2G How far can this rabbit hole go?

[Spungo]

Alright so i just purchased a 98’ GST Spyder last week. Test drive was great everything was nice. They said the put in all new coolant lines, new intercooler, brand new brakes and motors and said all it needed was a fuel pump and it was golden and was selling for 3k. in my head thats a steal. i bought them a 255 walboro and gave them deposit before i went to go see the car.

After i purchase and start driving away, i notice the boost gauge doesnt like to go above 10psi which i thought could be just getting used to fuel pump. it starts acting like its going to stall. i feel the boost build up inside.

4 hours later that 10 psi turns into 0 and it starts acting the same way like its going to stall. i notice the radiator is leaking.

I purchased a new radiator it comes wednesday. i hope the heat hasnt blown the headgasket/warped my cylinder heads. do you think there could be any other possible maintenance outcomes other then those two major ones?

 

[Spungo]

The largest problems I think you've mentioned so far are the fact that it blew coolant. You need to find out if any damage occurred. At this point you don't know if it was a coolant system failure or you blew something else up that also took out the coolant system/radiator. I would suggest the aforementioned compression check and/or leakdown test. A coolant system pressure check isn't a bad idea too. After that you said you had to add 4 qts of oil and it was still low? Was there any damage? Might need to drain oil and/or cut open a filter and see at least that far. You've also said you have no boost. So what does/did the stock gauge do? We need to find the problems and damage and go from there. DOes it even run right now? Have you checked anything?

Yes it runs and drives ok. turbo is still spooling, fuel pump is singing. i havent been looking at the boost gauge on the dash just at the aftermarket. ill so most of those tests once i get my radiator replaced. should come early morning

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

If you added 4 quarts of oil and the level was still low, that's a bad sign. That would mean you ran the engine with practically no oil in it. Which would explain the low oil pressure. Running a turbo into boost with no oil usually ends it quickly.

 

[Spungo]

Got the leak down test, i have a dead cylinder what can i do about that?

 

[Justin DuBois]

Got the leak down test, i have a dead cylinder what can i do about that?

Pull stuff apart, have it inspected and rebuilt.
Sounds like the head needs to come off.

 

[Spungo]

would it be possible to do myself or would it be best to have a mechanic do it

 

[Justin DuBois]

would it be possible to do myself or would it be best to have a mechanic do it

Lol, well anything is possible. If you have to ask, you already know the answer.

Its a major mechanical operation to pull the head.

I do it myself, but a machine shop is needed to pressure test the head and do the rebuild.

Lol, well anything is possible. If you have to ask, you already know the answer.

Its a major mechanical operation to pull the head.

I do it myself, but a machine shop is needed to pressure test the head and do the rebuild.

You can look at the build threads of the people who post here to get an idea about what you are in for. I think I have two different times I’ve pulled the head in my thread.

 

[Spungo]

would it be best to replace all or just the one faulty

 

[Justin DuBois]

would it be best to replace all or just the one faulty

??? all what

 

[Spungo]

because it has a belt i can change it without having to take the engine out right?

but should i replace all pistons or just the faulty ones

 

[Justin DuBois]

because it has a belt i can change it without having to take the engine out right?

If only one of the four pistons is failing a leak down test, you either have leaking valves, or leaking piston rings, or a leaking head gasket. The only way to fix those is to pull the head, and start looking. It could be lower end (block/piston) damage, or issues in the head, or just a head gasket.

You really won't know until you get into it. Its going to cost - and you should seriously think about how much you want to spend on this car. We like them because they are rare, and special - and it takes a rare and special budget to make them go.

 

[dwb]

Did you perform a compression test too? Keep in mind with a leakdown test, if not done properly, a valve could be open and make it seem like a dead hole.

 

[Spungo]

Did you perform a compression test too? Keep in mind with a leakdown test, if not done properly, a valve could be open and make it seem like a dead hole.

i can ask the mechanic when i pick it up, he said he did the leakdown and diagnosed a dead cylinder. when i walked in i asked for both