Screw this boost project

[slow 2K2GT]

F**k, I am really starting to hate this project. I got the same damn thing that toymachine had on the go with his Alpine kit. My coolant looks like baby **** from oil dumping into it. Each time I run the engine I need to add oil and empty my overflow tank, its a piss off. Each time I think about what it could be I doubt my work. I PMd kewlkat tonite wondering if the little brass openings on the headgasket went toward the block or the head...they only fit one way because of the larger bolts on one end of the head. Right there doubting my work. I want to get new head gaskets and install them too see if that makes a difference but god only knows, so when I have the head off I might as have a shop make sure its within level tolerances. Now im doubting my torque, HMA says 18 & 22ft/lbs plus two 65 deg turns, I only did one 65deg. Maybe I should do another turn on each bolt just to see, if I take off the head I will need new bolts anyhow...man I hate this! I looked into my IC pipes today, no oil...I removed the DP and checked the turbine and wastegate port, no oil or water, so I think the turbo seals are still good to go. There are no obvious leaks from the headgasket though there doesnt need to be right. I just dont know where to go with this anymore.

[GrGaKC]

Sorry to hear this man, I know you were looking forward to this project and now this... Did you thy running your car in neutral and looking for some leaks? Or condensation on piping?

[only1db]

it could be possible that the bolts are not tight enough...but they might have been tight enough to stretch them...meaning you need new bolts...but yup sounds like the oil vein is popping into the coolant....

you have to take the head off...as far as the headgaskets...i can not remember if they are directional or if you possibly flipped it upside down...i dont remember and markings on the HG...sorry...

but like you said pull theh ead and have it surfaced...reintalled with new bolts...now the thing is trying to get all that crap out of hte system!

[slow 2K2GT]

Well I slept it off and after what I found yesterday I have a clear head and am ready to face the job;


-With the engine running I removed the oil filler cap and there was frothy oil splashing out at me, so its obviously somewhere in the head because the rest of my oil is not contaminated.

-There are 2 thicker bolts that go into the block to secure the head, they only fit into two holes in the headgasket, I know this because I put the HG on the wrong way the first time, but had no bolts tightened down yet. This means my HGs are on the right way of course.

-I am wondering if perhaps the bolts arent tight enough, thats what I am checking today, flushing the cooling system again undoing the coolant bypass for the TB.

[KeWLKaT]

hmmm

i say your best bet would be to check the torque value yourself on an unopened engine, lol.

orrrr post your **** on nt and rd, maybe some people with successful head gasket stories can give you the right directions.

what does alpine say in their instructions for the torquing?

[my01elantra]

Man these symptoms sound famialiar, I remeber cleaning all the gunk out of my radiator and everything too, it was so nasty. This time around I didnt put the decompression plate on and I also didnt put coolant lines to the turbo on. Hopefully everything works right now

[Cypher]

if its contiminated in the head its going to get to the rest of the engine. my ranger has rod knock now because the oil fill cap had a "frothy" crap on it and my brother ran it one too many times. (he put the intake on incorrectly which started everything) now i get the joy of pulling the motor to replace the bearings. or i may find another engine. who knows

the head gasket should have a "front" or some type of labeling on it to let you know which orientation it goes on. you kinda have to be dense to put it on wrong :tongue:

[KeWLKaT]

yeah i mean it is a bit obvious, line up with the jackets and you're fine ;)

also i hate to say this but this is why i have never done the plate, 2 gaskets is a bit much, plus the plate, its like making a big sandwich and then when you bite the middle part drops out from the opposite side ;)

[slow 2K2GT]

Ok well I removed the valve cover this morning and checked the bolts. The top left bolt as you look at the engine was loosened of and I could almost turn it with my hand...OUCH!!! Sooooo, I got out my torque wrench and torqued it in 3 stages to 22ft/lbs. After that I started over again with the 2nd stage 65deg turns, did each bolt which took the overall torque to 40 & 44ft/lbs. I went out for a gentle drive (10 min, this should have leaked a little), checked the overflow and found nothing in it. So I went to the dealership and ordered 2 new HGs in case something else does go wrong. After that I took the car out and put some force into it, as I am now passed my 500km, went back to the dealership and checked again, nothing again in the tank.

