Some advice please?

[drifterXMKII]

So here is my dilema. I bought a 92 Talon N/T. Just needed a good work car i could make look good. My problem is, my car is dumping oil out. In my searches i have come to the conclusion that the main part was my valve cover gasket. When the car runs it drips bad from the top of the engine. So I changed the valve cover gasket, still leaks but worse now. The next problem is the damn Idle Surge, I know what that is. Next the little amount of water in my coolant, and no power.

Where it sits right now, I owe about 900 dollars on this car with 210,000 miles. I get about 3 qts of oil to the mile, BHG, and anoying as hell idle surge. Not knowing how hard it is to do a decent head gasket replacment on these engines. Would it be worth my while to replace the gasket or just buy a used engine?

 

[Absit]

For the problems, and the MILEAGE, I'd fully rebuild it instead of just doing the head gasket. I'd have a hard time justifying buying a rebuilt engine for that car, but if it was my DD I could justify rebuilding it.

 

[gtbread77]

I would just part it out, the car is worth about $400 bucks you could make a little of your $900 with a part out and take it to a junk yard. but it's cheaper to just get a new head gasket

 

[drifterXMKII]

Ok well thanks for the advice. I dont think parting it out is in my best of interests, I just wasnt sure how hard it would be to do a head gasket/ rebuild. Is it possible to do a full rebuild in 2 weekends?
Pull the engine teardown, machine shop, build and back in? Or is it going to be a little more than that? I'm not talking the best of the best rebuild, just a all std rebuild.

 

[Absit]

The machine shop's going to be the slowest part, if it wasn't for them you could do it in a day or two.

 

[Big T-28 GSX]

It is definately possible with a good shop who doesnt have a huge work load at the moment. How many shops are in your area? Parting it may be the hardest choice but it may be the smartest as well, but that all depends on your situation.

 

[drifterXMKII]

there is a few shops in the area. Ironically enough the mitsu dealer wont look at my car, and niether with the chrysler. Supposedly there is a dealer about 1 1/2 hours away. Really i would be doing the work myself. I have an awesome shop at my disposal, and know of a great machine shop. If its possible i can do it.

 

[Gs Dewd]

When you say n/t, what engine do you have? The 1.8 or the 2.0? Also what kind of shape is the car in? The head gasket is not hat hard and can easily be done in a day. A full rebuild of the engine could be done in 2 weekends. Before you rule the head gasket as bad, you need to see where exactly the oil is coming from. Clean the engine real good. You could have a cracked valve cover. Or the gasket slid out the grove when you where installing it.

 

[drifterXMKII]

I know that the oil leak is the valve cover. The problem with the headgasket is water in the oil. Before I did the valve cover gasket I pulled the oil cap and had a little "chocolate milk" on the cap. There wasnt enough to really justify a full HG at the time but there was some there. I am going to do a compression test ###### tomorrow just to see where that is at. But im sure its low. Seat of the pants this car is the slowest car i have ever owned, and i have had some real winners.

The oil only leaks when it runs, and when i say leak It might as well be a constant steam of oil. I will see if i cant get pictures tomorrow also. If you standing in front of the car lookin in the engine bay it leaks from the left hand back corner of the valve cover.

The body of the car is so-so. Needs both fenders and a little bit of work on the bumper and doors. both doors catch the fenders when they open. the front bumper has 2 small cracks in it.

I forgot it's a 2.0 16V dohc

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

When you did that VC gasket, Did you make sure the surface was clean and dry and use gasket maker in the corners where the cams meet the head?

 

[drifterXMKII]

I did clean both surfaces real well. But i did not use the rtv. I figure that is the problem, along with the compression test tomorrow I will ###### take it back of and put some on it. That may solve the oil leak.

I hope I dont sound like a total ass to you guys, I apreciate the help more then you guys know. I have really never touched anything beside chevy and toyota before. So I am really unfamiliar with this engine. And everyone one of my freinds say to go get a truck, . So you guys are a real big help.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

No worries dude, you dont sound like an ass. Beleive me, you would have gotten an asinine reply from me if I thought you were being a tool by asking that.

Try putting some RTV in there and see if that takes care of the oil leak. It is very possible there could be multiple oil leaks though, especially at that mileage. The car should be a good DD when you get the bugs worked out. I've seen some with over 300k and 400k on them.

 

[drifterXMKII]

Thanks again I will post up the result after tomorrows escipades. A little rtv and my comp test result to follow.

A little off the subject, but this forum is the best i have been on. I only wish that there was a "newbie forum" in my Toyota forum.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

Are you on yotatech? (I think it's called) I used to be when I had my old Toyota "Hilux" pickup. It was pretty useful, but nowhere near as awesome as Tuners!

 

[drifterXMKII]

no im on celicasupra.com, really knowledgable guys and gals. I just feel stupid asking question like this one. The dont have a, what i would call, no flaming policy.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

Oh I have a friend on celicasupra.com. He knows his shit too. I'm not sure what his username on there is though.

 

[90gen1tsi]

Make sure you clean the gasket and the mating surface with some type of solvent or your gasket sealant will not work. make sure to hit all "corners" of the gasket (where it humps over the cams etc ...) and also a small bead over the surface of the half moon rubber insert.

 

[drifterXMKII]

cool thanks guys, I am going to try this and hopefully it works till march. Then I can figure out weather or not to do a headgasket or rebuild.

Leaning more towards a rebuild with the milage, but money is tight.

 

[drifterXMKII]

So I pulled of the valve cover and I did pinch it. Thanks for that advice there. There was another big problem i didnt for see, 6 of the outside bolt came out with the threads, Yay! Not. So i went and bout a new VC gasket, and a Helicoil kit. Problem solved, well I thot. I get everything ready to go back in. RTV on all corners and the camshaft plug, I also put some on the spark plug hole seals. This is where i saw what i did last time, go to sit the cover on and snag the one corner on the cam bolt, just enough to pull the gasket out a little. So get it situated and snug all the bolts down. Go to tighten them and 4 more bolts stipped. At this point a new head will be ideal.

After this 30 min max job takes 2 hours I finally get to start it. So far so good no leaks, no ticks. Did find more evidence of water in the oil though. The cap had some and so did the forward side of the VC. I also changed my plugs and wires, made a slight difference in seat of the pants. But mostly just the sound. Compression test today and I will get the results up later.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

Man, that sucks. If you compression test is bad then I guess that is the perfect opportunity to get a new head and HG and take care of 2 birds with one stone. Be sure to look up the torque specs of those VC bolts so you dont have them stripping on you again. Good luck

 

[drifterXMKII]

Yeah your telling me . I know the tourque specs ar 2-3 ft/lbs. I didnt even have the wrench on them when they gave way. Just the extension, I even chased and cleaned the threads I thot where ok. I guess sometimes you just cant win for loseing.