Coolant in #4

[XLR8]

I went to start the GN this morning and it wouldn't turn over. I looked all around the engine area and notied a drop of coolant on the plastic passenger side inner fender. I pulled all the plugs from that side and saw #4 was wet. I turned the engine over by hand and coolant shot out of the #4 sparg pulg hole. The car was running fine when I last drove it a week ago although I thought I had a whiff of coolant when I shut it down for the day. I am hoping it is just a head gasket. Any one else have any ideas?
By the way, the oil level is perfect and the does not seem to be even a trace of coolant in it.

 

[mikestertwo]

Sounds like a head gasket. Hopefully it didn't go into a hydraulic lock when you tried to start it. I would take it apart as soon as possible to check things out.

 

[turbofabricator]

After you pull the heads, check the piston stroke dimensions on cylinder#4. If the piston doesn't come up as far as the other pistons, then you hydraulic'd the motor and bent a connecting rod. It can be replaced with another one, with out pulling the engine. It would be best, though, if it came out and checked CAREFULLY. The factory rods bend pretty easy when pushing against water.

 

[MyBoosta]

I went to start the GN this morning and it wouldn't turn over. I looked all around the engine area and notied a drop of coolant on the plastic passenger side inner fender. I pulled all the plugs from that side and saw #4 was wet. I turned the engine over by hand and coolant shot out of the #4 sparg pulg hole. The car was running fine when I last drove it a week ago although I thought I had a whiff of coolant when I shut it down for the day. I am hoping it is just a head gasket. Any one else have any ideas?
By the way, the oil level is perfect and the does not seem to be even a trace of coolant in it.

You mentioned that it was running fine before parking it, and now it may have a blown gasket (least worse) or a locked-up (worse)?

What is up with that? Are these GN's that sensitive? I would assume that your car was tuned, and yet it sucked up some coolant?

Thanks

 

[turbofish38]

Do a compression check. If it has plenty of compression than I'd bet its a cracked cylinder head. I've cracked a few heads and its always #3 or #4 for some reason. Found a 109 NA last month and #6 was out on it. They always crack between the valves.

 

[XLR8]

I'm going to have the head and the pan pulled to check out the #4 rod and bearing. The heads are 2 year old Campion Irons.
Much more fun to spend money on this than on a new Alky kit.
I'll post back when I determine the damage.

 

[83ttypecooled]

Hi,
I think you are just dealing with a gasket, but I don't have any experience with Champion iron heads.You have to get an engine nasty hot to crack a head, or be running crazy boost.That might not do it,either;again, I am out of my realm of experience.
My guess is that you have the beginnings of a gasket leak on that cylinder,and when you parked it hot, it filled that cylinder with enough coolant to cause the hydrolock you noted. Our cars have pretty tough rods,so chances are that one didn't bend. You'll be able to tell when the head is off.Hey, at least you aren't running powdered metal rods, like most of the late model motors; they shatter instead of bending! The passenger head is a PITA to pull, but if you aren't running ARP studs, it'll be alright. Good luck!

 

[bison]

You have to verify the connecting rod is not bent also.

 

[UNDER-PRESSURE]

How much boost & timing have you been running? I see in your signature it runs 117 mph at 5800' with a 44 turbo. That is a Great running car.

 

[TurboDave]

I'm going to have the head and the pan pulled to check out the #4 rod and bearing. The heads are 2 year old Campion Irons.
Much more fun to spend money on this than on a new Alky kit.
I'll post back when I determine the damage.

Check for coolant in the oil pan for sure! If there's any there, then it's gone through the oiling system for sure, and you can be just about 100% sure that it will have trashed your bearings.

 

[turbofish38]

I popped the HG on my LT1. Noticed white smoke out the tailpipe. Tried starting it after letting it sit for an hour or two. Wouldn't budge untill the water drained out of #7. In the span of about 24 hours the rest of the coolant had leaked into the crankcase.Oh yeah, I was stupid and ran the motor with that milkshake for about 5 minutes. After replacing the HG I ran a quart can of crankcase cleaner with fresh oil and filter and than drained it all and added fresh oil and filter again. That was at least 40K miles ago and its still running strong. I hope you're that lucky.

 

[XLR8]

It should all be aprart today - I will drop the pan and inspect the rod and bearing.

As for boost I run 25# - 26# at the track with C116 and 26* of timing. 0.7 KR at about 85 mph and O2's around 790 - 800.

 

[G McCall]

As Turbo Dave said.......

Every time coolant ended up in my pan, I had bad main bearngs.

Years ago, A bad head gasket on failed o-ringed heads cost me two engine builds. At a minumum I would pull the pan and check main bearings.
Good luck

 

[XLR8]

The Champion Iron head is cracked and I'm mad about it (I wonder if Champion will help out on that). Also the rod is bent. I am poor so I am debating on what to do to get it back together.

 

[bison]

The Champion Iron head is cracked and I'm mad about it (I wonder if Champion will help out on that). Also the rod is bent. I am poor so I am debating on what to do to get it back together.

Sorry to hear that. That sucks balls. Get another rod and prep it the same way and be sure the ends are within a few grams of the bent rod. You will probably need a new head. I have seen these fixed by champion though.