Blew Head Gasket? I'm confused..

[ataririder]

I have a 4G37 block. Runs like a champ but has a hard start-up. I used to loose a quart a oil a month (valve seals) now its a quart a week. I checked undernieth the car and it looks like oil is leaking out from head down. Now my question is can blow a headgasket and just leak oil or does it have to involve coolant going into your oil? There is no smoke comming out of exhaust and there is no trace of coolant in my oil.

 

[1993eclipseGS]

A compression test would tell you if you have a blown headgasket/head problems also.

 

[andymoraitis]

A compression test would tell you if you have a blown headgasket/head problems also.

Not always. Dan (project_tsi) and I just changed his H/G and it showed perfect compression all the way across. His gasket was actually deformed into an egg shape on all four cylinders and leaking badly. Typically, it will either push coolant with a blown headgaske and/or mix coolant and oil.

Ataririder: Usually when you're eating oil, it relates to ring seal, a leak somwhere, valves/valve stem seals or turbo seals (if applicable). If you're not seeing smoke under acceleration, are you seeing any under deceleration? The fact that you're leaking oil from the head down is either the headgasket or possibly the valve cover gasket as well. I would go ahead and do a compession test anyway as 1993eclipseGS mentioned and post your numbers here.

Let us know what you find,

Andy

 

[gamma500]

While helpful, a compression test won't verify the HG is at fault...if quite low across the board, oil loss from rings likely but you should be seeing blue/gray smoke. Agree that a blown HG will usually demonstrate coolant leaking...bubbles in the radiator neck/rad cap filler at high idle with car warmed up or white smoke, coolant smell from the exhaust, a sparkplug that is awfully clean, etc. A quart /week loss would signal a rather large HG failure and you should have chocolate milk for coolant.

Anyway you can get the oil leak area all cleaned up nicely, run the car for a bit and locate the exact area where the oil is coming from ? I would first guess a large valve cover leak.

 

[ataririder]

I'm going to clean the engine up and see where its comming from. I did replace the valve cover gasket and resealed the cam seal on the side, they show that they're holding up. I'll do a compression test also. thanks for your guys inputs.