coolant in my spark plug wire hole?

[racersedge1821]

as it says i have a 97 built gst with a 6 bolt swap coolant slowly builds up in cylinder number three inside my spark plug wires and is causing it to miss. i can drive about an hour after i clean the spark plug hole out and it no longer misses what could this be? no white smoke from exhaust. No coolant in my oil. any suggestions?

 

[BogusSVO]

There is no real way to get coolant there.

The only way it could get there from the casting would be a crack or small hole down around the base of the spark plug.

If you have an old plug wire, cut the wire to VC seal off, and start the car and watch.

Or if you have a coolant pressure tester, or acess to one, remove the plug wire and spark plug and pressureize the coolant system and watch.

 

[racersedge1821]

I thought i may have a small crack down near the spark plug. Would J.B weld be a short term fix till i can purchase a new cylinder head?

 

[BogusSVO]

Doubt it, the expantion and contraction the head goes through as it heats up and cools down, I doubt the JBWeld would take that.

Best thing to do is have the head pressure tested.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cyl...how-aluminum-head-pressure-tested-cracks.html

Depending on the crack/hole you may be able to get it welded. it sounds like a hard spot to get to tho.

It could also be thu the threads of the spark plug.

 

[racersedge1821]

Well i got the spark plug out today and noticed it isn't leaking in the spark plug tube. Its internal like my bottom of my spark plug was saturated in coolant. Possible Head gasket? or since i have ARP's is it worth a shot to retrque the head studs?

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

Well i got the spark plug out today and noticed it isn't leaking in the spark plug tube. Its internal like my bottom of my spark plug was saturated in coolant. Possible Head gasket? or since i have ARP's is it worth a shot to retrque the head studs?

So is/was there ever coolant in the hole or not?

 

[racersedge1821]

No the cylinder wasn't filled with coolant, and it barely smokes any white at all. It just covers the spark plug causing it to miss only on cylinder 3. And the man i traded to said it has arp's and a hks head gasket

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

No the cylinder wasn't filled with coolant, and it barely smokes any white at all. It just covers the spark plug causing it to miss only on cylinder 3. And the man i traded to said it has arp's and a hks head gasket

So if you drive the car the hole where the plug wire goes gets coolant in it correct?

 

[BogusSVO]

With the spark plug out, take a flash light and look at the threads in the head that the spark plug screws into.

You may will see a smalll crack in the threads.

 

[racersedge1821]

i'll do that in the morning and i'll get back to you ty for the help and quick responses. Does it sound more like a head gasket failure or a cracked head so far tho?

 

[BogusSVO]

With the coolant in the plug well.

A small crack in the center of the combustion chamber.

In the threads that the spark plug screws into.

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

If you're getting cooling in where the spark plug wire goes on top of the spark plug your head is cracked. It willneed to be welded or replaced.

If the spark plug is getting rusty on the bottom side inside the cylinder its most likely going to be a blown head gasket. Remove the spark plug look down the hole with a light see if the piston looks cleaner than the rest.

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

With the spark plug out, take a flash light and look at the threads in the head that the spark plug screws into.

You may will see a smalll crack in the threads.

Ninja'd me this too

 

[racersedge1821]

When i first start the car before its warm it doesn't miss at all, only after it warms up it starts to miss allot in low rpm's (under 3k)

 

[BogusSVO]

It is sounding more and more like a cracked head. Fairly rare for a 4g.

The crack expans with the temp, and mists water into the combustion chamber, then "seals" itself when it cools.

I would say you are loosing a small amount of coolant

 

[racersedge1821]

i am losing very little each time i drive it,but it doesn't overheat at all it probably isn't safe to drive is it?

 

[BogusSVO]

Its not the best thing to do.

Is your turbo water cooled also?

 

[racersedge1821]

no its a hx40

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

Yes and no. No because its loosing coolant and misfiring which can hurt your CAT. And if you dont watch it carefully you'll over heat it.

If you have anyway to pressure test the system. Warm the car up and remove the plug and then do the test. You should be able to see it coming from the crack then if it is. Just relieve the pressure in the system before removing the cap.

 

[shr]

racersedge1821, did you ever find the source of the coolant leak? I have the same issue on my 95 GST; coolant in the spark plug well.