1989STAR-ESIR Posted June 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 I was only talking trash when I used the "crusher" word. My car seriously pissed me off so I made some threats at it :mad: . After some time away from my wrenches and garage, we are once again old friends from the 80s . I need to figure out the issue or lose my mind doing it. The dang car runs good but its losing coolant slow and smokes like Cheeches younger dayz I really think the TB is leaking somewhere. The inside of the throttle bodies becomes rather corroded over time from the coolant flowing slowly through and leaks may form from what I have seen. All of the spark plugs were rather wet when I removed them so its got to be intake related or maybe the head gasket completely failed and yet somehow it still runs good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1989STAR-ESIR Posted June 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Replacing gaskets has nothing to do with a Cylinder head or a Engine block that are not TRUED,. Bill I replaced all the gaskets in the throttle body, not the block.... I think the throttle body may be a little corroded and no longer flush with all the parts so I may have to redo it with more RTV and see what that does. All may be suspect to the lack of "TRUE"ness though. Thats where I may have to tear down and get the block machined/decked. It has a brand new non-jet valve head so the block could be the only culprit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1989STAR-ESIR Posted June 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 The block may have looked good. You will only know if you put a straight edge on it to make sure. True dat. I did not use a straight edge on the block. Only aluminum razors to clean the crap off so a warp could definitely be presently thumbing my bumm. I need Sherlock Holmes on this one. Or a machinist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) So, you see when you get some more experience you don't blame the car. It is installer error. It is a good idea to chase the threads in the block too. I have arp studs but the stock bolts are just as good. use 30w oil and torque to spec. I have many mods so use your discretion for your motor. I torque to 120ft/lbs Edited June 14, 2012 by lionbull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSI_PR Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) 95/lbs of torque is alot. I got 75 on mine with a felpro @ 14lbs of boost and no problems so far. Also the head is shaved to 60. Now on a cold engine is 69 to 72ft/lbs and on a hot engine 73 to 79 ft/lbs. Wich is about 90 to 100 NEwton Meters. Hope this help bro. Dont scrap it, it takes a lots of patience but eventually you will get it right Edited June 14, 2012 by TSI_PR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSI_PR Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Also do a compresion test and post your readings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) http://www.aa1car.co...brary/ar996.htm Most engine rebuilders have no idea how smooth a surface finish they are actually putting on the heads and blocks they resurface. As long as the head gasket seals initially and does not fail during the warranty period, they assume they are doing everything right, and maybe they are. Then again, maybe they are not. They may not be seeing the long term consequences of their actions because the head gasket does not fail until the engine is out of warranty. In many instances, a premature head gasket failure because of leakage or burn through can be traced back to the surface finish that was put on the head and block. Of course, there may be other factors involved, too, like engine overheating, detonation, etc., or mistakes that were made during engine assembly such as not torquing the head bolts properly. But if a head gasket fails, there is always a reason why. Paying closer attention to the details of resurfacing, therefore, can help eliminate this as a potential source of trouble.Most people can't look at a finish and tell if it is 20 RA or 60 RA. So the only way to know if a resurfaced head or block is within the proper range is to measure it. Judging surface finishes by appearance alone, or even feel, is not a very accurate means of controlling quality. Most people can't tell the difference between an acceptable finish and one that is not unless it is really bad. Even then, their judgment may be shaded by outdated notions of what is "good enough" and what is not. If they are resurfacing aluminum heads the same way they have always done cast iron heads, chances are the surface is too rough. Taken from the above link Edited June 14, 2012 by lionbull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caliber308 Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 (edited) http://www.aa1car.co...brary/ar996.htm Most engine rebuilders have no idea how smooth a surface finish they are actually putting on the heads and blocks they resurface. As long as the head gasket seals initially and does not fail during the warranty period, they assume they are doing everything right, and maybe they are. Then again, maybe they are not That is a broad statement about Engine Rebuilders....MOST? I know the Engine Machine Shop that did my Cylinder Head and Engine Block mating were SPOT ON. And that makes a world of difference How true