soclean1k_JDM

Well it mite as well be. I pretty sure my headgasket just blew
Got on the freeway and the temp started to climb a little then it went down, getting off the freeway it went back up the gas station was like 2 blocks down so i got it there opened the hood and steam was coming from the side of the block at first i thought it was a hose but i think it was coming from the head.

soclean1k_JDM

so what now???
headgasket resurface the head?
or look for another sohc?

trustdestruction

There's a heater hose on the side of the block, under the distributor. Check to see if that hose is still intact at that spot. Hopefully what happened is the hose finally went bad at that spot and leaked out some of your coolant, causing the temp to climb, and then coolant on the outside surface of the overheating engine causing steam. Check for oil in your coolant, and coolant in your oil. Change the oil and see if the old oil looks milky. See if the radiator has milky antifreeze in it. Look for white smoke possibly coming out the tailpipe, if you can safely start the engine.

soclean1k_JDM

thanks ill check that is it under the distributer around that area?

trustdestruction

Directly under the distributor. The hose is about 3/4" in diameter, and runs to your heater valve, and then the firewall. I'm not sure how likely it is, but it's worth checking and would be a big relief if that's the only problem.

soclean1k_JDM

got my fingers crossed hope so.
sorry stupid question whats the purpose of that hose? how does it effect it?

trustdestruction

The hose goes to your heater. The coolant in that hose is always hot. At the end of that hose is a heater valve, with a cable attached to your A/C temp controls. When you slide your temp to hot, this valve opens, and the coolant flows from the heater valve to an inlet on the firewall. That inlet goes to the heater core I believe. After the heater core, it comes out the outlet on the firewall, and then goes back into the block, near the thermostat housing.
Basically, the purpose of the hose is to allow hot coolant to flow to the heater core.

Here's what's possible:
The reason it would effect it is because if that hose ruptured at its nipple on the block you could be leaking coolant, and the loss of coolant could have caused the overheating. Then, the coolant left in the engine was boiling from being overheated and the steam from boiling was coming out of the ruptured hose.

soclean1k_JDM

ok so checked it out this morning and the heater hose under the distributor is cracked slightly so i guess its possible that caused it. hope fully i didn't damage anything else if thats it. So now my queation is if i remove the distributer all i have to do is buy the new ring right and replace it. is there a chance of me throwing off my timing taking the distributor.

soclean1k_JDM

come on guys need some help here

honda_boy23

bring yr cars timing to top center and then you can pull the dizzy and replace what you need to

honda_boy23

as long as you do that it shouldnt mess with yr timing just remember to put the dizzy back on the same way

soclean1k_JDM

ok so how do i bring it to the top?

trustdestruction

You shouldn't have to take the dizzy off. But if you do, just make sure to make permanent marker marks around the edges of the bolt area on the distributor so you can line it back up right. If you don't line it up right your timing will be off. What honda_boy23 said is wrong, you don't need to set the engine to TDC, and yes if you don't put the dizzy back on at the same exact angle the timing will be off.


So here's what you do:
Take permanent marker and mark around the edges of the tabs where the bolts go, so that you can just line up your marks when you put the dizzy back on.

But really, you shouldn't have to take off the dizzy. You can if you want, just make sure to do that^

ILcrxsi1

Who the **** knows what that guy is talking about. If you don't have a timing light then just mark where the distributor is at with a sharpie or something. It's the best you can do without a timing light and the car will run fine if it's a little off.

ILcrxsi1

I haven't looked at it in a while but I would bet it's a lot easier to get at that hose with the distributor out of the way. The lower radiator hose is over on that side too. It's possible that that is what started leaking.

trustdestruction

^I changed the hose a couple months ago, it was easy without taking off the distributor.

But yea, definitely check the condition of all of your hoses.

kp

To mark your timing, grab a steel chisel and hammer it once on the top mounting tab of the distributor so that it makes a straight mark across the dizzy tab and onto the engine mounting tab. This will give you an incredibly accurate mark of where you need to set your timing. The sharpie works too though.

soclean1k_JDM

thanks for the input guys ill try those methods for sure gonna have to take the dizzy off cause those clams are on tight.

soclean1k_JDM

well shes all better now up and running! thanks (trustdestruction) and everyone else who had input you were a big help i was really freaking there.