I've got a coolant burning problem: there is coolant dripping out of the downpipe. d16z6, eagle rods, JE pistons, greddy turbo kit. We had a fluid leaing down the front of the block (from between the head and the block), so we changed the head gasket (20 miles ago) and resurfaced the head (.002"). OEM headgasket, torqued with ARP studs per helm spec.

Normally, I would say its just a bad headgasket, but we changed it correctly 20 miles ago. The problem seems to be tempermental: sometimes, it'll run fine with no smoke at all. When we went to start it for the second time after the turbo kit install, the garage filled with white smoke and a puddle was slowly accumulating from the downpipe (its definitely coolant). There appears to be coolant in cylinder #4 (you can tell by the wet spark plug).... what else could cause this besides a bad headgasket? If it is a bad headgasket, why would a new gasket, properly installed, blow within 20 miles of use?

 

bump.

thanks

 

uneven head resurfacing would be my guess if it is leaking like that.

 

perhaps the block deck is not flat, or one of the alignment dowels is damaged

 

Any damage on the previous HG? Are you using the dowel pins. Im thinking making the HG is a little off. When the head was milled were the specs checked prior? maybe its still not flat.

 

i had the head checked out before i put this most recent HG on. the head was warped ~.002-.003". since normally the head will warp before the block is waped i didnt have the block checked. i did have the head milled so i know that part is flat.
this time when i have everything apart, ill have my machincist come to my house and check it (so i dont have to pull the block out and take it to him)
i am using dowel pins, but i saw nothing outta the ordinary when we installed them last time. what should i be looking for?

update:
we did a compression test today. all cylinders were ~ 150psi . except #4 was 165. but when we unplugged the tester there was coolant that had been blown up into the tube.
so is there any other place that coolant can be getting into the cylinders besides the HG?

any other coolant passages that could be messed up, leakin into the cylinders?

thanks for everyone that has helped.

 

bump for more answers

 

It is possible it could be leaking throught the intake manifold as there is coolant in there. To rule that you can you do a coolant system pressure test as outlined in the service manual. I rigged one up with my leak down tester. Basically just put air into the system to pressurize it then check for leaks if it doesnt hold the pressure.

a cracked intake manifold gasket could leak coolant i suppose but its unlikely.

 

i pulled the IM off and i didnt see any signs of coolant in the IM. also if it was leaking in the IM wouldnt it be in all cylinders (not just #4) . unless it is leaking into the #4 runner.

i have been trying to find a coolant system tester, but not to many people have them around here. same goes for a leak down.

why would a freshly milled head be blowing HG's this quick?
or do you think it is coming from somewhere else? if so, where?

thanks Muckman for your help

anyone else wanna take a shot?

 

its a d-series....
haha just ****** with you man. have you checked to see if the block is cracked? thats the only other way i can think that itd be getting in there. seeing the coolant come out of the compression tester showed youre really pumping it thru cylinder 4 somehow. i dont know dude. lets just rip that bitch apart and throw everything into the Y8 block.
X-eric-X

 

Only thing i can think of is something with your block...maybe a hairline crack somewhere.

 

i pulled the head today. the HG doesnt show any obvious sings of being blown. ( i did break a few arp headstuds... so much for unbreakable)
i dont see any cracks in the top of the sleeve, ill crank the motor around and see if there is anything lower on the cylinder wall.
i am gonna have my machinist come check to see if the block is warped. ill have him check the head again too.

i dont know what could be wrong.

 

Any word from the machinist?

 

the only thing i noticed that could cause it last night when i took a look at it was the intake mani gasket having that small trail from the intake side of the head to runner 4, but there was no collection of coolant on the tops of the valves OR in the port. i dunno dude. sunken sleeve maybe? on a stock sleeve though? never heard of it. did cotty come take a look at it today?
X-eric-X

 

machinist came and checked both the head and the block out, both were not warped.
i put a new HG, new arp studs (thanks to shaun311 for super fast shipping ) a y8 manifold along with a new IM gasket.
other then rerouting some coolant lines because the y8 manifold is alittle different, everything seems to be running rine. tomorrow, ill take it out and beat it up alittle and see how everything holds.

still dont have an idea of what went wrong? as long as it works now, im happy