were my Cylinder Head and Engine Block surfaces prior to installing the Ajusa MLS Headgasket? True enough that I have never had to re-torqued my ARP Cylinder Head Studs, even after 7 years of 20 psi boost and 7000 rpms. Bill Edited June 16, 2012 by Caliber308 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionbull Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 (edited) That is a broad statement about Engine Rebuilders....MOST? I know the Engine Machine Shop that did my Cylinder Head and Engine Block mating were SPOT ON. And that makes a world of difference How true were my Cylinder Head and Engine Block surfaces prior to installing the Ajusa MLS Headgasket? True enough that I have never had to re-torqued my ARP Cylinder Head Studs, even after 7 years of 20 psi boost and 7000 rpms. Bill Well Bill, most does not mean all. Just most.You and I have both read so many posts about leaking gaskets on fresh rebuilds on this very forum. You got to know who you are dealing with(machinist). There are very good machinist out there but I am sure you know the reputation of the guy who did your motor right?If you just picked that shop out of a hat LOL you my friend are a LUCKY duck. You might have been one of those guys who would have left the forum long ago if they had messed up your block. who did your motor? we need more reputable shops like that then. Edited June 16, 2012 by lionbull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metric-man Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 You did the initial ARP torque setting but did you retorque after a couple of heat cycles? What was the source of your cylinder head and was there any past history of over heating?Heater core issues corrosion or radiator issues? Some times the reason to deck the block is not just because of surface finish or imperfections but because the blocks 4 corners are not (square) the same height. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caliber308 Posted June 19, 2012 Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 (edited) who did your motor? we need more reputable shops like that then. Mobel Auto Engine Machine Shop in Billings, Montana. The reason I had them do the machine work was this: I went to the three racing venues in the area (Drag strip, SCCA and Oval track) and asked the racers along with a professional mechanic I knew this question: " Who in the area does the best Engine Machine work?" 9 times out of 10 the answer was Mobel Auto. Also, I purchased ALL the parts that were to be installed into the engine myself, so I kind of knew (machine wise) what it would take to set it up. I had a lot of personal input into how things were to be done, from the Block boring, decking and balancing to the Cylinder Head truing, porting and Flywheel shaving. The machine shop didn't mind my input one bit, as a matter of fact...They thanked me in the end and told me that they had done 2.6 lt Turbo engines before...But, never on the scale I presented them with. They still charged me up the a.. for the engine work :lol: After all, you get what you pay for. Bill Edited June 19, 2012 by Caliber308 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1989STAR-ESIR Posted June 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 From what I have read and for all those that responded to my issue, I thank you. I have a strong hunch that the throttle body is the issue. More specifically the oring gasket on the base. I replaced the paper gasket but not the oring and it was to difficult to take apart at the time. Now that the intake is mounted I can reef on the throttle body more and hopefully get that part off. Everything else appears fine so I will start with the throttle body and see if that is the culprit. Before anything happens, like even touching a wrench, I must wait for my back to heal more. Between the pills and the pain I am affraid to even touch a car. I am getting closer to solving the problem and I am definitely getting more so aquainted with the engine bay. Sooner or later I will know it like the back of my hand. I did a very careful job when I re-assembled everything and I did not cut any corners but I think that the throttle body is the unforseen issue that I am fighting with. I followed the manual like a lemming. As soon as I find the issue I will write it up and maybe take some video. Wish me luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caliber308 Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 (edited) From what I have read and for all those that responded to my issue, I thank you. I have a strong hunch that the throttle body is the issue. More specifically the oring gasket on the base. One way to tell if the "Lemon-Shaped" O-Ring is leaking from the Throttle body......AIR BUBBLES will come out between the Throttle body mating surfaces Bill Edited June 20, 2012 by Caliber308 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1989STAR-ESIR Posted June 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 Thank you Bill for that advise or info. I did not see any bubbles last time I ran it and it seems to smoke less now. I will re-torque the head studs to 110ft/lbs. Also the last few times I have run the car the coolant level has stayed the same. The head that I bought was from Odessa Cylinder Head aka Clearwater Cylinder Heads via eBay $405 includes shipping. Everything was new