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Coolant sucking through the combustion chamber.

Discussion in 'Diagnosis/Help' started by Zaluss, Dec 6, 2011.

  1. Zaluss

    Zaluss Well-Known Member Donated!

    Ok I need some insight before this all goes to hell.

    I just did a head job. Head was resurfaced and checked for cracks. New head gasket, all new coolant and vacuum lines, the works. Starting her up looks like its sucking coolant somewhere and blowing it out the tailpipe in HUGE amounts, like practically water falling out the tailpipe.

    Did I mess up the coolant lines?
     
  2. 4thgenceli

    4thgenceli Test Dummy

    Judging by our quick chat, yes.

    If it's going that quickly (and I forgot to ask was it happening right when you started the car?) then it is getting sucked in somehow. If it took a while for it to happen (i.e. the car warms up, thermostat opens, then it burns coolant) it could be gasket/block/etc. But if it's doing it right when you're starting the car and bleeding the system dry then yeah, it's sucking it in a vac port somewhere. Check that lil' nipple on the hard line from the water pump (the one that feeds the heater core).
     
  3. oxi81

    oxi81 Well-Known Member

    Did you use a reliable torque wrench for your head job?
    I had the same problem with mine, the coolant was slightly flowing out, on the backside of the engine.
    The head bolts weren't tight enough.
    I used another (and better) wrench, gave to the bolts the correct torque (53NM) and now, it's OK.
     
  4. Spiderman

    Spiderman Well-Known Member

    Edit, sorry
     
  5. jwagner162

    jwagner162 Well-Known Member Donated!

    gotta be the coolant lines. check the lower part of the throttle body (IAC valve). make sure all those connections are correct. you could accidentally swap one and feed the motor water instead of air.
     
  6. Zaluss

    Zaluss Well-Known Member Donated!

    Well fuck my life.

    I quickly took apart the engine to get the head off (45 minutes, not too shabby) to find that there was a finger nail sized mark on the machined surface of the head! :sad5 I must of accidentally nicked the surface when installed against the head guides and never noticed. It was RIGHT on cylinder four, between the water jacket and it was big enough to allow coolant and oil to mix instantly as soon as I poured coolant in the engine.

    Well back the machine shop.
     
  7. Djsteviec

    Djsteviec Well-Known Member

    That sucks! On the bright side, you will set a land speed record on assembly!
     
  8. Spiderman

    Spiderman Well-Known Member

    Damn man, that's fast....... It's good to see you found the problem.

    I'd like to see the head damage, can you take a pic for me and let us know how it all turns out.
     
  9. Seank90

    Seank90 Well-Known Member Donated!

    dam, i didnt get here on time... theres a pipe onto the TB check it. one pumps water and another air, if these are mixed up then it will pour in coolant in huge amounts causing lots of white smoke. i really doubt its the head. fingernail scratch wouldnt have done it if you used a standard gasket.
     
  10. Zaluss

    Zaluss Well-Known Member Donated!

    I checked the throttle body. Two go to the coolant and one goes to the vacuum metal tube that runs behind the intake manifold.

    Two small tubes are coolant lines, one in, one out. The other fatter one is a vacuum line that connects to the air tube.

    Anyway the scratch was deep enough and right along the water jacket.
     

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