Think I have a blown HG, what now???

[JHN272]

It's a 97 GS-T, basically stock with 136,000 miles...car is smoking white BAD on start up and there looked to be some oil ni the coolant...also, there was some oil under the spark plug cover???

Anyway I figure that's a blown HG...what's the correct route to take to get it fixed with the least possible $$$?

I have a new waterpump and all new belts on the way...timing belt was done 20k ago though.

Anyone have an entire list of things i'll need? Any special tools needed?

Which HG should I get? OEM?

Should I get the head rebuilt buy a machine shop?

should I just have the dealer do everything?

Should I just buy a built motor and throw it in?

Approach me as a total noob...there's a couple guys around here that could help me do that work myself.

 

[diviniti]

It's a 97 GS-T, basically stock with 136,000 miles...car is smoking white BAD on start up and there looked to be some oil ni the coolant...also, there was some oil under the spark plug cover???

**** Drain the oil, see if there is coolant in the oil. Drain the Coolant, see if there is oil in the coolant. If yes to either of those questions, then most likely yes you have a blown HG.
Oil under the plug cover is normal, it is from the oil cap leaking.

Anyway I figure that's a blown HG...what's the correct route to take to get it fixed with the least possible $$$?

**** Take the head off, if you dont know how, get someone that does. Take the head to a machine shop to get surfaced.



Anyone have an entire list of things i'll need? Any special tools needed?


**** www.VFAQ.com for these questions.


Which HG should I get? OEM?

**** Metal 4 layers are good. Stay away from Felpro Autozone or murrays HG's. Goto dealer, or order from online.

Should I get the head rebuilt buy a machine shop?

**** If you want to spend the money go for it.


should I just have the dealer do everything?

**** IF you like getting bent over. go for it.

Should I just buy a built motor and throw it in?

**** IF you have the money, go for it. all of these questions are, DO YOU HAVE THE MONEY. And the TIME for your car to be down.

Approach me as a total noob...there's a couple guys around here that could help me do that work myself.

 

[Turbo442]

I would suggest the first thing you do is a compression test. Has the car ever seen a lot of boost at some point in its life? You may have a broken ring or a broken ring land. That could explain the smoke out the exhaust and the blow by pushing oil onto the valve cover.

 

[JHN272]

Thanks for ALL the help and the quick respones...

Checked the oil, looked OK...to add to this, it ONLY smokes on start up. After it get's up to running temp there's no smoke...i'd assume that's because it burned off all the water/coolant that was in there?

Car has a spotless record, one owner female driven to and from work everyday. All records, oil changes, etc etc...even the sticker. I'm not even sure she knew what exactly a turbo was :laugh:

So no high boost levels, no mods except my K&N intake, greddy bov/hard uicp

I'll go ahead and pull the head with a friend or two and do the gasket, get it resurfaced too...

I have the money, I have the time...i've already got my eye on a bushur racing built short block 2nd hand for half the price

thanks again

 

[ArticNemesis]

Are you sure that you are dealing with a headgasket here.?

You said it looked as thought there might be coolant in the oil, but then you stated it looked okay.. Oil under the spark plug cover could be a bad seal on the oil filler cap or the spark plug tube seals... Have you done a compression test on this bad boy yet also.?

You said it is white smoke. Positive.? Could it have a hint of blue to it.? Smoking on startup can sometimes be valve seals... It seems to me that you might be jumping conclusions to what it is, and spending money that doesn't need to be spent.

However, it is your car, so you do what you feel is necessary. We don't have the problem in hand, so we can't see exactly what is wrong.

 

[JHN272]

Are you sure that you are dealing with a headgasket here.?

You said it looked as thought there might be coolant in the oil, but then you stated it looked okay.. Oil under the spark plug cover could be a bad seal on the oil filler cap or the spark plug tube seals... Have you done a compression test on this bad boy yet also.?

You said it is white smoke. Positive.? Could it have a hint of blue to it.? Smoking on startup can sometimes be valve seals... It seems to me that you might be jumping conclusions to what it is, and spending money that doesn't need to be spent.

However, it is your car, so you do what you feel is necessary. We don't have the problem in hand, so we can't see exactly what is wrong.

Never said there was coolant in the oil, said there was oil in the coolant

Oil looked okay...will do the compression check tomorrow. Smoke...well, I GUESS it's possible for there to be a hint of blue, but for the most part, i only saw white.

It could be the valve seals, head work is cheap...I think the machine shop quoted my friend (who wanted his head rebuilt) 2-3 weeks ago $75 to replace them or something along those lines. I might as well do that when I pull the head...

And fwiw, the built short block is a near future plan...I think pulling the entire motor because there's a little smoke on start up is some serious overkill