BLEW HEAD GASKET!!! (pics inside) some questions needing answers
02-17-2010, 06:43 PM
#31
Drifting
I would consider using the stock wide fire gasket. Full metal gaskets do hold better, but you may have issues with your bottom end if this ever happens again. Bent rods, scored pistons, and such are costly.
I speaking from experience here. My cometic gasket failed, and I had some damage on the number four piston and cylinder wall. Nothing a rehone and new pistons didn't take care of, but I'm now using a factory type gasket. Really only needed one piston, but a special run for just one with Ross Racing was almost as expensive as buying a set of JE's on Garrity's shelf. I would have much rather just replaced the gasket, and tuned the car. I did a basic rebuild on a motor that only had 3K on it. Not fun.
If your tuning is good, you will have a long life with a factory gasket and some margin of safety. Most of what you see holding up that gasket happened when you blew it.
So as you can see I blew my head gasket.... it was about time anyway... so what I am asking here is a few questions I would like your guy’s opinion on...
I’m using a comtech full metal head gasket, and was wondering, from your guy’s experience, where would be the best place to get my gaskets from? I’m also resurfacing my head....
I am also doing timing belt and water pump. I was wondering what else I should replace while I have all that off, seal wise...?
I am also replacing the turbo, do to oil leaking, constant oil burning and oil leaking out of the downpipe flange... the turbo I believe is a gt28r but I could be wrong... it was a Huntley stage 2 kit which uses a Garrett turbo but doesn’t specify which.... I want to know what a good upgrade for our cars is. Fast spool and good power... I was making 320WHP and would like more but not less.... a friend of mine, who is big into VW, suggested the gt35r...?
The main thing I’m trying to do is make this thing free of leaks for a while and not have to worry about it.... I’m PCSing (relocating w/ the air force) and don’t want this to be much of a burden for the next few months.....
Any ideas of seals to get at while I’m here that go bad easy and anything I can do easy for power or cleaning up the engine bay while I’m at this point would be greatly appreciated.....
I also want to powder coat the intake manifold, intercooler pipes, intake pipe, and cam housing.... is there a place I can get all cam get all the seals needed individually?
Thanks for your input ahead of time
I speaking from experience here. My cometic gasket failed, and I had some damage on the number four piston and cylinder wall. Nothing a rehone and new pistons didn't take care of, but I'm now using a factory type gasket. Really only needed one piston, but a special run for just one with Ross Racing was almost as expensive as buying a set of JE's on Garrity's shelf. I would have much rather just replaced the gasket, and tuned the car. I did a basic rebuild on a motor that only had 3K on it. Not fun.
If your tuning is good, you will have a long life with a factory gasket and some margin of safety. Most of what you see holding up that gasket happened when you blew it.
So as you can see I blew my head gasket.... it was about time anyway... so what I am asking here is a few questions I would like your guy’s opinion on...
I’m using a comtech full metal head gasket, and was wondering, from your guy’s experience, where would be the best place to get my gaskets from? I’m also resurfacing my head....
I am also doing timing belt and water pump. I was wondering what else I should replace while I have all that off, seal wise...?
I am also replacing the turbo, do to oil leaking, constant oil burning and oil leaking out of the downpipe flange... the turbo I believe is a gt28r but I could be wrong... it was a Huntley stage 2 kit which uses a Garrett turbo but doesn’t specify which.... I want to know what a good upgrade for our cars is. Fast spool and good power... I was making 320WHP and would like more but not less.... a friend of mine, who is big into VW, suggested the gt35r...?
The main thing I’m trying to do is make this thing free of leaks for a while and not have to worry about it.... I’m PCSing (relocating w/ the air force) and don’t want this to be much of a burden for the next few months.....
Any ideas of seals to get at while I’m here that go bad easy and anything I can do easy for power or cleaning up the engine bay while I’m at this point would be greatly appreciated.....
I also want to powder coat the intake manifold, intercooler pipes, intake pipe, and cam housing.... is there a place I can get all cam get all the seals needed individually?
Thanks for your input ahead of time
02-17-2010, 07:11 PM
#32
Racer
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I will have to check the block and head when I get home to see if it is o-ringed... I don’t think it is because I felt the sleeve and it felt smooth but I will double check since I wasn’t feeling for that.... I will post pics of the head and turbo tomorrow.... I can’t rebuild the turbo because it is a ball bearing turbo.... from what I have been told.... I have been thinking and I think either way I will go with a wide fire gasket kit.... I have receipts for the last head gasket job and it said they used the wide fire kit but that doesn’t mean they actually did..... The turbo and waste gate are both upgrades and the car was tuned properly, I have dyno sheets and printouts of the tune.... I will have to look into this venting thing you guys are talking about....
Thank you guys for all the help, this forum is so much better than the other forums I used to deal with, with my last car......
I appreciate it all
Thank you guys for all the help, this forum is so much better than the other forums I used to deal with, with my last car......
I appreciate it all
02-17-2010, 07:51 PM
#33
Race Car
I have seen the very same things happen even if the boost is under some amount of control, due to the composite material breaking down. It appears that is happening to yours as well... looking at the pictures.
It does look like it was setup with an O-ring at some point.
So IMO you have 2 choices
either go back to an o-ringed setup with the head properly done for it (not sure whether it was the head had the o-ring or the block from the pics)
or
use another widefire gasket w/o the o-ring and get away with it for some time before the material breaks down again.
Either way... control the boost and you should be good.
Adding some sort of pressure relief for the rear area of the head wouldn't be a bad idea either.
It does look like it was setup with an O-ring at some point.
So IMO you have 2 choices
either go back to an o-ringed setup with the head properly done for it (not sure whether it was the head had the o-ring or the block from the pics)
or
use another widefire gasket w/o the o-ring and get away with it for some time before the material breaks down again.
Either way... control the boost and you should be good.
Adding some sort of pressure relief for the rear area of the head wouldn't be a bad idea either.
02-17-2010, 11:28 PM
#35
Rennlist Member
You might also make sure to use distilled water and good coolant once it's together. Looks to be a lot of decay and crude on the HG. Might check the head for pitting too.
02-17-2010, 11:37 PM
#36
Nordschleife Master
02-17-2010, 11:46 PM
#37
Drifting
Evans coolant will help with head gasket issues. I'm using this, along with a steam vent at number four.
nohttp://lubricationspecialist.com/front/showcontent.aspx?fileid=21&gclid=CMvSy8X8-p8CFRMXawod-xxtmQ
nohttp://lubricationspecialist.com/front/showcontent.aspx?fileid=21&gclid=CMvSy8X8-p8CFRMXawod-xxtmQ
02-17-2010, 11:47 PM
#38
Drifting
02-17-2010, 11:55 PM
#39
Nordschleife Master
I bet you use oil too....
02-18-2010, 12:02 AM
#40
Burning Brakes
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02-18-2010, 12:09 AM
#42
Drifting
02-18-2010, 12:29 AM
#44
Drifting
I'm here to help, and have owned a few of these cars. If you are tracking your 951, Evans coolant may not be allowed, as it's very slippery once spilled. Most if not all DE events, and simple track days will allow this coolant. If you are completely flushing your coolant from a head gasket failure, it's just an option to go waterless, with far less pressure on your system. My quad likes it, my diesel Duramax likes it, and I'll let you know how it works with my 951.
I have not driven the 951 with it, but it's waiting to go in with a fresh radiator, motor, and all else that I've given much thought into getting things in order for contunued abuse.
G
