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PCV system pressurized, spewing oil... and other assorted problems


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RX engine, take 3.

 

This weekend I assembled and installed the engine for the RX.

 

This is the reason why i was rebuilding the engine:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=2774&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

 

The symtoms that this build had (pictured above in disassembly) were: no start, exhaust coming out oil filler neck and pcv breather, water/steam in exhaust, blew radiator cap off radiator.

 

This build consisted of:

Same block as before (less than 500miles on it)

Same heads as before (bought used, had true'd and tested on last build)

Copper HG's from headgaskets.com (with steel cylinder rings and proper dressing)

New head bolts (oem from 1stsubaruparts.com, $44)

 

I assembled the engine per the FSM. Used special care with the CU HG's, following the directions given by the manufacturer. I torqued the head bolts to 48ft/lbs.

 

I started the car, let it come up to operating temp and took a test drive (about a mile) to fill the front tire with air. Performance was less than stellar (timing issue probally).

 

Once home, I found oil all over one side of the engine. After some investigation, I reasoned it to have come from the breather on the driver side valve cover. I reworked the PCV system, so that the breather was on the pass. side (where its supposed to ingest air). The center, and driver side pcv hoses are teed together, then they go to the PCV valve on the manifold. Still, when revving the engine, I can see oil rising into the breather, and begining to seep through.

 

Again, i removed the oil filler cap (looking for signs of water) with the engine running, exhaust coming out with some water vapor. Dipstick was normal, a bit low from a good amount of oil being blown out the breather.

 

Continueing inspection, I look at the underside of the block. Traces of oil and coolant on each head by HG joint.

 

What went wrong? What now?

 

Head and block were checked rudamentarly with a straightedge to verify trueness before assembly.

 

Bad heads? Rings gone in the block? What is it?

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Rings won't cause coolant loss. A cracked block would but it would be obvious when you took it apart, especially if you split the case halves.

 

Are the copper gaskets or piston rings on the gaskets noticeably thinner or thicker than OEM gaskets?

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Didn't split the shortblock. I bought that remaned block from a subaru shop here for $800. Standard spec pistons, rings, polished crank. I have run less than 500 miles on the short block, before the last gasket let go.

 

I order .043" gaskets... the rings are about as thick as tinfoil.

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if your problem is not enough torque, hopefully giving it about 10 more lbs would compress the metal, and seal it all up. the only thing id worry about is the sealant getting washed away by compression/oil/coolant.

 

dont these guys tell you what to torque their gaskets to?

when i use metal gaskets on harleys, it says to rough up te surface with a rasp. sounds scary, but it gives the copper something to bite into.

 

others have recommended having your surfaces polished...

 

wierd stuff. how come dsm and toyota guys have such good luck with the copper and other metal gaskets?

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