Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

[DAS BOOT]

back story... car was leaking coolant from radiator(way up front away from radiator. Pulled cap, found Dexcool, Jello. I pulled the thermostat, Flushed system hoping to clear crap out before I put in new radiator.

While driving car stalled out, but did not overheat. towed home, pulled radiator, water checked it, it definitley is leaking, I throw a new one in, change oil(looked fine but was getting close to 3k miles)

Filled car up with fluids. Start it up, and I dumped maybe a quart of coolant out the exhaust, car is making knocking noise(sometimes goes away, especially iwth clutch in or out) Also getting puffs of smoke/steam out of open radiator cap. Car is dead cool.



So I drained the coolant(trying to see if it runs fine with no coolant, maybe just a head/intake gasket.)

Car idling like crap, making noise... white smoke out tail pipe. Trying to work coolant out...







FIRST ISSUE
but whats wierd monitoring the misfires with HPT...


they seem to move... first they were focused on cylinders 3, 4, later went to just #6 disapear and reappear, car runs rough whole time and putting out white smoke(coooking off coolant in motor)

What would cause that? They are not even near each other?

Still hearing the knocking, less issues that it warmed up, but knocking louder.

What do you think would cause this? not even the same bank? did I blow both gaskets? I mean seems unlikely.

[Dawizman]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

It could be a leak in the intake manifold. Then you'd be leaking coolant, and it could go into any cylinder theoretically.

[UDLOSE98]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

yea, I like the idea with the lower intake. possibly cracked or something? could also be lower intake manifold gaskets. Head gaskets on both sides at the same time is very close to impossible.

the knocking worries me tho. you def have some coolant in your oil.

[DAS BOOT]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

I was thinking intake as well... Especially with both sides ****ing up. Think its likely the lower intake is ****ed? Just keeping it in mind since I probably will be swapping a motor in and in case I decide to reuse some parts of my current motor.

[crushedout]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

The last two times my lower intake gasket went it caused random misfires. I was so frusterated with the first time it happened but 2nd time I just knew it was a repeat accurance.

[DAS BOOT]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

Going to run a compression test... Best way I assume is disable the fuel pump, and try not to shock myself?

[Dawizman]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

Last time I ran a compression check I just unplugged the Crankshaft position sensor. You get no spark, and no fuel!

[DAS BOOT]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

For some reason I could not get my compression testor to screw in... baffled. I am picked up a lower intake set and pulling the intake tonight.

Once I get some **** out of the way. might try a compression test again.



But woot! knock seems to have gone away...

[DAS BOOT]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

So did a compression test on the misfireing cylinders all were at 130 psi, so not worried.

Sidenote... my crappy US General compression testor from harbor freight would not go in the bolt hole, not sure why? Worked fine in my Mustang and 3 other cars, same size even.

Dropped $40 on a new one from Advanced Auto...





Next... WHAT THE **** was GM thinking with the plastic elbow? that is the definite weak link in the cooling system, obviously mine broke just like everyone elses... and its a ***** to get the broken parts out, no way I think I could have done it if the manifold was in the car.

[DAS BOOT]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

Sweet cracked a bolt on the lower intake manifold!

[DAS BOOT]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

Sweet! Flush with the block! yeah I am mad with the car....

[kristen]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

geeeee, step back from the car, stop busting out the muscel, count to ten, ok continue

[HeadyFirebird'00]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

makes me think, "how the hell would sh*t like that happen?!" pisses me off too when something brakes for certain reasons unknown

[crushedout]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

Stupid plastic elbow, I think the time that thing exploded when I was gettin on it for no apparent reason was my favorite time of replacing said stupid elbow.

[DAS BOOT]

Re: Official thread of my issues and getting my car on the road....

SO after much disgust, hate for the car and pissyness...

working on the car...


Snapped bolt in head form lower intake. Couldn't get it while in car pulled the head, and found I had a randome broken exhaust manifold bolt(not sure how it happened) I cut a cross hair in the bolt with my dremel, so I cna get a hole started on the bolt. Drilled it and had an easy out, Used it and the bolt made 1 full turn.

then easyout broke off in it. Tried to redrill it.... killed 4-5 differen drill bits, trying to drill into the easyout head. No luck


Between that and the broken exhaust manifold bolt, said **** it... bought a junkyard head for $50 off a 99(also hit up a strip club in the town I picked it up in, had a great time)


Tonight I just cleaned it up(like 2 hours), cleaned up the block. I know probably should have had it machined but ehh.... its fun to half *** things. I clenaed all old gasket, (seemed very even, I used a 6 in wide razor, and no imperfections.) I hit it up with a scotchbrite pad as well.

Got new head bolts ($27 I think?, and new head gasket $17?) put it on.

Tightened down to torque specs then did the 130* turn, damn, took some elbow grease, I had to bust out the old "half" jack handled on my 1/2 drive wrench, too much a pain to use the breaker bar in tight quarters..

Got the gasket, head, moved the stud mounts, hooked the ground back up, got the pushrods back in, stil have to look up the torque procedure but got them easily tightened down.


Once I look it up will do that, debating if I should replace the exhaust manifold gasket or not, need a exhaustmanifold bolt, and a lower intake bolt still. Might just hit up lowes, and get some stonger bolts... delaer will be a pain in ***.



ohh well when done hopefully it will run right.