Blown head gasket??

[Tinster]

How do you diagnose a blown head gasket?

I finished getting the Crypt Car's new fuel lines
installed, down off jack stands and the engine fired
right up after the I primed the new fuel pump.

A new sound is present that was not there before.
Kinda like something huffing and puffing. I shut the
engine off immediately.

Anyone have any ideas?

thanks,

d

 

[tomshobby]

Did you look in the rear view mirror? Maybe Wendy was trying to catch you! (Sorry, couldn't help myself)

You can do a compression check. It would not hurt anything and might provide answers. Usually the leak would be between two cylinders which would both read low. Sometimes the leak would be into the water jacket and would make bubbles in the coolant usually noticeable in the radiator tank.

But, before jumping to conclusions maybe it would be better for you to give a better description of what you have been doing and more about the symptoms leading to this conclusion. Could be the new fuel pump.

 

[trfourtune]

check for water in the oil or oil in the water.do the compression check as recommended and bubbling in the rad (rad cap off with cold motor). huffing is usually intake or exhaust leaks but you never know.
Rob

 

[austin10_4]

the easiest way to test is to ground the spark plugs. Using a RUBBER handle screwdriver, place one metal end on the top of the spark plug, and then earth it to the engine block. Do this on all the sparks. If when you earth the spark plug, the engine dies or starts dying that cylinder head is ok, but if you get one where the engine is not affected, the gasket will have blown there.

 

[vettedog72]

Did you eliminate the possibility that the sound is coming from the new fuel pump?

 

[TR6oldtimer]

Uh, blown head gasket? Unlikely. You need to check the parts you changed. As as mention previously that would be the fuel pump. As I recall it is possible to install the fuel pump lever under the cam lobe. Which would make strange noises.

 

[kodanja]

I agree /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif

 

[angelfj1]

Dale: Don't jump to conclusions, at least not yet. About 4 years ago I was having chronic over-heating problems with the TR-250. I did a compression test, nothing unusual. But I was losing water at an alarming rate. Poped off the head and Bob's your uncle. Small failure between cylinders 5 and 6. Fairly easy repair, but before you take this on make sure that's your problem.

By the way, you really have experience an unusual number of problems. Have you considered contacting a Catholic priest concerning the rites of exorcism. You should have no problem finding someone willing considering that the island is 99.999 percent Catholic. For a small stipend, they may be able to make all of your problems disappear. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/yesnod.gif

 

[AweMan]

Uh, blown head gasket? Unlikely. You need to check the parts you changed. As as mention previously that would be the fuel pump. As I recall it is possible to install the fuel pump lever under the cam lobe. Which would make strange noises.

Would it still pump fuel instaled this way?
How could a head gasket blow, sitting on jack stands?
But yea, look for bubbles in the radiator, water {foam} in the oil, Remove the spark plugs and if you have a real clean one its a good sign that coolant is getting into that cylinder or cylinders. Do a compression test as mentioned before.
Check to ensure that a vacume source isn`t open {PCV Hose} and other vacume hoses.
Is the "Huffing and Puffing" you hear coming out of the exaust pipe in the rear of the car or is it under the bonnet {In the engine compartment} where you hear it?
My .02 Cents worth!
Kerry

 

[kodanja]

 

[PeterK]

It's the sound of your local Miata dealer calling to you to go over to the dark side.

 

[Guest]

Dude! Don't do that! Scared the shucks out of me!!!

 

[TR6oldtimer]

If you lived in Santa Cruz, you would be used to them...

 

[Guest]

What, Miatas?

 

[AltaKnight]

Dale.....
Are you a hypochondriac?
If it's running normaly just drive it; you've got almost a whole new TR6 stashed in your trunk in case anything happens.

 

[RonMacPherson]

1st thing is to recheck the pump mounting. Make sure the lever on the pump is pressing against the lobe, not caught uner it.

Then I would be curious as to intake/exhaust manifold gasket leaks/noises.

 

[austin10_4]

funnily enough, i had a problem with a fuel pump not long ago.

I thought i should replace the fuel pump seeing as the priming lever had snapped off and i might need it in an emergency!
SO anyway, i ordered a genuine like for like replacement part but no matter what i did i could not get the cam to hit the pump lever in any place, rendering it useless and the engine coming to a halt /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif never mind eh!

 

[Guest]

Dale, betcha it's your new fuel pump. It's pretty hard to install one wrong. Is yours County brand? (Indian) or is it made in Taiwan. Try to get the good one made to the exact AC specs, they are made in Italy and work as good as the original. I just installed one and it works very well. Also, I still find this awfully curious that your fittings into and out of the pump are not threaded/compression fittings, with the little brass compression sleeve sliding over the metal gas lines (two sizes, 1/4" & 5/16") and compressed with the proper compression nut.

 

[martx-5]

It's the sound of your local Miata dealer calling to you to go over to the dark side.

Please don't get a Miata Dale. The guys over on the Miata Forum (myself included) aren't ready for all of the problems that you seem to come up with. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif

Yes, I own a Miata... <span style='font-size: 14pt'>What's wrong with that? </span>

 

[Tinster]

Wow! Thanks for all the advice. Here's an update.

Bill- Pedro's fittings were metric threads and when I
installed the replacement pump on the side of the road;
I cross threaded the 1/2" diameter American threads.
Therefore the teflon tape needed to get me home. I had
the pump rebored and rethreaded as you see it in the photo.
There are no more copper pipes anywhere. All SS braided gas
lines or braided fabric gas lines.

Compression good and constant. No oil in radiator.

1. I noticed the ignition light stayed lit- a loose fan
belt that I tightened. Loose, it might have made a noise.

2. The new noise was mostly coming from the top of the
engine as well as wispy puffs of smoke were visible-
Checked oil level and added a quart. Smoke was coming from
valve cover breather pipe where I have not yet reinstalled
the hose to the air cleaner box. Valve clatter went back to
normal with more oil added.

3. I know I bumped the dizzy installing the new fuel pump.
I timed the car by ear on the side of the road. Got out the
timing light to check. Timing at 5 degrees and I moved it to
16 degrees. The idle settled down a bit but still high at
1,200 rpms.

4. the new fuel pump and fuel lines seem to be functionng
properly.

So maybe the odd noises were a combination of many small
items that needed fine tuning? I may tighten the lug nuts
and attempt a drive around the block tomorrow.

And yes, I am paranoid about this car developing new
problems. That has clearly been it's historic facts
of life.

Thanks one and all. The saga continues. I don't care for
Miata looks very much. They are a common car here like
BMWs...... that I also would not own..

dale