David Floyd

Correct, thats what ARP told me

cpt_koolbeenz

Well I made a home made leak down tester like these ones: http://www.lafishmag.com/LeakDownTester.html
http://www.kartingtechinfo.com/tech/leakd.htm

Nothing great, but it gets me a reading...

I tested all 4, and they all read 0%-2% leakdown... I fed em about 90 PSI each. I saw no bubbles in the coolant tank the whole time I did it.

It sure made the car jerk! Had it in gear and the Ebrake on hard.


So... WTF. I can't explain the exhaust smell in my coolant - nor the carbon flakes. Or the overpressurization of the coolant system.

I started her up and pulled it out of the garage and back in... Letting it run about 3-5 minutes and got no white smoke.

I really don't know where to go from here...

I attached a pic of my plugs... All look fine...

What is the test chemical you can test your coolant with to see if you blew your gasket?

cpt_koolbeenz

I did a compression test...

Now I guess I'll just drive it around tomorrow and see what happens. See if I can get it to give me a sign...

Tom M'Guinn

Sorry you are having problems. I doubt it would take many WOT runs with this a/f curve to develop a HG leak. The pressurized coolant is a classic HG sign -- especially if if tends to pressurize more when you get on the boost. You can pull the overflow hose and route it into a plastic bottle and watch to see if the overflow is related to boost. When I had a crack in the vacuum line going to my FPR, I ran about 14:1 under full boost and blew my HG during a 20 mile test drive.

On the bright side, with a freshly built motor, changing the HG is not that big of a job -- just need a HG set, a six pack of diet coke, and a free weekend.

Ski

I think I would pull the head too. I know you would rather be driving, as we all would, but with everthing new in there, a "weekend of prevention" may be worth years of satisfaction because you don't want to let that coolant wash oil off the cylinder walls.

This is just a question of curiousity, the torque wrench that you used, was it new or older, and if older, when was it last calibrated? Just thinking out loud here...

I remember you mentioning something about a new cap on the expansion tank, was this a new tank also or new cap on older tank? A leaking cap will let the tank fill up and overflow as well. Trying a new cap or different cap might be worth a try.

cpt_koolbeenz

<<<This is just a question of curiousity, the torque wrench that you used, was it new or older, and if older, when was it last calibrated? Just thinking out loud here...>>>

It was sort of older, Craftsman, not calibrated... Could be a problem.

<<<I remember you mentioning something about a new cap on the expansion tank, was this a new tank also or new cap on older tank? A leaking cap will let the tank fill up and overflow as well. Trying a new cap or different cap might be worth a try.>>>

Both cap and tank were new... I may get another cap and see if that fixes it...

The NAPA coolant test kit costs about as much as a new gasket: http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPage...f+Engine+Block

So I guess I better just pull it, despite my leakdown tests...

cpt_koolbeenz

I guess I will get a new gasket on order...

I have been reading, but I haven't reached a verdict on which to go with...
Stock, WideFire, Comtec/MLS, GURU, etc... Have heard failures with the Cometic and MLS recently...

Tom M'Guinn

I'd vote for the widefire, at least until you get everything sorted out.

I had my wrenches recalibrated last year -- one of them was reading very low. Can't remember how far off, but enough to make a real difference on things like head nuts (like getting 55ft lbs instead of 65). Speaking of head nuts, I used to take everything apart and re-torque raceware studs, like they receommend. Only one time (out of many) did a nut ever budge. These days, I just over-tighten the head on assembly and leave it. I torque my racewares to about 80 ft lbs and have not had any problems. I know of at least one well-know 951 engine builder who does the same.

sillbeer

You can pull the plugs and see if your getting any coolant into the cylinders. I was having starting problems so I pulled the plugs and noticed a bit of coolant in my #3 cylinder. It was causing the car to hard start. After it warmed up I could shut it down and start it up without any problems, it just wouldn't start easy when cold. If thats similar symptoms to your car you should be careful you don't hydrolock your engine.. The last couple times I drove the car I took a vacuum pump and sucked the coolant out before I started it.

-Destin

Ski

Chris, pm.

ehall

Chris sorry to hear the probs. If you need a stant pressure tester for the cooling system, let me know. I have one you can borrow.