Engine Rebuild

3550 Views 41 Replies 7 Participants Last post by vigman, Apr 5, 2011

MattS13

Discussion Starter · Mar 6, 2011

Two days ago I was driving the z, took her on the freeway and only did one hard pull in 3rd at 12.5psi, then i shifted, and no more boost. Car would not boost at all, idled perfect, air to fuel ratio was a little rich, but i had my lights and heater on and it idled okay. No smoke or anything, so i babied it home and parked her.
I just went out right now, started it up and there is a lot of white/blue smoke coming out of the passenger side exhaust, only passenger side. Ar/f ratio is really rich, good oil pressure, no radiator fluid disappearing from what i can tell. Took it for a spin less than a 2 blocks, still no boost. I did a vacuum test using compressed air into the intake, no vacuum leaks.
It will idle perfect, but it is blowing a **** load of smoke out, whitish/blue, smells kinda like oil, but i am thinking its radiator fluid.
My first two thoughts are one: blown head gasket, or two: passenger side turbo went bye bye.

I am not going to drive it or start it any more, i looked at the oil dipstick i cannot see radiator fluid, and i can not see oil in the radiator fluid yet...
So my next move is to do a compression test right?

Thanks

Matt

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vigman

· #2 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

I'll bet 1 turbo seized....and puking oil out of the seal

But compression test would be next.

Mike

MattS13

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

Thanks Mike, I will do a compression test tomorrow, and post results, and take pics of spark plugs.
If it is a seized turbo will there be oil in the intercooler pipes, or in exhust down pipes?

Matt

Cuis-Z

· #4 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

There may or may not be oil in the intercooler, but it won't mean you're turbo is good if it isn't there. Your description fits a seized turbo, and a passing vac test would seem to support that. You should be able to pull off the compressor inlet fitting and see if it's able to spin freely but as I recall it's tight quarters and must be done (at least partially) from underneath the car.

Regardless you'll need to get down there anyway just to make sure it isn't just something simple like the waste-gate actuator coming apart etc. Compression test would be easy to do and I'd double check the pcv's and the check valve on the brake booster too just for the **** of it (as I'm sure you realize that is the side with the likely seized turbo) just for good measure.

Good luck

vigman

· #5 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

I read an article about a using a PVC piping bypass for testing on car.. and it was really well though out...

If both turbos are not spooling... the boost generated on one side will escape out the other side.....

If I remember,you removed the hoses from the intake plenum... and move them off to the side.
Then a reroute from the MAF output back into plenum ( so the car's now an N/A as far as the plumbing goes ).

Then you started the car , Brought the rev's up and you could feel the air coming out of each side of the lines that were hooked to the intake.

I'll see if I can find that article

Mike

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vigman

· #6 · Mar 6, 2011

Turbo boost leak great info

http://www.pexcom.com.au/z32cms/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.488

Mike

Cuis-Z

· #7 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

That should be in the FAQ! Good article Mike.

vigman

· #8 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

We like fishin!

Mike

vigman

· #9 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

Like this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rozkhHLRIY0&feature=fvwrel

MattS13

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

Thanks mike and cuiz-z i really appreciate the help.
I will go out side and do a compression test now, after that i am pretty confident from the information you provided that the turbo is dead.
I learned something today thanks to mike. "If one turbo is out or you have a boost leak on only one side, does one turbo still produce full boost while the other does not? NO. The reason is because each turbo actually boost the OPPOSITE side of the engine. For example -- follow the path of air to and from the passenger side turbo all the way to the exhaust. Air comes to the pass side turbo. Then it goes to the pass side intercooler. Then it goes to the pass side throttle body. One there, the intake scoopes down to the OPPOSITE side and feeds the driver side cylinders. Therefore, the exhaust leaves the driver side and propels the passenger side turbo -- so, if the pass side turbo is only producing 5 lbs of boost due to boost leak, it's only going to push enough exhaust out to spool the other turbo. This setup ensures that you have an equilibrium and that each side of the engine runs evenly, even if one side has a boost leak while the other does not. If you have a blown turbo on one side, same story -- the poor performer determines the peak boost, which is that case would be ZERO. You'd be running like an NA with a dirty air filter"

