Erik R Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 My "confuser" has been down, so I couldn't get on here sooner............... Last week, I was driving to work with the windows down and started smelling that sicky-sweet coolant smell. Temp guage showed normal, as did oil pressure. Pulled off at the gas station, checked fluids, looked for leaks. No leaks, but coolant bottle empty. Radiator full, so I fire it back up..............huge cloud of steam. Oh sh............t!! Luckily, my work was all downhill, so I coasted in to the yard with the heater on HI. THe temp. guage never went above 1/2 way......I pulled the dip stick..no h20. I removed rad. cap, no pressure and 1/2 gallon short of coolant.......Heater never stopped blowing hot though. Pulled spark plugs and peered into cylinders............coolant in 3. I just dumped $800 into this motor last DEC. and have only driven 9500 miles since. I need a cheap way out of this............................I will be taking your advice. You guys are the guru's................... Do I pull the engine and just get new heads, or is it worth having them shaved and pressure tested. Who makes a good head set? Fel-Pro OK for these cars? I am working on ea82 with high miles............. TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Fel-Pro did their gaskets right on the EA81's - I have had great luck with them, and I know others that have too. Don't see why the EA82 would be any different. Fel-Pro is just as good as the dealer HG in my opinion. They are not terrbily cheap for the EA82's tho. Probably a bit cheaper than a dealer HG set. There's a LOT of little gaskets that go into the HG set for the EA82. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallyruss Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 I am with GD the fel pro stuff is quality. you need to pull the head anyhow right? have it inspected/ pressure tested and if its good resurface it and reuse it. If you want to go el cheapo just do the one head. new heads are big$$$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subawoohoo Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 hey guys, this sounds to me like a intake manifold gasket leak. not head. i mean it could be but the chances are high that if it was head/gasket, there would be water in oil or vice versa, or water bubbling out of overflow right? i dunno im still a rookie, and sure the heads are known to have these problems, but intake gaskets are mucho easier to fix imo and much cheaper on a small budget..$$$ id check out the intake gaskets first, then proceed when clear. whatcha think? as for gaskets i wouldnt know as of yet. sorry. tyler j Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallyruss Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 hey guys, this sounds to me like a intake manifold gasket leak. not head. i mean it could be but the chances are high that if it was head/gasket, there would be water in oil or vice versa, or water bubbling out of overflow right? tyler j ah yes good point. the best way to tell the difference is by using a "block test" or watching a pressure tester while running. I still would lean in the direction of the HG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chef_tim Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Excellent observation Tyler............ "I sence the force is strong in this young one". Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Manifold gaskets don't usually drastically fail like that. Usually it's much more gradual.... certainly possible tho. Either way the manifold has to come off. Remove it and see. You should be able to tell from the condition of the gasket and the surface when you do. Cheap manifold gaskets are not good. Dealer or Fel-Pro only on those. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingbobdole Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Hello, If you do plan to take the heas off, check for cracks between the valves as this is really common. I personall went with the HG direct from Subaru for my ER27. No special reason, just thought that it was an ok price and I am willing to pay a little more for GSP. I would also agree tht the intake manifolds dont just fall apart like that, no reason to. The HG have all the pressure on them. Also, if you do need good heads, go to a pick and pull yard. You can pull the heads off rather quickly in such a place as you don't need to keep the bolts in line. Also if you need any little knick nacks like bolts or what ever, they usually just charge for the big parts, you can have as many bolts as you want. woah run-on. Anyway, check the miles and damage on the donor car before you start ripping it apart. Once worked on a car for about an hour ripping it apart to notice that the car had 350 plus miles on it and the parts were in worse shape than mine. just a thought, Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik R Posted August 22, 2004 Author Share Posted August 22, 2004 Thanks for the tips guys . I had the intake off last Dec. and I used 100% Dealer gaskets and o-rings . I DO have coolant in cylinders #1,3 and #4. Just enough to make the cylinder walls "muddy". I will pull the engine out for this job; my back kills me when I have to bend down to work on a car.........much easier on the bench and I have an engine hoist. I will let you know what I find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik R Posted December 28, 2004 Author Share Posted December 28, 2004 Finally, after 4 mos., the engine is out on the bench. After a trip to the machine shop, it turns out the Left head had porosity directly into the exhaust port. Good thing I kept the original burned out engine from the car . Left head was good, but the valves were warped. I had the valves ground on BOTH heads to match them up. I had heavy carbon deposits on the piston tops. Green Roloc took care of that. I don't know how long this engine will last, I'll just have to see. Oh, gasket set was ordered by the Machine shop and was $80..........Set is made by some Cheap name................"safety" I think?? I don't know, they needed the seals for the valve job. What's up with the head bolts? Are they not 11mm X 1.25 ? I can't find a tap anywhere to chase the crud out of the holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 ... Left head was good, but the valves were warped. I had the valves ground on BOTH heads to match them up. So now BOTH heads have warped valves? Sorry, couldn't resist. Threads for head bolts sounds right, at least according to latest information/speculation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nug Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 I think you're gonna catch hell trying to find that tap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 good luck! My "confuser" has been down, so I couldn't get on here sooner............... Last week, I was driving to work with the windows down and started smelling that sicky-sweet coolant smell. Temp guage showed normal, as did oil pressure. Pulled off at the gas station, checked fluids, looked for leaks. No leaks, but coolant bottle empty. Radiator full, so I fire it back up..............huge cloud of steam. Oh sh............t!! Luckily, my work was all downhill, so I coasted in to the yard with the heater on HI. THe temp. guage never went above 1/2 way......I pulled the dip stick..no h20. I removed rad. cap, no pressure and 1/2 gallon short of coolant.......Heater never stopped blowing hot though. Pulled spark plugs and peered into cylinders............coolant in 3. I just dumped $800 into this motor last DEC. and have only driven 9500 miles since. I need a cheap way out of this............................I will be taking your advice. You guys are the guru's................... Do I pull the engine and just get new heads, or is it worth having them shaved and pressure tested. Who makes a good head set? Fel-Pro OK for these cars? I am working on ea82 with high miles............. TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik R Posted December 30, 2004 Author Share Posted December 30, 2004 No 11mm X 1.25 taps.........................maybe better off, since aluminum is easy to "trash" with a sharp tap. I can't even find a used one ; which would be better. All I want to do is "chase" out the holes and clean the corrosion out of the threads for an accurate torque spec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted December 30, 2004 Share Posted December 30, 2004 How about using PB and chasing the threads with a headbolt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik R Posted December 30, 2004 Author Share Posted December 30, 2004 I am going to use a small diameter, long-handled "bottle" brush that was designed for cleaning oil galleries in V8's. It is stiff enough, but not made of wire either. Anything left over will have to stay in the threads. If I ever find a tap, I will let everyone know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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