Alpine951

Well I just pulled the head off my 1986 944 Turbo to do my first HG job. I had a ton of whitwe smoke out the tail pipe and the side of the block. Every space in between the cylinders had coolant in them. I soaked it all up with paper towels but the space on the #2 cylinder that is closest to the exhaust manifold keeps filling with coolant. This sucks big time. I have a picture here thats not so good. I circled where i can see a 1/4" line in the otherwise smooth wall where the coolant seems to be seeping from. You can't see the line in the picture. Its on the horizontal surface of the wall about 1/2" from the bootom of the space. What would have caused this. A week before it happened I sprung a leak in the radiator hose coming out of the water pump. I noticed the smoke as i was pulling in to work. I am assuming it had just hapenned as i didn't notice it while driving. I shut it down immediately and had it flat bedded home.



What are my options? I don't like the idea of having someone do the work since it will be big mulla$$. I have a garage big enough for one car. Excuse me for my stupidity but I am assuming this is a no fixer. I guess i need to find a used engine, right?


John

Rob

I can't see what you're trying to show in the picture, but there is suppose to be coolant all around the cylinders. A bad headgasket allows the coolant around the cylinder into the cylinders.

Alpine951

YEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!! I LOVE MY LIFE!!. After i posted this i went outside and looked again and thought, maybe its supposed to be this way. I just asked if the space was meant for coolant over on the 944 Turbo forum. Thanks Rob.!!! now to go clean the head! This is so freakin awesome!!

Tom M'Guinn

Yes, coolant aound the cylinders is good. See if you can find where the leak was, where coolant was getting into the clyinder. Pay close attention to the tops of the cylinders and the head gasket and the head itself, to see where the leak was. Chances are you should be able to see it if you inspect the parts closely. Probably just a blown gasket, but sometimes you will find pitting in the head or problems on the cylinder tops that contribute to the failure. Scotchbrite pads (grocery store items) work great for cleaning off the cylinder tops.

Peckster

I was about to tell you your engine's toast but I would take it off your hands for the value of the scrap alloy.

But what's this about coolant seeping in from a line? Are you sure that's happening?

And next time, drain your coolant before you pull the head, not after. You are not alone.

keith

Good Luck.

Alpine951

I did drain it before yankin the head. It actually looks like an opening in the bottom of ,what I have now been told, the water jacket at the #2 cylinder. The sealing ring on the #4 cylinder head gasket is toast, so I am sure it was the head gasket.

Granite 944

Gotta love it HUH!

Maybe if you can post a good closeup pic of each side of head gasket, we can all guess/see where/if the gasket blew out?

"I had a ton of whitwe smoke out the tail pipe and the side of the block."

Its the "side of the block" that might concern me a little. But maybe nothing.

Good luck!

Danno

"The sealing ring on the #4 cylinder head gasket is toast, so I am sure it was the head gasket."

What was wrong with it? Did it burn through in a single spot, but remained circular? or did it get pushed out into an oval but wasn't burned through anywhere?

Alpine951

It doesn't look like there was any burning. The sealing ring delaminated on one side. There is a top and bottom part to the ring that is separated. I will try to take a pic.

Dave951M

Before reassembling the engine, make sure the mating surface of the head isn't warped. Any competent machine shop can do this at minimal cost and it eliminates a potential problem later. Good luck with the repairs.