Changing my head gasket, me asking for your help while doing this

Doat

Active Member
Feb 6, 2012
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Houston, TX
The longer video finally finished uploading that recorded the car idling weird for a second. I really hope I don't have to drill and tap it lol.
At around 1:43 is when the car starts to idle weirdly.
 

Doat

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Feb 6, 2012
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A friend of mine who used to work on this car when the previous owner had it told me it sounds like a definite exhaust leak as well. At least it's not a rod knock I would be pissed if after all of the work I did on this motor and it runs beautifully for awhile then starts knocking. I will try tightening the exhaust studs since I forgot to use my friend's torque wrench on them, hopefully that will stop it.
 

wardog

R.G.V WARDOG
Jan 19, 2006
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It its defenately an exhaust leak more than likely on the manifold or downpipe gasket. Easy fix and the light ticking is the injectors, mine are loud too. Im concerned with the knocking noise i heard on the video at idle, it comes and goes. Take the car out for a drive 10-15 minute and come back to your drive way. Now put the parking brake on, tranny in neutral and SLOWLY START REVING THE CAR SLOWLY TO 3000-3500 AND LISTEN FOR KNOCKING NOISES GETTING LOUDER. KNOckin not ticking if you start hearing knocking as it gets around 3000 you are on your way to a rod knock. You can easily change the rod bearing by dropping the pan but lets not get ahead of ourselves. Let me know what you find out and if you can make a small video the camera maybe under the car by driver door while doing this test would be alot of help.
 

Doat

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Feb 6, 2012
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I haven't had a valve adjustment I did lap the valve seats though.


I didn't hear a knocking sound when I revved the engine just the ticking and I've done that 3k-3500 test multiple times as well as driven it around the neighborhood and it sounds and drives normal except for that very light ticking. my 88 MK3 that I first had a few years ago had a rod knock so I am well familiar with how that sounds lol and I have read up and watched a lot of videos about rod knocks when I bought this MK3 as well just so I can avoid it and this sounds like a ticking not a knocking.


I am running Rotella 15w-40 because I've seen countless threads on here and SF with a lot of people running that oil on 7Ms at stock as well. I checked my oil level earlier today and it is still a little above the full mark just under the F on the stick, so I don't think it's oil starvation.
 

jonahs_supra

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May 17, 2011
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Lancaster, Ohio, United States
you dont understand
your oiling system is low pressure high volume
meaning it doesnt want pressure it wants as much oil running through it as it can have(volume)
with running thicker oil your making the pump work harder cause the oil is harder to push through the system since your using 15w40
its like comparing a milkshake and water
which 1 is going to be sucked through a straw faster? and require less sucking?

only reason i could see running such a thick oil is your clearances are out of specs and you just buying some time til a rebuild is done
 

Doat

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Feb 6, 2012
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Ahhhh I understand now I will switch back to 10W-30 asap then. Thanks for clearing that up and not being an asshole about it like SF would have been :D
 

Doat

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Feb 6, 2012
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I tightened the exhaust manifold and the sound lessened and so I decided to drive the car down to my friend's beach house in Galveston, TX about an hour and a half drive or so over 160 miles round trip and the car did not miss a beat, still boosted quickly and strong temperature stayed steady below halfway the only problem is my AC not working due to no freon lol. Houston or Texas heat in a car with no AC is hell I just came home and I am soaked in sweat. That was my ultimate test to see how well of a job I did replacing the head gasket and I think it is safe to say mission successful. Now to just finish the exhaust leak, change the oil, fix the AC, replace the tint, get an alarm with remote start/kill, and then work my way up to putting in a 1 or 2jz and repainting the car pearl white.
 

jonahs_supra

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May 17, 2011
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Doat;1871122 said:
I tightened the exhaust manifold and the sound lessened and so I decided to drive the car down to my friend's beach house in Galveston, TX about an hour and a half drive or so over 160 miles round trip and the car did not miss a beat, still boosted quickly and strong temperature stayed steady below halfway the only problem is my AC not working due to no freon lol. Houston or Texas heat in a car with no AC is hell I just came home and I am soaked in sweat. That was my ultimate test to see how well of a job I did replacing the head gasket and I think it is safe to say mission successful. Now to just finish the exhaust leak, change the oil, fix the AC, replace the tint, get an alarm with remote start/kill, and then work my way up to putting in a 1 or 2jz and repainting the car pearl white.

JZ swaps equals fail haha j/p

umm just so you no the factory alarm(if it works) disables starter if alarm is set off
 

jonahs_supra

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May 17, 2011
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theres a way to bypass factory alarm to
i had the thread saved in my favorites but cant find it now

IIRC its as simple as removing Theft Deterent Module(mounted on driver side by steering column) and grounding 1 wire
thats a way to rid you of faulty alarm issues...which i had on my 87 lol

or you could be lucky like me. lock doors on your car when you just brought it home...found out that both door lock cylinders are seized up :)
but lucky enough to have left the hatch open...so i crawled in and opened the door and boom instant alarm haha
still dont remember how i reset it without the door lock cylinders working lol
 

Doat

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Feb 6, 2012
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Houston, TX
Hahaah wow, how did your locks seize up? I am thinking about changing the locks so I don't have to use 2 keys but I assume I had to go to the dealer for that?