Had some overheating issues since I got a Z6 swapped into my 99 civic. First I was leaking coolant around the radiator cap/hose. I put in a new radiator and a clamp around the house to make a tighter fit and my car ran fine for a while. I could still always smell what seemed like burning coolant while driving. Then one day my car began overheating and white smoke pumped out from the tail pipe. It definitely had a blown headgasket. I opened the radiator cap and it was bone dry in there. I had it towed to my mechanic and he found coolant in all of the cylinders. He replaced the headgasket but once again it blew and more white smoke kept coming out. He explained that as soon as he pours coolant into the radiator, even before he starts the car, coolant starts to flow into one of the cylinders. What could be causing this? I would have thought that a new radiator would have fixed the cooling issue. The only option thus far seems to be putting in ANOTHER long block, but I would definitely love to have this fixed if I still can. Any help appreciated

 

Maybe warped head or block?

 

Your mechanic replaced the head gasket; however, he failed to check the head and block mating surfaces for warpage and just installed the gasket. Don't ever take your car to this incompetent mechanic again.

If your engine severely overheated, then consider swapping in a replacement engine.

 

Or hole in the block. By the way why would you put a z engine in a 99?

 

I think the moral of the story here is never go back to that mechanic. He either botched a fairly simple head gasket swap, or he failed to notice a major and obvious problem while he had the head off.

Pull the head. Use a straight edge to make sure the head and block deck are both flat and true. If by some act of god they are, pour some coolant into your sleeves being careful not to get any on the pistons. If that makes a leak in the block or sleeves obvious, then you can either get the block sleeved, or replace it. You shouldn't have to replace the whole long block. Get the head shaved, and the block decked, and assuming the sleeves and block are ok, you'll be fine.

 

Also need new head bolts, I bet he reused the originals.

 

Had the original Y8 that threw a rod through the block . Original owner didn't take much good care of it. And yea we used the original headbolts that came with the longblock.

I had a feeling though. We just assumed that since the head had gotten resurfaced just before we popped it in that it'd be unlikely that its uneven. Guess its time to have it checked again

 

Never assume when you're ripping apart a motor. Measure twice, build once.