but the rockers and shafts. I reused my cam as the cam that came with the head was not machined enough on the back to install the plug. They gave me $60 back for that and I kept the new cam as a paper weight. They have a decent rep and I was happy with the head for the most part as the casting and machining were of good quality. My girlfriend and I have financially drained ourselves on this car. Does anyone in Denver know of a good reputable shop that can fix these cars properly? I found a body guy to paint it but that comes last of course... Still is a beautiful car and we love to sit in it and play music. The stock stereo and speakers still work and sound great! At least that works Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1989STAR-ESIR Posted July 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 Now posted in the for sale section... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1989STAR-ESIR Posted July 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 LOL. I could only sell this car is I gave it away. The project continues... Did a compression test and I had good numbers 95ish (With th throttle body closed... Doh!) except for the front most cylinder was only 60ish and it was the cylinder obvioulsy burning the coolant. This next week I will be pulling the head again and sanding down the front area and I will be sanding off all of the RTV between the timing cover and the block. That may be why I have a leak. Also the throttle body seemed to check out just fine as I thought there was coolant leaking in through there. No leaks there from what I could see and it smelled of only fuel. I believe the issue completely lies in the front cylinder. That and the Fel Pro 8770PT will not be the next gasket I use. I am considering the TEP $60 eBay gasket as they say its the best for the 2.6L Turbo engine. This car is such a quest... I will not give up though. Its like a crap marriage. The divorce will be too expensive so I am stuck trying to make it work. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psu_Crash Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 This car is such a quest... I will not give up though. Its like a crap marriage. The divorce will be too expensive so I am stuck trying to make it work. LOL Atta Boy! It will all be worth it in the end. Although you may still lose half your cash lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1989STAR-ESIR Posted July 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 If I can get a few abusive drives through the mountains when I am done I will be satisfied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim_C. Posted July 24, 2012 Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 You can get that same gasket from Dad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1989STAR-ESIR Posted July 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 I have bought a lot of OEM parts from DAD in the past year. I did not know that the AJUSA is the same HG that TEP is selling. ANY IDEA IF THAT AJUSA HG IS AS GOOD AS THEY SAY?? MY FELPRO HG DID NOT DO THE TRICK AND LEAKED IMMEDIATELY AFTER INSTALL??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 4 cyl fury runs the Ajusa head gasket. no o/ ring. I riun one on my shetland, got a fel pro 9116 on My white one. Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1989STAR-ESIR Posted July 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 (edited) 4 cyl fury runs the Ajusa head gasket. no o/ ring. I riun one on my shetland, got a fel pro 9116 on My white one. DadSo would you consider the Ajusa the best Head Gasket for the G54B? I read it was but I have yet to really confirm...I believe I used the 8770PT... It worked 3/4I have ARP head studs to boot. Pro advice appreciated! Going to get back to tearing it apart tomorrow or wednesday. DYing to drive this machine. I hate draining nasty mixed fluids. If only it were as pleasing as pinching a loaf... Edited July 25, 2012 by 1989STAR-ESIR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 The best gasket would be the one that has worked best for each individual. The Ajusa has a very good track record.. One thing to keep in mind is the importance of proper tune. Joe has probably 600 hp on that gasket. My white quest runs a 9116 fel pro with stock head bolts, 16G with 20 lb boost and i have almost 13k miles on it- so far so good ( probably just jinxed Myself) Block and head surface have a lot to do with it also. Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caliber308 Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 (edited) If I can get a few abusive drives through the mountains when I am done I will be satisfied. Beat them to hell....And then ask for help Bill Edited July 25, 2012 by Caliber308 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caliber308 Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 (edited) The best gasket would be the one that has worked best for each individual. The Ajusa has a very good track record. Dad Agreed Dad, 100%. Even though it cost appox. $100.00. I think it is our best choice for higher than stock boost. I personally have ran the Ajusa MLS with ARP Headstuds to 20 psi Boost at 7000 rpms with no problems for 7 years. Bill Edited July 25, 2012 by Caliber308 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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