So I will go out and check the state of the coolant in the radiator after the car cools down, if it seems ok I will do another, yes another system flush and leave it at that.

I hope this is the end of this issue.

if its contiminated in the head its going to get to the rest of the engine. my ranger has rod knock now because the oil fill cap had a "frothy" crap on it and my brother ran it one too many times. (he put the intake on incorrectly which started everything) now i get the joy of pulling the motor to replace the bearings. or i may find another engine. who knows

the head gasket should have a "front" or some type of labeling on it to let you know which orientation it goes on. you kinda have to be dense to put it on wrong :tongue:

There is no contamination in the head, all the engine oil is good to go.

[KeWLKaT]

Nice!!!!!

Good luck!!!! Hopefully you wont have anything biting you in the *** again!

And may I ask... where did you tap for your oil return line?

[slow 2K2GT]

I used the little allen bold on the right side of the head. I just have my BOV adapter tacked into place, I need to have it sealed off, I am getting some boost leak out of the hole.

[tharptroy]

man, hopefully you got that damned leak fixed for real. I hate chasing problems...like a faulty unichip, for example =P.

btw, he said return, not supply

[slow 2K2GT]

Ahh yes, the return line. I got my block tapped right next to where it says 2.0 near the bottom of the block. The same spot Alpines instructions show to do it.

[only1db]

good...i'm glad you got that figured out...

there should have been two consequetive 65 degree turns...not just one.

[slow 2K2GT]

I will be torquing them all down to 55ft/lbs some time this week, probably wednesday nite when I can do it in a heated shop, that should just about take care of it.

[toymachine566]

I will be torquing them all down to 55ft/lbs some time this week, probably wednesday nite when I can do it in a heated shop, that should just about take care of it.

do you mean you're gonna loosen them and re-torque them? or just torque whatever is not at 55ft/lbs.?

[HYTECH]

I will be torquing them all down to 55ft/lbs some time this week, probably wednesday nite when I can do it in a heated shop, that should just about take care of it.


you shouldn't do that. the bolts don't give a proper reading when you tighten them this way. if it's not leaking leave it alone.


on a side note about stretch head bolts on our engines you can reuse them. there are specs for how long they should be if they don't measure longer than spec. you are fine. I have never had to replace headbolts in a betaII and I have done many head gaskets on these cars. but if you don't have a way to check them better safe than sorry. I would never use them more than twice.

[only1db]

^ just for ****s and giggles...what is the proper way to torque them down?? sequence and torque specs...hell even an order would be nice.

[tharptroy]

18 ft-lbs +60-65 deg +60-65 deg for the small ones and 22 ft-lbs +60-65 deg +60-65 deg for the big ones.

order is
#7 is on your right side when looking at the engine from the front of the car.

exhaust 7-3-1-6-10
intake 9-5-2-4-8

[only1db]

^ thanks...just wanted to make sure...thats what i remember but again...just wanted to make sure....

[slow 2K2GT]

I ordered another whole new set in, I am going to take the old ones out and put the new ones in, torque to 55ft/lbs and call it a day. The new bolts are just out of caution because I torqued these ones twice.

[toymachine566]

good choice, will you be doing them in stages or just bolt 1 55ft/lbs, bolt 2 55ft/lbs, bolt 3 55ft/lbs,.................

or torque down to the 16-22ft/lb mark then go through again and finish torquing?

[slow 2K2GT]

stages of course, I will do it all in three stages, very close actually to what you posted. You cant just do one after the other there is no play room for the head to settle properly when you do that.

[toymachine566]

yeah, i know......i just wasnt sure what you meant with the way your worded your post :P

[slow 2K2GT]

No believe me I do know better than that. This set of bolts better be the last thats for sure.