Drewster67

My 84 Shark.

Coming home this afternoon, my oil pressure dropped and she started overheating to severe dentonation. Both oil and water were in the intake "valley" - literally BOILING.

When I checked the dipstick, it appeared to have water in the oil. Fortunately I was close to home so I was able to limp her in. My question -Is it common to loose oil pressure when the headgasket fails?. Or am I possibly looking at more sever problems?.

For right now she is in the garage and cooling down,

TIA

AO

My condolences. I can't answer your question, but I can sympathize.

hacker-pschorr

Where is that thread that someone was asking why get a Cometic head gasket?

Here yea go!

Jim bailey - 928 International

The engine was grossly overheated and the oil pressure would have been low due to being too HOT and thin . The detonation was a result of that extreme heat ......"Fortunately I was close to home so I was able to limp her in. " By continuing to drive it you may well have damaged the tension of the piston rings and the motor is TOAST . More damage is done by people trying to limp it home . off the freeway , to the shop . When your car tells you it has problems ...........LISTEN . So you saved the cost and inconvenience of a tow and "limped it home" ......shame on you !

Drewster67

There is always a difference between knowing what I should do and what I am able to do.

Gretch

Choices have consequences.......sometimes you don't have any good choices. I hope that was the case as it will save a lot of self recrimination later. I hope your car survived the experience. Keep us posted......

Scott M.

Drew;

Same situation, 79 928 Cab. But I was stuck in the middle of EBF Utah w/ no exit for 60 miles. I limped, stopped, limped...etc numerous times. Pulled into Midvale w/ no oil pressure. At that point it was "F-it, I aint walkin'.
Luckily for me, I did a po' man rebuild (all gasket, rod bearings, NO rings or main bearings) and the motor survived perfectly. Great compression and vitrually no discernable leakdown. All that at 130k miles.
Assess the damage, do what the signs tell you.
Optimism, optimism.

Scott

GlenL

Sounds like it could be the oil cooler in the radiator. Got one of those?

Drewster67

Glen, Yep - I do. I just drained the radiator fluid and there's no oil in it.

I totally knew I was taking a chance with severe damage by driving it home, but as Gretch stated - sometimes you just dont have good choices. The good thing was the drive was only 2 miles.

I've already called the shop (Exotic Motorwerks) to schedule a drop off. Nothing to do now but have a beer.


Thanks everyone -

Red UFO

Dude,

That freakin' sucks!
Its pretty hot today around 100 so nobody wants to sit in a smoke shark in the desert. Let me know if you need any help!

Poor shark.

Jim bailey - 928 International

Drew sounds more like you just lost the hose from the pass side head to heater valve and steam cleaned the valley in the V of the engine which would explain the oil . Two miles or so is not long or far so the engine may be fine .

Old & New

But water in the oil doesn't sound too optimistic.

SharkSkin

Couldn't that get in through an iffy breather gasket, especially with live steam roiling around in there? In any case, sounds like it's time for a very thorough inspection, starting with at least an oil change and compression test before trying to run it.

Drewster67

The Oil and rad. fluid are being changed out tomorrow - first thing. Luckily, there was no water in the oil. Previously when I checked the oil, it was too hot, so I jumped the gun a little bit thinking it was water.

BTW - The oil is spent! BIG TIME.