Help with head gasket
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Re: Help with head gasket
If your compression gauge isn't holding pressure during the test, it has a problem. There is a one-way valve in the tester, so if it doesn't hold pressure until you release it, the gauge is defective.
- andyofcolumbusmerkur
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Re: Help with head gasket
He must be talking about the leak down test, not a regular compression test. I'm leaning towards some weird issue with the valves or the seals, like something is misaligned or some company sent him the wrong parts. So he gets ok compression and the car drives around, but car has issues when he gets on it. After watching all the meticulous head porting vids I doubt he simply goofed it up. Which would be what I would normally assume.thesameguy wrote: ↑Wed Feb 10, 2021 1:15 am If your compression gauge isn't holding pressure during the test, it has a problem. There is a one-way valve in the tester, so if it doesn't hold pressure until you release it, the gauge is defective.
The best way to keep your Kia from being stolen is to not have a Kia.
Re: Help with head gasket
Hi all,
As we have mentioned among ourselves in the past, the heads are prone to cracks. I wonder if it was magnafluxed? Valve area crack leaking under high boost maybe? My experience with these heads makes me wonder about that.
Cheers
As we have mentioned among ourselves in the past, the heads are prone to cracks. I wonder if it was magnafluxed? Valve area crack leaking under high boost maybe? My experience with these heads makes me wonder about that.
Cheers
1986 XR4Ti Mineral Blue Metallic
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Re: Help with head gasket
What I said...
- andyofcolumbusmerkur
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Re: Help with head gasket
James Wieler wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 12:56 am and had it then machined, pressure tested, magnafluxed and flow tested.
The best way to keep your Kia from being stolen is to not have a Kia.
Re: Help with head gasket
Hi all,
Could the little overboost buzzer leak enough boost when defective to cause a problem like this? I removed mine after it failed and did the recommended loop back into the turbo housing. Just trying to think of leaking points...
Cheers
Could the little overboost buzzer leak enough boost when defective to cause a problem like this? I removed mine after it failed and did the recommended loop back into the turbo housing. Just trying to think of leaking points...
Cheers
1986 XR4Ti Mineral Blue Metallic
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Re: Help with head gasket
To cause a loss of compression? There is no relationship there... ?
Re: Help with head gasket
Hi all,
Is it loss of compression or lack of power when it should accelerate? I guess I will let this thread go as I seem not to be helping... Mine had asthma when the fuel filter was filled with crud from the tank after sitting a long time. Ran fine at puttering around, acted like it was choking to death under heavy throttle. A new fuel filter fixed that. Probably not what is happening here.
Cheers
Is it loss of compression or lack of power when it should accelerate? I guess I will let this thread go as I seem not to be helping... Mine had asthma when the fuel filter was filled with crud from the tank after sitting a long time. Ran fine at puttering around, acted like it was choking to death under heavy throttle. A new fuel filter fixed that. Probably not what is happening here.
Cheers
1986 XR4Ti Mineral Blue Metallic
- andyofcolumbusmerkur
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Re: Help with head gasket
I've had a large vacuum leak when the guts of a cheapo (not installed by me) pcv blasted out. Car will really run like crap and may start bucking and jerking pretty bad. Plus high idle. A small leak through that overboost thing? Well I don't know.
The best way to keep your Kia from being stolen is to not have a Kia.
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Re: Help with head gasket
Did the head get new valve guides?James Wieler wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 12:56 am HI guys,
It has oversized valves, springs, retainers, wide grove HLA's and roller rockers all from Racer Walsh. I also ported and polished the E6 exhaust manifold, and waste gate.
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Re: Help with head gasket
These look nice.
https://esslingeracing.com/valvetrain/f ... lve-guides
https://esslingeracing.com/seals-13/vit ... alve-seals
https://esslingeracing.com/valvetrain/f ... lve-guides
https://esslingeracing.com/seals-13/vit ... alve-seals
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Re: Help with head gasket
Might be the HL's pumping up and holding valve(s) open, or not being pumped up enough to open the valve sufficiently at higher RPM's (i.e., they never load up completely, leaving air pocket that won't bleed off, and thus "give" when the follower pushes down under the cam lobe lift). Did you pump up each of the HL's while soaking in oil before you installed? Did you install I/E lifters on cylinder 1, set lash, then install on cylinder 2 then set lash, then 3, etc. in order? If you installed all of them at once, then tried to set lash, rotating the cam around to TDC to adjust lash could have bleed off some of the oil in the never-before-used HL's, and you get an inaccurate lash setting.
