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Blown Head Gasket or Not?

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1gDSM4g63

15+ Year Contributor
1,808
13
Aug 28, 2007
San Jose, California
My car stutters and dies at 3500+ rpm, no boost, little coolant in oil, heats up fast but doesn't over heat, and wideband is erratic even if I make SAFC adjustments.

Although I assume it's a blown head gasket because of the coolant in the oil the compression test for each cylinder doesn't show it. Could a blown head gasket no have compression affects? If so, is there any other means of proof it's a blown head gasket or other sugesstion what may be causing the problems?
 
Any white smoke coming out of your exhaust? That indicates a blown turbo or blown HG. White smoke=burning coolant. No boost? Check for shaft play. A small amount of side to side isnt too much to worry about, but if there is in and out play then you have a problem. Also lack of power is a bad HG too. Hope something I told you can be of use! GL!
 
Maybe not so much as a blown hg but maybe a leaking hg. I didn't read all your mods but i am guessing you have arp head studs and an mls gasket, right? Try retorquing them first before anything else. Start in the center just like factory torque sequence. Loosen each nut 1/4-1/2 turn to release pressure, the retighten to maximum torque spec. Now go to next stud in sequence and do the same. Loosen only 1 nut at a time and retorque to maximum arp spec in 1 step instead of the factory 3 steps before going to the next. Afterwards, drive it, retest compression, etc and see if it helps. Im sure with each, it will take more turns to retorque it than it did to break it loose. And do the job with the car warmed up and pressure bled from coolant system(carefully remove cap to bleed pressure. You can be severely burnt doing this)
 
Yes, may very well be a leaky head gasket. Do a pressure test on the cooling system (you can get the radiator pressure test tool from autozone) and see if it leaks. Another thing you may want to look at is your turbo. The coolant in the oil thing may come from your turbo starting to take a crap, and the 3500 + sputtering is linked to a power problem. Check for shaft play in the turbo, and oil comming from the compressor wheel/housing. Good Luck man.:thumb:
 
I'm pretty sure the there is a radiator leak. When I drained the coolant out and put coolant I heard seeping sounds, but I'll don't a radiator pressure check too. If it is the radiator leaking does it mean that the head gasket is leaking and is that a reasonable cause for the other problems I'm having; erratic wideband afr readings, boost doesn't build, stuttering and dying?

As for the turbo, it's new so no shaft play. It hasn't even been engaged before boost doesn't build up.
 
I've already down a compression for each cylinder. They check at 150.

As far a a leak down test, do you a leak down tester and an air compressor or just a leak down tester will do?

You need a special gauge "thingy" that connects to an air compressor. Compression test just ain't good enough! ;)
 
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