Blew my head gasket
 

Im blowing out white smoke once in awhile from my tail pipe so i stopped driving my 91 turbo. Im wondering if there are any head gasket kits you would recommend for a turbo. im planning on pushing 8 to 10 psi when everything is said and done. Also Im worried about the timing belt I dont think i have the tools to do it. Does anyone have a good walk through of how to do the head gasket and timing belt?

Thanks -Brian

1st you have to tell us if you have a 1.6 or 1.8 but either way here

Let me google that for you

oh right sorry its the 1.6

FM sells a fancy metal head gasket, though I don't see any issue with the OEM unit. When I replaced mine last year (due to an oil leak in the back) I used another stocker.

What tools do you believe you are missing to do the timing belt? Off the top of my head, apart from the usual socket set, you need:
1- Pliers (to remove tensioning spring).
2- Breaker bar (or 1/2 drive wrench & a piece of pipe) to remove crank pulley.
3- Torque wrench accurate to 125 ft/lbs.
4- A bit of white-out (or nail polish, etc) to mark belt.
5- A set of open-end wrenches or vise-grips is useful to hold the wrestle the cams into position.

IMO, the best tutorial is the factory service manual. The only deviation I make is that instead of the special tool to lock the crank in place, just put the transmission in 5'th and set the handbrake hard.

Thanks for the input. I thought i might need a timing light to see if its set correctly.

You certain its water and not oil smoke? Does the smoke disipate fast or carries/lingers? Any other symptoms--rough cold start followed by puff of smoke, spark plug condition, over heating, etc?

no over heating no milky oil no roungh running no loss of power just once in awhile there is a huge cloud of smoke when im at a stop light its forsure coming out of the tail pipe and is white i thought it could be trans fluid but how could i burn tran fluid with a manual?

Rings.

He'll also need a 12 point 14mm socket I think.

Well, yeah. And a big one for the main bolt. Like I said, "apart from the usual socket set."

The documentation:
http://img40.picoodle.com/img/img40/...1m_a963d5f.gif

http://img40.picoodle.com/img/img40/...2m_11c8813.gif

http://img40.picoodle.com/img/img40/...3m_35062c5.gif

http://img38.picoodle.com/img/img38/...4m_bafa38c.gif

http://img32.picoodle.com/img/img32/...1m_b32517e.gif

http://img36.picoodle.com/img/img36/...2m_266a9a7.gif

http://img36.picoodle.com/img/img36/...3m_bc7394b.gif

http://img40.picoodle.com/img/img40/...4m_3101ecb.gif

Perfect Joe thank you so much this is what i was looking for ill have the computer with me in the garage this week.

BenR, why do you think my rings are bad? and if im in there replacing the head gasket should i replace the rings as well?

Thanks -Brian

if your going to take off the head, get it resurfaced.

i have a brand new HKS 2mm head gasket if you want to buy it.

brings your compression down to 9.0:1

what does resurfacing the head do? what is the gasket made of? how much will the lower compression effect my engine?

Thanks-Brian

Stock head gaskets are proven to 500+wtq. If you blew it, you're doing something seriously wrong (or seriously right).

Are you really sure you want to try and do a head gasket & timing belt yourself? It's not like changing the oil in the car... if you're asking questions about what resurfacing does, and think that you can replace rings just like that, then I'd make sure I had some sort of mechanic friend with me. To replace your rings, you have to disassemble the bottom end of the motor. My guess would also be rings, as a head gasket will cause white smoke pretty much all the time. Resurfacing the head makes sure it is flat and like new.

yeah it's not that easy.

the stock 1.6 gasket is a graphite, which is not that great.
all the good aftermarket ones are metal.
your suppose to resurface when you remove the head.
might suggest getting new head bolts too.

if your going to do all this work might as well do it right.

like they all said multilayer head gasket and arp head studs well worth the money best change your water pump too seeing how as you need all that stuff off to do it. also change the idler and tensioner pulleys for the timing belt and the spring.

Does the cloud of smoke dissipate quickly like steam or does it linger or carry quite a ways. If it's coolant the smoke will dissipate quickly as its steam, where as if its oil it lingers and also has a bluish tinge to it. Try to be outside the car when it smoke and observe those characteristics.

You may want to do, or have done, a compression leak down testto see if you are losing compression among all cylinders(rings) or just a cylinder or two(possibly just HG).

Ya thats the plan, buy a water pump,timing and head gasket kit. but does anyone know of any decent kits? the gogle kits seem to have a big price jump im not sure which to buy.

I know what you mean my resurfacing the head to insure thar the new gasket doesnt leak because of a scratch or something but ive just never know anyone thats had that done.