New Head/Headgasket leaking?

[Hubbell91Tsi]

When i put air into the intake and i hear my coolant bubbling... Im not sure why, the head was resurfaced and has about 1 mile on it and im running arp headstuds torqued down at 90 ft/lbs. Im thinking maybe the TB is leaking?

 

[donniekak]

Please be more descriptive.

 

[Hubbell91Tsi]

Not sure how i can be... I was doing a vaccum/boost leak test and i can hear my coolant bubbling... How can i be more descriptive? The old headgasket did the same shit, so i thought it was blown and i put this head and a new headgasket on.

 

[johnmarines]

was the car overheating? what was the purpose of the boost leak test?

 

[GooeyGus]

Do a compression test, that will tell you for sure if the leak is at the head or somewhere else in the system.

 

[Hubbell91Tsi]

The shortblock over heated yes, compression is all fine.

The purpose was because i just put the head on and i wanted to make sure the car didnt have any leaks.

 

[92tsiawdguy]

the head could be cracked. or the block could be warped.

 

[hubz91talontsi]

The old head did this same shit with a MLS headgasket.


EDIT: On my bros account.

 

[johnmarines]

did you check the block with a straight edge when you removed the head? how old is the water pump?

 

[brickyak]

Okay a little more information will be necessary here. Things we will need to know in order to help solve your problem are as follows:

Did you have your block checked at a reputable machine shop?

How are you performing your boost leak test? I.E. through your turbo or your TB.

How many lbs of pressure are you testing at?

Do you have any oil in your coolant or vice-versa?

Have you performed a leak-down test?

Remove your spark plugs and take a look at the top of your pistons, do they look clean or dirty?

Answer those questions and we can go from there.

 

[Hubbell91Tsi]

Well you guys arent really helping here.

The block was never surfaced (is it even possible to warp a cast block...)
Pistons are black
No oil in coolant
Dont know testing pressure (not important)
No leak down test because i dont have one
Im spraying the air into the vac hose from the bov

 

[92tsiawdguy]

yes you can warp a cast block.

 

[donniekak]

Pressure test the cooling system. Do a leakdown test. These are the tests that need performed to determine what is going on. If you don't have the equipment, get it. No amount of internet analysys is going to fix the problem. It may not be coolant bubbling that you hear. By the way, who does a boost leak test through the bov vac line?

 

[johnmarines]

Well you guys arent really helping here.

The block was never surfaced (is it even possible to warp a cast block...)

yes it is... I warped mine

 

[Hubbell91Tsi]

Alright, im going to see if i can rent a leak down tester.

 

[No_Skillz]

It's unlikely that the bubbling is your coolant. It's a sealed system, it would pressurize and the bubbling would stop. To make certain, you can just take off the radiator cap and watch it while you do your boost leak test.

I suspect turbo seals. When there is no load on them, the seal is not 100% and can let air through. The bubbling you hear is the air traveling through the seals > oil return > bubbling up the crank case. To make certain, you can take the oil cap off and listen closely. This happens with my car at 25psi+ even though I have no significant shaft play.

 

[Hubbell91Tsi]

It's unlikely that the bubbling is your coolant. It's a sealed system, it would pressurize and the bubbling would stop. To make certain, you can just take off the radiator cap and watch it while you do your boost leak test.

I suspect turbo seals. When there is no load on them, the seal is not 100% and can let air through. The bubbling you hear is the air traveling through the seals > oil return > bubbling up the crank case. To make certain, you can take the oil cap off and listen closely. This happens with my car at 25psi+ even though I have no significant shaft play.

Yes! Something that makes sense! Because when I shoot the air in it sounds like the bubbling is coming from the crankcase! Turbo probably has 80k on it and has seen 23psi many times.

 

[viprez586]

Your hearing your oil bubbling, like said take off your oil cap and you'll hear it from there.

Do a CLT test.
Listen/ look for air escaping in the following areas:

• Exhaust - exhaust valve sealing issue.
• Howl from throttle body - Intake valve sealing issue.
• Howl/bubbling from oil cap/dip stick - Worn piston rings
• Howl/Bubbling from adjacent cylinder and/or bubbles in coolant - Blown headgasket.

A CLT test is much more effective in finding where air is escaping because you are pressurizing the cylinder with 100psi while the piston is at TDC.
15% leakdown is pretty much the limit.

$30 at Harbor Freight, just buy it.
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

 

[Hubbell91Tsi]

I dont think its a valve problem because the old head did the same shit. But maybe my timing is off because it doesnt really want to idle (the cam sensor is maxed out aswell)

Very possible that the rings are toast already. Compression is pretty low (145-150) CP 9:1 Pistons with Comp 264/272 cams.

 

[No_Skillz]

If you're too lazy to do a CLT like me, just do a BLT from your throttle body and disable your PCV. It'll tell you about your piston rings and a general idea about the condition of your valves.

Is that compression done on a hot motor & WOT?

 

[Hubbell91Tsi]

cold not WOT

 

[No_Skillz]

cold not WOT

Thats at least some of the problem for the low numbers. You need HOT and WOT. I don't rhyme all the time.

 

[Heartless]

Any coolant in the oil? It's just a thought but I just had what I thought was a bad headgasket, ended up being a small crack in the cylinder wall. I had good compression in all cylinders but coolant getting into cyl #1. I did a leak down test and had to cap off the crankcase to get it to bubble out of the cooling system. Just a thought of something to check since you overheated it and its unlikely but still possible.