SmashedGlass Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 took some time today to go over to the RX and start investigating it's catstrophic (?perhaps) failure yesterday (was too late in the day for it yesterday). here's what i've got, and what i think. opinions of "those who know" appreciated..... 1)timing belts intact, tight, were replaced only 150 miles ago. check. 2)after sitting over night, still no sign of coolant mixing with oil on the dipstick, or in the radiator/surge tank. check. 3)inspecting underside, no noticeable cracks or leaking coolant on heads and block, except a few drops on left side exhaust mani bolts. check. 4)get to left side rear spark plug and *voila* cylinder is full of coolant. ergo, why smoke shot out of exhaust, and why it will no longer crank over (water does not compress). so, does it sound like i'm relatively saved, and will only have to do a full reseal job, the head gasket failing being the obvious thing; or does anyone think the heads are scrap? remember, at no point ACCORDING TO THE TEMP GAUGE did she actually over heat. and she stopped spewing coolant-laced smoke within a minute of her being shut off yesterday. i just find it kind of odd to have a head gasket completely fail so quickly, with no warning signs prior such as a few days of smelling coolant or seeing white smoke in the exhaust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 intake mani gasket? I've heard of them causing the white smoke.....but actually filling the cylinder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 intake mani gasket? I've heard of them causing the white smoke.....but actually filling the cylinder? Thats a possibility. Are the HG's originals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 drain coolant, pull spark plugs, run compression check. If the effected cylinder is not lower on compression than the others, don't bother with the headgaskets. Cylinder vacuum will pull alot of water through a bad spot on an intake manifold gasket, just like it will with a head gasket. Chances are about 100% it is one of the two... The first thought is head gasket, because IF it was a blown manifold gasket, then the first question that comes to mind is "why no water in #2? BUT if cylinder 4 filled up with water and wouldn't compress, cylinder 2 would not have had an opportunity to fill up with water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 IF it was a blown manifold gasket, then the first question that comes to mind is "why no water in #2? BUT if cylinder 4 filled up with water and wouldn't compress, cylinder 2 would not have had an opportunity to fill up with water. I considered that too....keep in mind, this is MPFI. seperate intake runners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 That's just the nature of the EA82T. Get used to it, or swap to an EJ. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daeron Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 I considered that too....keep in mind, this is MPFI. seperate intake runners. Open mouth, insert foot. Mrfff ffrrmmm mfrrmrmmf. Frmmmmmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 intake mani gasket? I've heard of them causing the white smoke.....but actually filling the cylinder? I can first hand tell you that this does happen:grin: My XT6 Rocky had this happen about a month and a half ago....less then a week before the Dragon Meet...and in another state Actually ..trying to repair the side with the blown intake gasket we had to loosen the other side and I ended up with all 6 cylinders hydrolocked..Pull the plug and the coil wire and crank it over..it will shoot the water out of the cylinder..plug the coil and put the plug back in and it might run long enough for you to see if this is the problem...And FTW Rocky has been running great ever since the repair...no ill effects for being drowned OH!! If you cant get it running or dont want to try..start squeasing the upper Rad hose..listen for gurgles or hissing..or any sound of fluid leaks..then look closely to where you heard that sound...This is how I found my leak..look closely around the cylinder that was filled up.. I hope this is all that is wrong...Its actually an easy fix..if it is all thats wrong make sure when putting new gasket on the mating surfaces are super CLEAN ..one little speck of old gasket etc will allow for it to still leak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 +1 for intake. Seems like a head gasket failure would not *fill* the cylinder. Typically HG failure to the water jacket will suck a little water on each intake stroke, but not so much as to cause hydro lock.(plus the compression could push back into the coolant chamber, so it wouldn't be a sealed cylinder, so less likely to lock) If the intake gasket failed however, every time the intake valve opened, it would suck in coolant, then the valve would close and water would be trapped in the cylinder, and have absolutely nowhere to go, = Lock. Pull the intake off, then test the compression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Just remember if it hydrolocked, you can bent valves, and destroy rings with the force of suddenly no where for anything to go and coming to a sudden halt. So i would make sure that cylinders ok as far as compression before doing much more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmashedGlass Posted September 2, 2007 Author Share Posted September 2, 2007 Thanks guys, actually makes sense now. I'm leaning towards intake mani gasket. To answer a few other questions, a) she ran up until i shut her off that first time; rpms were dodgy in neutral, but ran. shut her off quick. when i tried to start her again, it was only for a second-had white steaminess everywhere in the split second. b)did not try to viciously restart her when i discovered she wouldn't turn over. as soon as it wouldn't, i stopped....one thing, my RX is a brute and would start IMMEADIATELY everytime, one turn of the key. so common sense said don't push it. c)no telling about 'original'. i just got her a few months back and haven't driven her that much (no tags). i do know the simple stuff like valve cover gaskets and such were redone, as well as new t-belts, but overall it looks as if the engine needs pulled and a reseal done-TO MY STANDARD. looks very backyard meknik ATM, and i hate that. i'll keep everyone updated; if anything at least it'll provide me the fun and more learning opportunity as i pull it apart. good thing i have other cars. and still waiting on a call back from CCR Engines, i may get a rebuild as a backup anyhow. but i think now i will keep the RX, despite it's problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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