Ivan280zt Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 First the specs: unknown condition f54 bottom end, my good p90, metal 1mm head gasket with copper spray on both sides, and ARP head studs torqued to 65 pounds. Here is the story. I just got my motor running and afther about 15min of idleing and one quick ride around block (no boost 3k shifts) i pulled in garage and noticed that its smoking from exhaust much more than usually ( compering to old motor). I figure its because of map on haltech (wayyyy to rich) but i remembared that it only really smoked when i was WOT and not that much at idle. So me and buddy go and check the compression and its about 140 all across. Its same as when i did the test before i started the motor for the first time. When i looked at my dipstick there was nice coat of antifreeze in oil so now i am really wondering where its mixing water with oil. I will be doing leak down test on motor and coolant system tomorow but if the motor comes out to be okay where could there be problem. Buddy of mine told me that its not unusual for water to mix somwhere at timing cover because there is water pasage very close to oil pasage and i only used copper spray on that gasket and no sealant. So my question is has this happed to anyone before and what can i do about it. Option of burnning the whole damn car fell through afther one beear on empty stomach . I am open for suggestions. Ps. i really was't to happy about using metal head gasket to begin with. Ivan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evildky Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 I'v never had taht happen but your water pump mounts to the timing cover, and has a port on each side where it enters and exit's the block, so if you skipped the gasket then you might have antifreeze leaking right into the tining chain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan280zt Posted July 26, 2004 Author Share Posted July 26, 2004 Wow that was quick . I am pretty sure that its not coming anywhere near water pump because i am using front cover from my old motor and water pump never came off it. That same front cover and water pump never gave me problems on old motor but however i did not put my old motor together by myself LOL. Ivan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 retorque the headgasket, and try again! And I bet now you learn why people like me don't put anti-freeze in until after break-in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 I've had problems in the past also with my metal head gasket/copper coat leaking. I was told by a mechanic once that copper coat isn't good to use where fluids will be present. So when I pulled mine apart after the leak, I cleaned it up with laquer thinner, then sprayed it with silver paint, let it tack, then sprayed it again and put it all together. No more leaks since using that method, and I'm on my third motor with no leaks. I'm not saying copper coat isn't any good, just saying I will never use it again, except on the exhaust side.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan280zt Posted July 26, 2004 Author Share Posted July 26, 2004 Thanks for quick replys guys. So should i ever bother doing leak down test on motor and coolant system or should i get bussy with head gasket? How much did you guys torque your metal head gaskets too? J. Soileau 74260zt Did you use just regular silver paint from auto store and whats the exact process that you used when appying paint if you dont mind telling me. Thanks, Ivan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 J. Soileau 74260zt Did you use just regular silver paint from auto store and whats the exact process that you used when appying paint if you dont mind telling me. Thanks' date=' Ivan[/quote'] Ivan, I can't remember what the recommended torque specs were, I just did what it recommended in the arp directions. As far as the paint, I used the auto parts store high heat silver engine paint, because I had read that also in the "How To Modify" book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluto Posted July 26, 2004 Share Posted July 26, 2004 Ugg Ivan.. Hope this gets resolved easily.. Good thing you saw the smoke/checked the dipstick quickly. I just finished putting a clutch in my brothers car (fuggin honda) and we are all moved into our new workspace (20x42 with power) so I will be back to full throttle on the Z shortly.. only thing slowing me up now is lighting and an air compressor which are minor things really.. Oh, and the other job which I quit the other day So.. I know this is getting to be a broken record, but.. I should be up and running by next week with the new motor. Just have to try not to let the growing motorcycle collection (the GPz1100 week before last and a kawa 500 triple next week) slow me down anymore than it already has.. give me a call sometime.. Are you all moved into your cousins now? we can hook up and I can get you the rest of the loot for the manifolds.. the header looks much nicer all ported up.. hehe A 2" spacer/adapter should be made soon so I can run the t3 on it till I'm able to get a larger turbo. Blah.. didnt mean to ramble quite so much but I havent talked to ya in awhile.. If you can you should swing down, youll be able to check out the 510.. kind of inspiring with the vg sitting next to it. anyway, Talk to ya later.. Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan280zt Posted July 29, 2004 Author Share Posted July 29, 2004 Update Lets go from beggining. I took the front cover off day or two ago and i found out that front cover gasket was on there nice and tight and there was no evidence of any kinda of leak. Tonight i went to take my head off because i am replacing metal headgasket with stock nissan one tomorow because i just wasnt too excited about it and i also had to take the head off just to see if any of cylinder walls have gone south . So i started taking my intake manifold and in the back i have all my vacum lines hooked up (i have sheet metal intake manifold from James T.) and as i took my first one off (bottom one facing firewall) WATER starts coming out. My first tought was WTF is this crap i dont have a single thing attached to the intake manifold that has water going through it . Well once i got the both manifolds off head came off. Looking from the top headgasket looked just fine no traces of any leakage so at this time i am really getting woried. First thing that i noticed is that 1-5 pistons are nice and black while #6 is clean as brand new. So now i am was really stuned. At #6 cylinder there is major water pasage and #6 is the only one thats clean so next thing was off course go and take headgasket off. Thats when things got very interesting. When i pulled it off there was nice dark spot going from #6 cylinder to water passage so there was where my water and oil were mixing. Man i really dont like this damn metal gaskets. I took my head and block to maching shop to get deck checked both came out good. Then i sprayed both sides of gasket with coper spray (nice and thick) and on top off that i used ARP head studs and crap still leaked. When my headgasket comes in tomorow i am going to put that thing in with stock head bolts for now and if for some reason that thing is still leaking (hey you never know ) i am going to get new motor (as soon as i win lottery lol). Thanks for helping out guys. Sam Whats up lazy bum . Man i am loving that size for new work space. Yeah two jobs suck but have to get one more this friday . Yeah i am staying with my cousing and its tight man i have whole basement to myself (ok and siberiang sp husky lol). Yeah i definitelly want to see that header now it should look nice once you get it all wraped up too. If i get my car running within coulple of days i will most likely swing down to your place to see if i have any long distance realiability lol (note to myself get numbers for towing companies outside of Chicago). I will give you call when i get ready to head out that way. Ivan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody 82 ZXT Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 If you ask me the stock headgasket is the best if the deck surfaces are flat. I had a metal H.G. and it leaked right off the bat. Changed over to a stock H.G. and no proublem since. Why not use the ARP hardware again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wigenOut-S30 Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 Ivan, I sure hope that fixes the problem..that sucks to have soo much trouble with new parts.. Let me know how the long distance trip goes. Also let me know when you might be coming down.. I think we are having the Pat Peck nissan meet in october or something.. maby you could come down at the same time that is going on.. Good luck dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan280zt Posted July 29, 2004 Author Share Posted July 29, 2004 Cody I will be running stock turbo for while and i just like the way that stock bolts go in and i dont like tightning ARP's too much. I will put them on my next motor. Gabe Yeah i hope so but i was planning to come back home around that time so will see . Ivan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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