This makes sense as to why i have no boost!
Hahah that you tube video is crazy, that turbo sounds horrible, gosh..
Thanks guys
Matt

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MattS13

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 6, 2011

2

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

Okay well i went out and started the car to get it warm for the compression test. Besically 2 minutes after start up it started to smoke out the exhust, i am 99% sure it is radiator fluid. Did the compression test, bad numbers:

1 95 2 96
3 89 4 95
5 95 6 97

about 5 months ago I had 165 compression on all 6..
and all of the spark plugs are covered with carbon and are discolored, they have an orange-brown film on them..
Ill jack up the car now and look at the turbo..
But with such low compression numbers I am thinking i might as well plan on a rebuild right?
Thanks

Matt

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vigman

· #12 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

What color coolant are you running?
AND
Low compression can be from stuck rings.. did you do the compression test with the engine cold?
How many miles on the motor?
Were throttle plates open when doing the compression test?
Did you put a squirt of oil down the holes to see if it was sealing or valves?
Experiment... try some ATF down 1 hole ( to maybe free up the rings ) use a fair amount , like a shot glass ( have the piston near TDC then remove as much as you can before retesting ) ... let it sit over night & retest.

Mike

Which side is smoke coming out of ( tailpipe ) ?

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MattS13

Discussion Starter · #13 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

The coolant is green, but it is kinda turning a goldish color.
The engine was warm, where the needle was in the middle, my second water temp guage red about 150.
The motor is a JDM swap, sooo who knows, i would guess 90000 miles..
Yes throttle plates were open all the way while doing compression test.
I did not squirt any oil down there, but i will put some in now and let it sit overnight like you said.

Well i removed the exhaust, basically there was oil dripping out the exhaust down pipe, took it off and there is a LOT of shaft play in the turbo, i can wiggle it up and down, but it will not spin freely it will stop rotating..?

Oh and it was ONLY leaking out of passenger side tailpipe..

vigman

· #14 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

If it wont spin free it's done son!
If your gonna do one , do both!

It's motor pullin time either way

Mike

Luminar

· #15 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

rebuild. that engine is toast. even if those numbers were "cold" that engine is a paperweight.

Also for reference: coolant smoke should smell sweet. If you've got a blown head gasket allowing coolant into combustion chamber, the car will smoke as soon as the engine is started and as it warms up, you'll kill mosquitoes for miles.

vigman

· #16 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

Well if your gonna pull the motor it would be a good idea to freshen up the engine... if you have the budget.
If the smoke has a bluish tint it's oil, and as Luminar states, coolant will smell sweet and be white..

If your coolant is "Golden" ( read brown ) that's RUST!

Mike

Luminar

· #17 · Mar 6, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

i'd rebuild the engine fully and replace the turbos.

MattS13

Discussion Starter · #18 · Mar 7, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

Ya it smelt a little sweet, not like oil burning smell, but like coolant i think.. Its probably both burning, its more white than blue, but there was half a shot glass worth of oil that leaked out as i took off the exhaust on the passenger turbo.
No it will not spin free at all, it stops right away, lol i think its wayy toast!
Soooo I just decided rebuild time, I all ready have the tranny taken out, clutch, flywheel, all exhaust, radiator off, all that's left is wires, sensors, vacuum lines and power steering, and all that good stuff.
I am considering the Z1motorsports rebuild kit, http://www.z1motorsports.com/product_info.php?cPath=6_14&products_id=1056, with eagle rods, I have to figure out head gasket and what bore size.
or the CZP one, http://www.conceptzperformance.com/...8&Car_Type=300&UID=2011030618291069.247.64.19

Luckily I have two good stock turbos sitting around, (and a spare blown engine) but I might just go with something bigger..
In the end I want a 400-450 hp car..

But for now I will finish taking the engine out, see whats what and then order parts..
Thanks for the input guys!
Matt

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z-addict

· #19 · Mar 7, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

You have a solid plan it sounds, good luck with the work, it will pay off for you...

Cuis-Z

· #20 · Mar 7, 2011

Re: Oh crap, blown head gasket?

Good luck. Do a build thread for us on your way.

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