I have a built sleeved b16 motor. Afi ramhorn ac setup. Go autoworks radiator and slim fan. I have never really noticed the car wanting to run hot. Some times maybe if im in the drive thru it will go alittle over half way then fall back down. I have noticed that the sides of the radiator is starting to bow out pretty back to the point its wanting it almost touch the turbo. Also the radiator hose are swelling up like ballons. I did a compression test last night and its 180 across the board. i am losing coolent somewhere but I havbe seen it leaking anywhere. Sorry for the long post for a short question. If anyone has any ideas please lmk before I pull the motor and put a new head gasket on it.

 

pull your spark plugs and have a look at them. If any of them are really clean looking, it's a good indication of coolant getting into that cylinder. Are you pushing coolant out of your overflow tank?

 

I havent noticed any coming out of the overflow tank. But it is losing coolent somewhere. I pulled the plugs and the all look normal and the same

 

is your coolant tank full to the top? If your coolant lines are swelling like balloons, the pressure normally escapes through your rad cap, into the expansion tank and forces coolant out of there. So you never see any coolant under the car anywhere?

 

I have never seen any water just oil under the car. When I checked lastnight the coolent tank was full to the top.

 

if it's full to the top, it means that it's forcing the coolant out while driving or running so you don't notice it as much. Oil under the car? Where's that coming from?

Either way, your headgasket seal has been compromised and combustion pressure is getting into your cooling system. You'll have to pull the head and see if it's the head, deck, gasket, or some combination of those things that are causing the leak.

 

if its the headgasket you could also see white smoke coming out the exhaust ...on my car,when the head gasket was blown and the sleeved were cracked , when the engine was hot i had some trouble to start

 

The oil is coming from a messed up oil pan gasket.

 

That can happen in some situations but not all. If the headgasket has partially failed, the cylinder pressure is a lot higher than the cooling system pressure so cylinder pressure leaks out into the cooling system causing problems that are described above. There isn't enough of a gasket failure or pressure, to allow coolant into the cylinder. Sometimes when it leaks into the oil passage, it pressurizes the crank case causing blow-by. This may be responsible for some of the oil leak as well.

 

There is a way to test the coolant for exhaust gasses that may have gottem into it. I would look into getting one of these kits. Im pretty sure you can buy them at a local autoparts store.

It uses a dye that you put into a vial and mix the coolant in it. If it turns a certain color, exhaust (carbon) elements have gotten into the coolant system.

 

OP what kind of hg are you using? I'm am experiencing some of the same symtoms as you. I'm running a 83mm cometic.

 

Im running a 82mm golden eagle headgeasket. Which is a stock one bored out.

 

Stock gaskets are also 82mm bore.

 

Check the inside of the oil cap. If it looks like its smeared in chocolate, ur gasket is gone and mixing oil with coolant. Also check the rad cap for the same. Luck to ya.

 

The rad cap just looks alittle brown from like rusted water. I'll check the oil cap in a sec.

 

The car has been sitting for a few weeks. I checked the oil cap and it looked normal. I drove the car about 3 miles and did one short 2nd gear pull on low boost. I then looked at the oil cap and it was a while sluggs. But the oil in the pan and the dip stick looks fine.

 

have your coolant system pressure tested by a reputable mechanic, it will point you the right direction

 

head could be lifting slightly under boost. My car did the same thing and it was that the shop that did my headgasket failed to torque the head properly. It only did it under boost, I could drive it normally around the streets with no issues at all until I beat on it

 

Im stating to think the head could he lifting too. I may try to retq the head studs and go from there.