Head Gasket Adventure

[Deener]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am convinced that I need to replace the headgaskets on this 1994 Loyale (Single Range 5 Spd, non-turbo) that I just recently acquired. I have performed two flushes and elevated burps, OEM T-stat, free-flowing dual core rad and both fans are working nicely. The temp guage doesn't climb up above 1/4, I haven't let it run out of coolant and there are NO leaks. For the amount of coolant that it is eating - I have concluded that it MUST be a HG:

 

Symptoms/observations:

 

- Oil filler cap had some 'mayo' on it when I first opened it up.

- Cleaned off the mayo and now I get substantial condensation under the cap after driving it.

- If I pop off the oil cap while its still hot, there is some steam coming out.

- The coolant is going SOMEWHERE - but it's NOT leaking from the engine/rad or any hoses.

- I drove it a couple hundred KM's and it swallowed the entire expansion tank's contents, plus some.

- Oddly I don't see a lot of steam or smoke out of the tailpipe - it runs really clean.

- The oil doesn't look contaminated, nor does the coolant.

 

 

That being said, here's my homework that I could find regarding the proper/easiest procedure. Can anyone chime in if I have made any errors?

 

1. Unbolt AC bracket and move AC out of the way

2. Remove engine mounts on cross member

3. Remove stabilizer bar while keeping slight pressure on the jack

4. Jack up the engine and tranny together as one a few inches

5. Remove Valve covers

6. Unbolt heads in proper sequence

7. Check heads for warpage - use glass, wd40 and sandpaper(220) to clean and check heads

8. Remove/clean off the old gaskets nicely

9. Install new gaskets

10. Torque heads back on to spec in proper sequence

11. Reinstall valve covers using sticky lube

12. Drop engine back in and test

 

 

My Questions:

 

Should I drain coolant and undo the top rad hose prior to jacking?

Not exactly sure what point to jack the engine and tranny up from?

How exactly do you use glass to check the warpage of the heads?

 

 

Dean

[GeneralDisorder]

It's probably just intake manifold gaskets. Don't jump to the head gaskets till you remove the intake manifold and inspect the gaskets. Replace them with ONLY manifold gaskets from the dealership. Other's are not even close to the same. Torque to 12 ft/lbs.

 

GD

[Deener]

Will do. I got an extra pair of intake gaskets when I picked up the ones for my GL. Man that sure would be great if thats all it is...I will update the thread with progress.

 

Thanks GD.

[GeneralDisorder]

When you pull the manifold you should be able to tell if they were leaking or not. If they weren't leaking then just keep going till you get the heads off.

 

You don't need to jack the engine up. Everything is accesible with it in place. You will want a 10mm ratcheting wrench for the valve covers though.

 

GD

[somick]

My coolant is leaking through the heater core. But the whole expantion tank is of course too much coolant to not notice it dripping on your legs.

 

Try to do a compression test. It should tell you the conditions of your head gasket.

 

Good luck,

 

Sam

[Deener]

Do you mean a compression test on the cooling system or on the cylinders? I just picked up the intake gaskets from the dealer...they had them in stock!!! If anyone cares, it's part number 14025AA150.

[GeneralDisorder]

A compression test on an old engine with a relatively small leak won't tell you much. A 25 to 50 psi difference could just as easily be a burned valve seat as it could be a bad head gasket. I have one cylinder in my '83 hatch (EA81) that is 35 psi lower than the others. Doesn't leak or burn any coolant at all nor does it even run any different really. It affects the idle such that I have to richen it up a bit for it to run smooth - that's about it.

 

If the cylinder were leaking badly enough to find it with a compression tester you would notice some really evident running problems - poor/rough idle, etc.

 

To find a head gasket leak you really have to do a leak-down test and it needs to be performed correctly. Even then on an older engine it may be hard to tell as the valves probably leak a great deal on their own. You want to pressurize the cylinder and look for air bubbles comming up through the coolant, etc.

 

GD

[Deener]

Well it is running super smooth actually. Just pigging out on coolant and leaving no trace of where it is going except for the under side of that oil cap. I will update once I have the intake gaskets done.

[cnc]

It really does sound like a leaky head gasket. I just went through that. It is true that you need a very thick pair of intake manifold gaskets to get a seal. Hot water flows through the manifold as well as air, in separate channels. The thin gaskets allow them to leak together. I bought a cheap set of gaskets off of ebay and the intake gaskets were almost paper thin and leaked. The kit also failed to have the two little rubber/metal seals that go between the head and cam cover. So much for cheap gasket sets... The guy didn't even respond to me about the omissions.

[Deener]

I forgot to ask...what size is that EGR pipe nut that is going to prevent me from pulling the intake off? I am going to pick up the flare wrench set on my way home I just want to make sure I get the right wrench in the set...

 

Dean

[hush777]

That would be a 17mm flare end.

As for the o-rings between the cam housing and the head, all of the aftermarket sets of gaskets I have bought have cheap ones, so I get the new ones from the dealer, they have a metal band in them that keeps them from collapsing like the aftermarket o-rings do.

Part # for the o-rings is

13089aa010

about $10 for both here in Idaho.

http://www.1stsubaru.com shows them for about 1.87 each but shipping would kill that is you weren't getting anything else.

 

Hush

[Deener]

Hush777 and GD are so right. I picked up the aftermarket gaskets as well as the dealer gaskets to compare and the dealer gaskets have a metal layer in the center, the aftermarket ones are just made of rubber, and thats it.

 

I got the manifold off, and the old gaskets were baked on fairly well. I used a mirror to see the underside of the manifold as well as sandpaper, wd-40, various flatheads and razorblades to get the remaining gaskets cleaned off properly.

 

Oh the fun begins here...

 

All was going oh so smoothly when I got to the last bolt (the shortest bolt, passenger side ) in my tightening sequence. It decided to snap off BEFORE I even got to torque it (???). I must have either applied to much primate force or the bolt was already weakened. Either way - I now have a broken bolt in my engine and I am looking for suggestions on how to get it extracted and how to get another bolt of the correct size? I have seen the 'easy outs' which look like they might work - has anyone had any successes with a particular tool?

 

The bolt that snapped off is 1 3/4 inches long after snapping, which appears as though the bolt may have left a little bit of metal on the top side of the engine.