Hemix

Hello,

I have done a decent amount of searching but just wanted to make sure before I order the head studs and a new head gasket. First, here is the setup:

Stock B18B
14b turbo
8psi

My problem is that I think I am getting head-lift which surprises me considering how conservative the setup is. The symptoms are that after long canyon drives or after a few autocross runs, my coolant overflow reservoir begins to fill and of course, when I take off the radiator cap, there is air in the radiator. I am not losing any coolant, it is just going into the reservoir. Also, I am not getting an funny discoloration of the oil nor any milkiness in the coolant and there is no smoke coming out of the exhaust. So all the symptoms point to the head lifting, which seems odd to me because in all of the posts I've seen, it only seems to happen in high boost applications.

Anyways, just want to hear any other ideas of what the problem may be before I order the studs (and a new gasket because I might as well replace it right?) or for someone to confirm that head-lift is definitely my issue. Thank you!

Mikey3000

you're not getting head lift. you probably have air stuck in your cooling system, which when gets hot, expands dramatically causing the overflow tank to fill up. you need to bleed your cooling system using the bleed screw on the thermostat.

Hemix

Maybe I am just an idiot but I looked for the bleed screw and I don't think my engine has one. Isn't is usually on the coolant exit from the engine? Are you sure the B18B has a coolant bleeding screw. I also checked around the thermostat housing and didn't see one there either....

Mikey3000

yeah it may not have one. there's a way to do it with the radiator cap off but i don't know how.

Hemix

Still having the same problem. Kinda thought that if it were air, it would have worked its way out by now....

MHDesigns

To bleed coolant:
Raise front of car.
Remove Radiator cap.
Start motor.
Turn on heat MAX
Wait until thermostat opens and the fans turn on.
When this happens coolant will disappear from radiator, Refill.
Repeat until no air bubbles rise when fans kick.

HiProfile

The air would only expand if the coolant itself is overheating. It would also suck up all the coolant once it cools. To get just a few ounces of coolant pushed out, you'd need a fist-sized air pocket heating to 1000F. In other words, it's just not possible.

What is possible is that some retard replaced the HG some time before, and reused the OEM headbolts. OEM's are torque-to-yeild, aka one time use. They work in most NA cases, but for FI apps they MUST NOT be reused. Oddly enough, arp's aren't expensive vs oem replacements. If your HG seal is in any way compromised, you will have to replace it. As with the bolts, the HG is not intended for reusing.

NonovUrbizniz

Can also just be a very small leak in the HG... MY NA car had the same symptoms and it turned out to be the headgasket. It ony leaks in one direction and only under higher cylinder pressures so it's not picked up during normal HG Failure tests.

Either way sounds like the head needs to come off and you should get ARP's anyway.