Anti-pumpup lifters, like the old Motorcraft ones, can be a little rough running at lower RPM's as they're meant to bleed off to prevent the lifter getting stuck at full pump.., but then work fine at higher RPMs. Or, even vice versus. They need to be fully filled before installing so there's no trapped air. Just one defective one which bleeds off too quickly, or has too much internal slack to keep the internal piston expanded can cause hihg RPM issues.
Here's an interesting read: https://www.enginelabs.com/engine-tech/ ... lem-today/
Anti-pumpup lifters, like the old Motorcraft ones, can be a little rough running at lower RPM's as they're meant to bleed off to prevent the lifter getting stuck at full pump.., but then work fine at higher RPMs. Or, even vice versus. They need to be fully filled before installing so there's no trapped air. Just one defective one which bleeds off too quickly, or has too much internal slack to keep the internal piston expanded can cause hihg RPM issues.
Here's an interesting read: https://www.enginelabs.com/engine-tech/ ... lem-today/
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Re: Help with head gasket
Hi guys
Thanks a ton for all the discussion. You're right in that it was a regular compression test that didn't hold pressure, so maybe there is something wrong with that gauge (it's 35 years old, I'll test it on my Camry).
Time for an update. I mentioned that I redid the leak down test except disconnected the PCV and plugged both the PCV valve and the PCV hose. Well now the glove over the throttle body doesn't blow up any more so the intake valves are fine. I sealed the rings with some oil and the leak down is then minimal. I put in 35psi and get back 28psi. So I left the PCV disconnected (plugged the line so no vacuum leaks) and just let the PCV vent to atmosphere and took it for a drive. Well it idles and drives 10 times better!! Doesn't sputter on acceleration, makes boost readily too. It's not quite perfect in that it doesn't pull all the way up the rev range but low end pull is fine. So I think I've found the problem. Oh and the valve cover is covered in oil from the breather and the oil fill cap locations (crank case pressurized). This was from just a 5min drive around the block. That's a lot of blow by.
If anybody has a particular brand/manufacturer that they'd like to recommend for pistons and rods, then I'd appreciate hearing about it.
Again thanks for this discussion, you guys are the best
James
Thanks a ton for all the discussion. You're right in that it was a regular compression test that didn't hold pressure, so maybe there is something wrong with that gauge (it's 35 years old, I'll test it on my Camry).
Time for an update. I mentioned that I redid the leak down test except disconnected the PCV and plugged both the PCV valve and the PCV hose. Well now the glove over the throttle body doesn't blow up any more so the intake valves are fine. I sealed the rings with some oil and the leak down is then minimal. I put in 35psi and get back 28psi. So I left the PCV disconnected (plugged the line so no vacuum leaks) and just let the PCV vent to atmosphere and took it for a drive. Well it idles and drives 10 times better!! Doesn't sputter on acceleration, makes boost readily too. It's not quite perfect in that it doesn't pull all the way up the rev range but low end pull is fine. So I think I've found the problem. Oh and the valve cover is covered in oil from the breather and the oil fill cap locations (crank case pressurized). This was from just a 5min drive around the block. That's a lot of blow by.
If anybody has a particular brand/manufacturer that they'd like to recommend for pistons and rods, then I'd appreciate hearing about it.
Again thanks for this discussion, you guys are the best
James
Cossy sway bar, Powerflex, Dynalites, Focus SVT rotors,Koni yellow sleeve over 8"x300lb/in springs,Scorch bumper cover, 17x7.5x40mm Binno wheels, 225/45-17 Kumho 712 tires
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Re: Help with head gasket
Oh and yes the head was magnafluxed and pressure tested so we're good there.
Fuel filter is a good suggestion, I'll do that too.
I'll also try removing the breather cap and let that vent to atmosphere too and see if that helps. I think I've got enough evidence to suggests what's wrong but more data is always a good thing.
I think this also explains why I've gone through 2 head gaskets in a couple thousand miles
Thanks to all
James
Fuel filter is a good suggestion, I'll do that too.
I'll also try removing the breather cap and let that vent to atmosphere too and see if that helps. I think I've got enough evidence to suggests what's wrong but more data is always a good thing.
I think this also explains why I've gone through 2 head gaskets in a couple thousand miles
Thanks to all
James
Cossy sway bar, Powerflex, Dynalites, Focus SVT rotors,Koni yellow sleeve over 8"x300lb/in springs,Scorch bumper cover, 17x7.5x40mm Binno wheels, 225/45-17 Kumho 712 tires
- andyofcolumbusmerkur
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Re: Help with head gasket
People have sold completely fine Merkurs because they thought the engine was toast, when it only needed the correct PCV. Use the Motorcraft one for sure. The leak down numbers sound good, 20% should be in the "good" range on the gauge.
The best way to keep your Kia from being stolen is to not have a Kia.