhaust downpipe and evaporating. Check the heater hoses near the firewall.

 

[Rdawgflex]

White steam coming through the exhaust would be indicative of a headgasket issue, but not on the exterior of the engine. You probably just have an external coolant leak finding it's way to the exhaust downpipe and evaporating. Check the heater hoses near the firewall.

Thank you very much for your helpful responses and same to the others in this thread.

After seeing how smooth the motor was just running, i now think my valves may still be okay, and I just have to find and fix this crazy leak. We'll see. Thanks, tomorrow after work ill get under and check all the hoses near firewall, etc and report back.

 

[Rdawgflex]

White steam coming through the exhaust would be indicative of a headgasket issue, but not on the exterior of the engine. You probably just have an external coolant leak finding it's way to the exhaust downpipe and evaporating. Check the heater hoses near the firewall.

Okay I have gone under the motor and checked with my light and all I can see leaking is this weird random rust covered bolt with an obvious small trail of coolant leaking down to the bottom of oil pan. I'm attaching two pictures with arrows pointing. Could this really be what's causing such a huge ploom of white smoke mist upon start up? It didnt do that months ago but then again I have jacked the motor up/down a lot and moved it, plus the cold winter temp change maybe finished it off?? Any ideas?

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[BLACK'98DSM]

That's just a threaded plug. I'm being forgetful of which jacket it taps into but I'm thinking it's a water jacket. Remove it and check thread condition, use sealant and proper torque if the threads are good.

 

[Rdawgflex]

That's just a threaded plug. I'm being forgetful of which jacket it taps into but I'm thinking it's a water jacket. Remove it and check thread condition, use sealant and proper torque if the threads are good.

Hey man I just wanted to say thank you again. Same to everyone else in this thread who tried to help! I got the car timed and running good again YESSS!!!!!! It only took me several weekends and multiple cut knuckles and loud curse words. . But I frickin did it!!!! AHHHH I now know how to do timing jobs and just how precise and careful one must be. I have a WHOLE new respect for timing job DIYers.. a whole new respect. Loving driving this cool frickin 2g eclipse. I also fixed the transmission issue with a simple Shift Solenoid replacement and BOOM she's back to shifting smooth and strong!!!!! This is awesome. Thanks again.

 

[Rdawgflex]

It's not a very hard job once you get it down. I always turn it over by hand 3 or 4 times to make sure everything is still lined up. Sure the motor mount is the dumb part, but it's not bad. I guess I wouldn't give up that easy. If it was running good before the timing job hopefully you didn't bend any valves.

Hey man! I just wanted to come back and say thank you and that you were right not to give up yet! I did not give up, had to tear it apart a FIFTH fricking time and redo the timing all over again but i FINALLY DID IT!!! It took several hours just trying to get everything to line up to a near perfect level, but once I did.. BOOM she starts up super strong and smooth again and runs great again!!! Thank you guys! I'm finally Paul Walker in my 2g eclipse again. .

 

[jesse12345]

I'm glad you got it figured out! Props for not giving up, super pumped for you! When people have had enough, thats when the part outs happen.