My car recently came back from some work being done a bitch of an oil leak. Coolant was changed while it was there. So i checked my coolant level as you do and the tank seemed empty tuesday morning. So i topped it up then left it for a while came back out and checked it it was low again so filled it back up. I then went for 2 short drives last nite. Checked coolant before i went to work ow there doesn't seem to be any loss of coolant now or any funny coloured water or mayo oil also checked lunch time today no loss again. Just away to check again in a few secs.

Could it just of needing topped up or am i getting a slight Head gasket problem. Tank on beside the battery i have noticed is at the fullmark.

Water temp while driving around town is 84c. There seems no sign of it boiling over.

Maybe i'm just being paranoid??? The car is due to be mapped on the 11th the last thing i want is to leave it to late to fix.

I also did a search on this and 911 advice was handy.

Would a compression test show a head gasket failure?

If it was a gasket failure would i be constantly losing water???

 

Right checked level again seemed fine. Went for a slightly harder run nothing to hard though. Opened up tank beside battery and it was bubbling while still on idle. then switched the engine off but it still bubbled. So does this then mean the gasket (s) have gone????

I think this is what 911 meant in his test.

 

Personnally, i would say you have pretty much the same problem as Dougster.....a b1tch of an air lock.


Could be wrong though.

 

I'm really getting sick of the constant problems i'm having.

I really do hope it would be as simple as air lock.

It wouldn't be so bad but only have until the 11th to get it sorted out.

 

When I drive mine cold it sound like someone is running a tap under the bonnet, think its an airlock

 

Sounds like an airlock to me and it has eventually filled up (hence the topping up)
Now it has settled and nothing is mayoey and your not pushing the water back out, I'd say you have little to worry about.
A cooling system pressure test, (basically unscrew the pressure cap, screw on a pump with a gauge and pump to around 1 BAR / 14psi) any exterior leaks would show up by looking for puddles of coolant and a pressure drop on the gauge may show an interior leak (into the oilway or combustion chamber)

The bubbling in the expansion tank I would say is just that.. expansion of the water inside the cooling system.

Further to that, a leak down test would be better than a compression test as it identifies the cause better.
bang some compressed air down the plug hole and see if she bubbles then. (specialist kit)

Andy

 

I'm hoping so. Went for a proper blatt nothing to serious as i'm just running a normal map. Hopefully when i go and check the level is the same. I have already noticed the overflow bottle has a bit more in it. Hopefully thats just down to the water expanding under heat.

 

Hi Andy,
Would you care to explain more about the leakdown test and the equipment used?
BTW Good luck with the new job mate, I hope it goes well

Cheers,
Callum

 

The bubbles in the pipe by the battery indicates head gasket.
That is what happened to mine, and on taking the heads off the gasket was well gone on one side.

Try all the above and then think again.

Graham.

 

I would but my car won't frigging start. I know the plugs could be gone would this cause the car not to start???? I have a new set sitting here just never got round to fitting them.

Things seem to be never ending.

 

Right been busy empted the coolant out. Re filled bleed it the same way i did last time. Just need to give it another run.

Pretty much certain i have blown the plugs as i had a miss fire before it died. Taken them out tomorrow night.

Anybody know who will have head gaskets in stock for a my97 sti type-r?? ah bollocks the engine is a my98 v4 sti. Thinking worst case here.

 

Sorry Graham but that is incorrect, bubbles can appear for ages after a system refill if there is some air left in there, head gasket normally pumps air/water out of there on boost but just bubbling... Not IMHO.

Rob

 

Right starting problem and miss fire came down to the cam sensor had wriggled loose. Changed the plugs to NGK PFR7B's. While the plugs were out i carried out a compression check and every cylinder was 140.


Right after tonights findings what do you reckon???

 

Not the head gasket, just bubbles.... but I said that already.

Put the lid on, check it regularly and stop worrying,


Andy

 

Hi Callum,

Yes, I like the new employment.

A leak down test is where you add compressed air to the combustion chamber via the spark plug hole. the piston needs to be at TDC to start with and both valves closed. (i.e the compression stroke) lock the air in via a valve and watch the gauge reading decay it's pressure off.
How quickly it decays tells you how much it's leaking, but not where..
Listening to the exhaust, listening to the intake and listening to the crankcase breather will tell you which area the leak is in (i.e it'll hiss)
Looking into the water header tank will show up bubbles (must be cold obviously) if it's going in there.
A certain amount of cylinder liner can also be checked for cracks by moving the piston down the bore slowly, re-pumping in the air and re checking the gauge.. only you have to be careful the engine does not try and "turn over" doing this as the pressure now has a torque effect on the crank.. Hold on to that crank pulley spanner tight.
Go too far and the exhaust valves will open..


Andy

 

Thanks Andy, nice explanation Sounds like a job where a breaker bar may save some skinned knuckles

 

No Problem,

Got to be more "consise" now I'm "in at the deep end".


Andy

 

When i got to the head gasket = bubbles bit I had tried:

Drain/refill run the car for 2 weeks.........System vented itself after hard runs
Repeat but removed stat and fill with heater on hot, squeeze the top/bottom hose whilst re-filling...................................System vented itself after hard runs
Repeat but new stat back in.......................ditto

Removed engine and took it to API. Gasket on turbo side gone, other on its way. API stripped it there and then in front of me.

David there will sell you the gaskets and any other bits you need.
www.apiengines.co.uk

The oil was perfect in all instances, no emulsification
It NEVER did it if I drove carefully
It ALWAYS did it if I thrashed it, and coolant was then all over the battery/side of the car.

Hope this helps a bit. I know how irritating this can be.

Graham

 

Well after getting 140 each cylinder with a compression test surely it can't be the gaskets. I have also noticed a slight dribble coming out of the turbo pipe.

I can't really drive it hard as its just on the base map of the apexi.

 

Right bit of an update had the car mapped on monday noticed i was lossing water under harder driving out beside battery.

Change the header tank cap yesterday with another one still seems to be bubbling and blowing water out beside the battery.

Can a thermo stat be fitted wrong????

 

How often are the fans running? as normal?

If blowing out of the expansion bottle... almost certain head gasket failure.

it wont show on a compression test until it has gone completely.

Depending on Thermostat brand it is possible to fit it back to front, but it would overheat all the time esp in traffic etc..

Rob

 

fans running as normal water temp steady all the time.

Yip its blowing out expansion bottle beside the the battery.

 

If it is blowing out during a hard run then i'm afraid its head gasket time...

Do you have any means of boost control settings?

R.

 

Yes its on an apexi pfc. Doesn't blow on normal journey but as soon as you put some boost through it you start to lose water.

Taken the engine out tomorrow night. Hopefully i can get it back in all in one night.

 

if it's bad you may need to prepare to surface the heads as the leaking gas will erode the heads and possibly the block too. it is possible to do this without stripping them by using good quality silicone carbide paper spray mounted to a surface table. It's worth inspecting them nonetheless.

I would think you are going to be hard pressed to do it in a night, but it has been known!

Paul