smoking mr2 part 2

[balactm]

alright, here's an update to the smoking mr2 problem. if you haven't heard, it's putting out a lot of white smoke, and i got it compression checked, and it tested fine. so does that mean theres no crack in the block?

[.RJ]

what were the compression numbers? if the head gasket is popped the numbers will be low where the gasket has failed. If the head is cracked, compression will be normal though.

[balactm]

i had the head checked when it was milled. and i replaced the head gasket. my dad checked compression in all four cylinders and said it was great.

[BLINGMW]

well... are you going to do the leakdown and cooling system pressure tests as recommended?

[jongp3]

Lets be brutally honest here, I read your last thread and it lacked alot of info that people kept asking for.
First, don't think for a second that just because you redid your your head gasket that it is done right. Sure you had your head checked, but was the shop who checked it actually know what to look for? Did they actually check it? It took me a long time to find a machine shop I trust because most of them just don't give a shit about Import engines because they really do have "tighter" specs and less leeway on tallerences.
Second, you finally did a compression test yet all you said is my dad did it, and its "fine". Well no offensive but does you dad happen to know what pressures your motor should have? Post up the number for each cylinder so we know exactly what PSI they have, and then we can most likely tell you if its to low or if it actually is fine.
All signs are pointing to a blown head gasket, we know you replaced it, again that doesn't mean it was done right or that it actually sealed. There is a reason it went the first time. It may have not been a problem with the head. In order to really know what is going on, do these things:

Post the compression numbers
Do a leak down test, post the results

If all that checks out then its possible that the cooling system is building pressure and pushing coolant into your cylinders. In order to determine this you would need to preform a Cooling System Pressure test. If your cooling system can't hold pressure and you don't have any coolant leaks then you can probably guess where the coolant is going.

So hopefully you will take this(our) advise and post up some useful information for us to actually help you out. Right now we are going in circles with you.

[NTIman]

Also, was the compression test done while the engine was warmed up or while cold? compression leaks will sometimes only show up after everything has expanded.

[D_Eclipse9916]

was the throttle WOT?

[balactm]

Lets be brutally honest here, I read your last thread and it lacked alot of info that people kept asking for.

First, chill. Second, I'm sorry to anyone that wasn't getting "alot of info" that was needed. If you could tell me specifically how it was frustrating to YOU, please let me know.

Sure you had your head checked, but was the shop who checked it actually know what to look for? Did they actually check it? It took me a long time to find a machine shop I trust because most of them just don't give a shit about Import engines because they really do have "tighter" specs and less leeway on tallerences.

Actually I went to a shop that specialized in import engines.

Second, you finally did a compression test yet all you said is my dad did it, and its "fine". Well no offensive but does you dad happen to know what pressures your motor should have?

I never said anything about the pressures being fine. All I said was that my dad told me that it was ok. I never said my dad was a mechanical genius, but he's also not incapable.

Post up the number for each cylinder so we know exactly what PSI they have, and then we can most likely tell you if its to low or if it actually is fine.

I'll do that as soon as I get the numbers. Just a question though, if you saw all the numbers on here would you know exactly what they meant or would you have to do some research to make them make sense?

All signs are pointing to a blown head gasket, we know you replaced it, again that doesn't mean it was done right or that it actually sealed. There is a reason it went the first time. It may have not been a problem with the head.

Obviously there is a reason it went the first time, I'm not doubting you on that. It has 168000 miles; shit's gonna happen.

In order to really know what is going on, do these things:

Post the compression numbers
Do a leak down test, post the results

It's semi-hard to do this stuff when I'm two hours away from my car.

If all that checks out then its possible that the cooling system is building pressure and pushing coolant into your cylinders. In order to determine this you would need to preform a Cooling System Pressure test. If your cooling system can't hold pressure and you don't have any coolant leaks then you can probably guess where the coolant is going.

To be brutally honest, this is the only useful information you've given me. I wasn't looking for someone to tell me all the faults that me and my dad have, I was merely looking to see if anyone could possibly help me or give me ideas as to where to start when I go back. Telling me stuff that someone has already posted doesn't fall under the category of helpful...it's just annoying.

So hopefully you will take this(our) advise and post up some useful information for us to actually help you out. Right now we are going in circles with you.

What do you mean our? This is mostly you getting frustrated and taking out your anger through a forum. The only useful information you gave me was when you weren't bashing me.
You're not doing circles anywhere. If I had a bunch of people come help me somewhere and then told them all to go back, that would almost be doing circles. YOU aren't doing anything but saying what other people have said. I'll try and get some numbers up as soon as I can, and I'll try and get some of those tests done; however, when you live two hours away and your dad is a full time lawyer working 60 hours in a span of 5 days, then it's a little hard to ask him to part with the very little time he does have with his family to do all these tests on a car that isn't actually his...

was the throttle WOT?

I'm not sure what this means...

Also, was the compression test done while the engine was warmed up or while cold? compression leaks will sometimes only show up after everything has expanded.

My dad said something about doing the test again, although at the time, I had to go to class and didn't get all of what he said...

[.RJ]

was the throttle WOT?

I'm not sure what this means...

Was the throttle held wide open when the test was done? This should be done to ensure the most repeatable results - but if you had a popped head gasket you should see numbers low on 1 or 2 cylinders, regardless of whether the loud pedal was held down.

I'd go with a cooling system pressure test next. When the head gasket failed the first time, was there any evidence on the old gasket that it had popped, or just the burning coolant?

