Okay here it goes so I went to get my haircut. When I left I was just cruising down the road out of boost and the car dies all gauges I have read good A/F, Oil Press., temp gauge. and lose power steering and ABS, I look back and looks like a white smoke bomb out the back and Then I knew It wasn't starting again so I had to get it towed $52 big waste of money. But heres where I stand now I'm pretty low on cash and Im pretty sure its the head gasket by the white smoke Heres what I need help with whats the cheapest way to diagnose and fix my problem! thanks guys I tried with the punctuation but probably isn't right also on a sidenote when I try to crank now theres no oil press. what does that mean exactly? I'm a noob when it comes to engine building only thing I've ever rebuilt would be lawn mower engines in school?

 

You can do a few things. Is their oil in coolant, coolant in oil, gas in oil, metal in oil, etc. Buy a cheap compression guage or better, a leakdown guage, and run the test. Either will tell you if you have a compression problem, the leakdown will tell you precisely what the problem is.

 

Before you do anything...double check the torque on the head bolts...they should be around 70 ft lbs IIRC.

If that checks out ok, do a leak down test with the radiator cap off,and see if air comes out of the radiator.


Has the car been overheating lately?


Tony

 

no the car has never overheated since ive owned it

 

wheres the cheapest place to get apr head studs and an oem headgasket,

 

Like I said, just double check the torque on the head bolts... it's not going to cost much in terms of time or tools.

 

I will for sure check that what does it mean if they arent that????

 

pull your plugs and see what they look like. that will tell you a lot. also check your timing belt, by all of the sudden just dieing while cruiseing and now no oil pressure while cranking, you could have just snaped the timing belt. and thats an easy and cheap fix. but FIND OUT WHATS WRONG BEFORE BUYING ANYTHING! you dont need to waste money on stuff that doesnt need replacing.

 

If it's not the torque on the head bolts, you are going to need to perform a leak down test.

Basically what that is, pressurize the individual cylinders with compressed air (make sure the valves are closed and the piston is at TDC) and see where the air leaks out of. You can buy a leak down tester at Harbor Freight stores for about $40. You are going to need an air compressor for this though.


Tony

 

I just re-read your original post...the thing about the oil pressure is that it's going to be difficult to build a whole lot of pressure by just cranking the engine.

Where is the oil pressure at idle?


Tony

 

the oil pressure at idle was like 25??? but when i was messing with cranking settings for MS it built oil pressure and wouldnt start

 

UPDATE I went out to try to start it and what do you know it started right up???? WTF is goin on?? why would I have a smoke screen of white smoke behind my car and it stall and not start again??? the only thing i noticed when checking the oil and coolant was that it was a little low but not really do I have a leaky HG it seems to idle fine no smoke or leaks or smells what should I do???

 

check your god damn spark plugs

 

I will tell you how they look as soon as I get a chance to go out there and pull them

 

Hmmm...

 

Remember how you threw those cheapy spark plugs in?

 

no no i replaced them with NGK's

 

Hey craig, you only have Honda studs listed on your site. Just looked. What's your price?

 

okay so I pulled the plugs and well in a handbasket there white??? and the bottom of the threads are black??? Really lean Im guessing or coolant contamination?

 

Here's a thought. Do everything you've been told. Do a compression or leakdown tests. If you can't read plugs post pics of them. OMG, you've been given good advice so far your just ignoring half of it.