I posted a while back about my two Loyales. 90, 92.

 

The 90 is now a daily driver and works well. I like the car; it runs great (152,000 miles) and is quite nimble after driving a full size 4WD truck for so long.

 

The problem is I would like to get the other Loyale on the road so the big truck can stay parked unless I need it. I have the motor in this car stripped down so that I am looking at the engine block and heads still mounted in the car. Wow lots to take off to get to this point. I am glad I can pull an identical car into the shop when reassembly time comes.

 

I was wondering if any community members that have had EA82 coolant leaks would suggest where should I be looking for possible cracks? I have read that minor cracking is very common and not anything to be alarmed about. The intake gasket didn't appear to be leaking. I intend to put a strait edge on the heads and block to check for warpage and inspect the gaskets once I have the heads removed.

 

Any information from people that have had coolant leaks into cumbustion due to cracking would be really helpful as I diagnose the condition of this block and heads.

Non-turbo EA82 heads don't crack severely enough to leak coolant and if the did it would be into the exhaust ports not the chamber. No - What you have is run-of-the-mill head gasket failure. Nothing exotic and unless the engine has been severely overheated multiple times you probably aren't looking at warped heads either. Unless you have a machinist's straight-edge that has a truely flat surface that you can check them aganst you are better served just spending the $75 and having them milled - 95% chance you could ignore it and gasket slap the thing and never have another problem. This isn't rocket science and we aren't building swiss watches here....

 

GD

This isn't rocket science and we aren't building swiss watches here....

 

GD

 

That is too funny. Yea I hope it is just the gaskets. Hope maybe tomorrow I will remove the exhaust and unbolt the heads.

Wow, nothing to cover here.. GD explaind it well (As always) , and mostly this is the leak.

 

Hope the HGs go easy and you get'er back together! btw, we havn't seen either of your L-series yet, Pictures please!!

 

-Tom

Except that intake manifold gaskets leaks just the same as the EA81- If any of the intake bolts broke or were very difficult to remove, I would look in this direction.

Have the heads checked, I bought an 89 GL wagon with head gasket problems only to find it had cracked the heads all the way around into the valve guide area.

i agree with having the heads checked, nothing worse than thinking you got it done and back together and fixed when come to find out the problems still there.

Ok thanks for the replies. I finally have made some progress. The heads have the cracks between the valves. No suprise there. Well after a couple of replies saying the heads should be checked for cracks into the valve guides, I decided I should check them over. This morning I built myself a redneck valve spring compressor (digger lags, flat stock, threaded rod)and pulled the valves out of one of the heads. This is what I found . . .

 

The crack goes past the valve seat and about an inch into the head. I'm not sure if this is a problem or not. I was hoping not to see any more cracks after pulling the valves, but hairline cracks can be seen coming from the crack the was previously visible. They don't appear to go as far as the valve guides.

 

I will know more when I go to town and get some cleaner and clean the valve ports up.

 

How much crack is too much?? What about forcing JB weld into the cracks?

When will I be allowed to post pics in my messages? After a number of posts or time as member?

there's a site-suggestions and questions forum, might want to post there so moderators and such see it.

 

i would not think you have to wait to post pictures, but maybe it does work that way.