[balactm]

To be honest I have no idea what my dad did when he did the test. And, no it was just the burning coolant and the mechanic that told me it was the gasket.

[jongp3]

Lets be brutally honest here, I read your last thread and it lacked alot of info that people kept asking for.

First, chill. Second, I'm sorry to anyone that wasn't getting "alot of info" that was needed. If you could tell me specifically how it was frustrating to YOU, please let me know.

Sure you had your head checked, but was the shop who checked it actually know what to look for? Did they actually check it? It took me a long time to find a machine shop I trust because most of them just don't give a shit about Import engines because they really do have "tighter" specs and less leeway on tallerences.

Actually I went to a shop that specialized in import engines.

Second, you finally did a compression test yet all you said is my dad did it, and its "fine". Well no offensive but does you dad happen to know what pressures your motor should have?

I never said anything about the pressures being fine. All I said was that my dad told me that it was ok. I never said my dad was a mechanical genius, but he's also not incapable.

Post up the number for each cylinder so we know exactly what PSI they have, and then we can most likely tell you if its to low or if it actually is fine.

I'll do that as soon as I get the numbers. Just a question though, if you saw all the numbers on here would you know exactly what they meant or would you have to do some research to make them make sense?

All signs are pointing to a blown head gasket, we know you replaced it, again that doesn't mean it was done right or that it actually sealed. There is a reason it went the first time. It may have not been a problem with the head.

Obviously there is a reason it went the first time, I'm not doubting you on that. It has 168000 miles; shit's gonna happen.

In order to really know what is going on, do these things:

Post the compression numbers
Do a leak down test, post the results

It's semi-hard to do this stuff when I'm two hours away from my car.

If all that checks out then its possible that the cooling system is building pressure and pushing coolant into your cylinders. In order to determine this you would need to preform a Cooling System Pressure test. If your cooling system can't hold pressure and you don't have any coolant leaks then you can probably guess where the coolant is going.

To be brutally honest, this is the only useful information you've given me. I wasn't looking for someone to tell me all the faults that me and my dad have, I was merely looking to see if anyone could possibly help me or give me ideas as to where to start when I go back. Telling me stuff that someone has already posted doesn't fall under the category of helpful...it's just annoying.

So hopefully you will take this(our) advise and post up some useful information for us to actually help you out. Right now we are going in circles with you.

What do you mean our? This is mostly you getting frustrated and taking out your anger through a forum. The only useful information you gave me was when you weren't bashing me.
You're not doing circles anywhere. If I had a bunch of people come help me somewhere and then told them all to go back, that would almost be doing circles. YOU aren't doing anything but saying what other people have said. I'll try and get some numbers up as soon as I can, and I'll try and get some of those tests done; however, when you live two hours away and your dad is a full time lawyer working 60 hours in a span of 5 days, then it's a little hard to ask him to part with the very little time he does have with his family to do all these tests on a car that isn't actually his...

was the throttle WOT?

I'm not sure what this means...

Also, was the compression test done while the engine was warmed up or while cold? compression leaks will sometimes only show up after everything has expanded.

My dad said something about doing the test again, although at the time, I had to go to class and didn't get all of what he said...

BASH BASH BASH, If you think i was bashing you your mistaken, just to bored at work. I repeated everything because you weren't accurately answer peoples questions or providing acknowledgments. Instead you made a new thread asking the same thing :?: I just wanted to cover all the bases in one reply, sorry if you took offensive to that.
Really the main thing is this, when you are trying to troubleshoot something its always best you provide all the details of the situation. You were being very vague in your responses and it wasn't helping us help you. Was I frustrated hell yes, why? because i can be :twisted:
I think you have a good idea of what to check for now. So go do it :thumbup:

Some pointers, if your numbers look all the same across all the cylinders that is good. If one cylinder reads lower then the rest then you found your problem cylinder. I don't know what your exact pressures should be but it can always vary depending on miles, compression ratio, etc. Main thing is you want them all the about the same.

[ViPER1313]

First off, is there any coolant in the oil (it will look like a milkshake.) I would start looking for other causes for the smoke other than the headgasket. A spark plug will not have black soot all over it if coolant is leaking into the cylinder - it will look like it has been steam cleaned.

-Burning oil. I have seen synthetic oils burn almost pure white.
-Brake booster alright? Leaks between the master cylinder and booster housing can suck brake fluid into the intake (and it burns white.)
-Coolant passages in the intake manifold. Does the car have a throttle body coolant passage? Is the gasket between the throttle body and intake alright?

[jongp3]

First off, is there any coolant in the oil (it will look like a milkshake.) I would start looking for other causes for the smoke other than the headgasket. A spark plug will not have black soot all over it if coolant is leaking into the cylinder - it will look like it has been steam cleaned.

-Burning oil. I have seen synthetic oils burn almost pure white.
-Brake booster alright? Leaks between the master cylinder and booster housing can suck brake fluid into the intake (and it burns white.)
-Coolant passages in the intake manifold. Does the car have a throttle body coolant passage? Is the gasket between the throttle body and intake alright?

He brings up a good point that i missed about those plugs, they shouldn't be black. Any chance you can run the car for a few minutes and snap some pics of the plugs after?

[balactm]

I'm actually going back home on tuesday and i'm definitely gonna work on the car. So, once i get the numbers and am able to run some more tests i'll post again and see what you guys have to say. thanks for all the pointers