JDM SIRII B16
Greddy 18G turbo

Aight, I replaced my CTR cams with GSR cams yesterday. As I was driving home, I smelled something burning. I stop and get out and my Turbo Manifold is GLOWING red. I have never seen anything like this. I am not just talking a red tint, but bright red. Shortly after this out of no where something went pop and a liquid came from somewhere and got all over the manifold, causing it to smoke profusely. I called a tow truck and towed it home.

I went out to look at it this morning, and it seems fine. The liquid that came out appears to be coolant, but I cant tell where it came from. My only guess is it came from the headgasket, but as I was driving my temp gauge was fine. I checked the oil and it seems fine.

I cranked it up and drove it for about 20 minutes, checking it everyso often. Temp gauge is fine, no idiot lights. Car runs fine, boosts great, etc. I am dumbfounded as to what it could be.

My questions:

1. Why did my manifold get that hot? I was cruising at 60 mph for about 30 minutes on the way home, and was not boosting at all.

2. Where the hell did the coolant come from?

3. If it is my headgasket, why does the car run fine and not overheat?

Thanks.

 

so you have a water cooled turbo?

and if so...did the coolant feed/return get clogged up or anything?

 

Nope, oil cooled greddy turbo.

 

Possibly head lifting? But you said you weren't boosting...

 

1) What size exhaust are you running?

2) Just because your "boost gauge" doesn't show boost, doesn't mean that your turbo isn't pressurized. Turbo manifolds tend to get hot, so it's not uncommon for it to glow red under normal driving conditions. BTW, do you have an EGT reading?

3) Check your upper radiator hose for leaks. The heat of the turbo/manifold can lead it to crack. Also check the radiator crimps, that's always a usual suspect in coolant leaks. Otherwise, track the coolant leak by looking at where it originates from.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Finest &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">1) What size exhaust are you running?

2) Just because your "boost gauge" doesn't show boost, doesn't mean that your turbo isn't pressurized. Turbo manifolds tend to get hot, so it's not uncommon for it to glow red under normal driving conditions. BTW, do you have an EGT reading?

3) Check your upper radiator hose for leaks. The heat of the turbo/manifold can lead it to crack. Also check the radiator crimps, that's always a usual suspect in coolant leaks. Otherwise, track the coolant leak by looking at where it originates from.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Good suggestions, but:

1. I am running 2.5 inch exhaust.
2. I know I probably was boosting some, but I wasnt driving hard at all, and I wasnt deep into boost.
3. All hoses are fine. No leaks anywhere.

Could the heat of the manifold cause the headgasket to burst? I dont see how it could, but just an idea.

Thanks for the help thusfar.

 

all i can think is that u werent prob boosting a lot
but u were on the lean side a lil bit causing to have high EGT and N20 being formed, wich really causes the temps to skyrocket and with a 30 min drive, it will heat soak the manifold and possibly make it glow

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by USDM 4G VTEC &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">all i can think is that u werent prob boosting a lot
but u were on the lean side a lil bit causing to have high EGT and N20 being formed, wich really causes the temps to skyrocket and with a 30 min drive, it will heat soak the manifold and possibly make it glow

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thats all I can think of as well. I hope thats all it is. That I can at least tune to fix. My main concern is the headgasket, or the source of the coolant. Could the hot manifold cause the headgasket to burst, or possibly warp the head or seal causing coolant to temporarily come out, and then seal back when it cools off?

 

excess fuel being blown out the exhaust can combust inside the manifold and cause it to glow.

I saw it on an RX7 that had the O2 disconnected. It was just putting around the parking lot and after 10min it was bright red.

 

Ignition timing too retarted?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jeffescortlx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ignition timing too retarted?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You mean advanced. That's my guess.

 

nope, I mean retarted, too advanced and it would be pinging and knocking.

 

Sorry, i kind of misread the thread.

I thought he was asking why his headgasket blew, in that case I would point the blame on advanced timing.

 

Oh yeah, since you put it that way.
Advanced timing will cause a blown head gasket.
Retarded timing will cause the high EGT.

 

I'm kind of putting money on the timing being advanced since the coolant exploded. If the overfill tank filled up and blew out of the top the headgasket is definetely gone.