when my hg went it was bad enough to let enough coolant into a cylinder to cause hydrolock resulting in a complete write off of engine including heads. The cooling system was being pressurised, pushing coolant into expansion bottle on boost. This was a few years ago and of course the symptoms are now more widely known. But it was my big bad.
Trev

 

Update....

Sorry for the delay, couldn't be bothered posting earlier whilst all the handbags were out (joke - your all welcome to your opinions and experiences).

New thermostat fitted, Millers oil coolant filled and the car ran fine, not using any water, no contamination, nothing usual so of it went for a power hike, and on mapping was taken to .3 bar above where it was at and it misfired across various cylinders (i think John Felstead has hit the nail on the head both pre the above, and in your above post - thanks by the way) so car was taken back and Brian Coward did an all nighter getting the engine out Friday night and splitting it. It is indeed head gasket failure. Head skimming Monday, build back up with slightly thicker gaskets to balance compression and hopefully mapped again at the end of the week.... It's a fair rush now for TOTB...

Thanks everyone for the comments and concerns as well as advise. Fingers crossed.....

Robert

 

I did think it was that considering your symptoms as per post #13.
Well quickly diagnosed so time to get cracked on with it.
Good luck

 

This is why scooby net is brilliant
The lads were on the ball straight away a lot of the boys probably had similar failures in the past advice like this is invaluable
Hope it’s a quick fix rob and your out and about for totb

 

Just don't forget to do those bearings

 

Depends if he got water in block hey!
But he never lost no water so probably lucky

 

Yea the gd old lucky headgasket failure

 

The block has been fully inspected and I am pleased to announce there are no concerns at all - lucky or not its a relief.


Heads were skimmed yesterday, so the build will commence today/tomorrow as soon as the supporting parts arrive.


Robert.

 

block isnt the thing you should be worried about, its the crank bearings

 

Not this again.....

 

Sorry should have said Bottom end

 

I didn't realise you had rebuilt dozens of them so were an expert

 

they split the whole thing then?

 

Having rebuilt quite a few dozen other engines due to headgasket failure (Mostly Lexus Diesels back when i was a Tech ) i would say i speak from some experience even if its only some.....

Never claimed to be an "Expert" on the EJ tho, but basic principals remain the same

As has been mentioned many times already this is nowhere near as common as you & others are making out, and as his was blowing on boost and not consuming water will be fine if built properly

 

and now we understand, because you know one engine you think you know about them all. How about you keep it shut till you know the engines eh, not all are the same, especially different fuel types.

Given your opinion from rebuilding non is different to those that have rebuilt dozens of them perhaps you might be in the wrong and not know as much as you think?

 

Its a Flat 4 not a Scramjet

The basic principals apply them all

It really is quite basic engineering & if you understood even a little bit you might not be so scared of the unknown.

So why don't you keep it shut and stop trying to scare the poor guy into spending needless cash on unnecessary things

Read about instead of listening to stories

I know folk who have built hundreds of engines that i wouldn't let balance a wheel, you would be amazed at the empires that are built on smoke & mirrors.

 

o, you carry on thinking that then pmsl

 

many have you built Tidgy?

 

I'm the opposite of expert but it seems there is a world of difference between replacing a HG without splitting the block and assuming the bearings are ok and splitting the block and making a decision to replace or not, based upon inspection.
Trev

 

i havn't built any, but i take advice from people who have built hundreds of them over the years and from people who are experts.

 

How do you know there is no damage without inspecting? At which point you may as well chuck new bearings in anyway.

reality is there isn't huge amounts when you think about it, engines already out and in pieces.

 

but at that point I'd listen to the engine builder and if he said the bearings are perfectly fine then that would be good for me.
Trev

 

i dont know any decent engine builder who would reuse standard bearings given ACL are peanuts in the grand scheme of an engine build.

 

but would he replace good ACL virtually unworn bearings with new. You're moving the goalposts, upgrade from standard was never mentioned.

 

in what way am i moving the goalposts? your the one who's gone from a standard engine to would you replace acl bearings?

but that said, i would not reuse the bearings. why take a risk on engine on a £100 part?

 

judgment forms the basis of any top engine builder.
Trev

 

and would any of them reuse bearings?

 

ive gave an example in previous page where it was deemed unnecessary to change on my previous STI so yes they are reused.

and im sure any of your long list of engine builders you speak so highly off will know of the guy who repaired the headgaskets in my old hawk STI -

 

THis. And if water has entered the block then 9/10 you will need to replace bearings.
It needs inspection as it’s pointless doing a hg and not checking (that is a gypsy way of doing things).
And as mentioned if bearings are fine, may aswell replace them with acl etc if they are stock for cost vs peace of mind for future.

 

i bet you it didn't have reused bearings in it pmsl

and as corky said, finest gypo build lmao