Bad headgasket..??

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rn240sx
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Bad headgasket..??

Post by rn240sx »

Block side...
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Head side...
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The problem is that coolant is being forced OUT of the radiator and into the resevior but the coolant is NOT returning back to the radiator and it ONLY happens after a drive… usually after a 2-3 mile solid drive the resevior coolant level will RISE 2 inches… So what the mechanic and others had diagnosed was combustion gas is pressurizing the coolant system to where its being pushed out of the radiator… Which indicates a blown head gasket.. Oil is clean with NO sign of coolant and coolant is green.. Motor does NOT overheat.. This is NOT a turbo motor, only a normal daily driven car…

Took the head off and that is how the gasket looks.. So either I'm blind and can't see the damage or its not a head gasket issue… When we lifted the head off the block… # 2 piston was down all the way due to #1 being at TDC & was sitting under an inch of coolant.. however if i look at the block on exhaust side # 4 piston, i can see a shiny area of where coolant could have been leaking down at one point but dried itself up…

Yet i see no physical damage to this head gasket… Do u see something i don't..??
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Berserker
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Post by Berserker »

I'v had this problem twice, but it was boosted motor. Same thing coolant being pushed out into the reserve. Changed the headgasket, but same problem, only fixed it when I resurfaced the head.
Second time pushed felpro headgasket 600whp+ same issue resurfaced head new gasket and its good.

So to be safe resurface the head new OEM gasket and you should be good.
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schmauster920
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Post by schmauster920 »

There is a common problem, the intake manifold can leak coolant to the #1 runner since the coolant jacket is right there, be sure you have RTV around that water port and make sure the intake manifold bolts are tight!
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rn240sx
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Post by rn240sx »

schmauster920 wrote:There is a common problem, the intake manifold can leak coolant to the #1 runner since the coolant jacket is right there, be sure you have RTV around that water port and make sure the intake manifold bolts are tight!
This is an Altima ... Not a 240 ka, sorry I didn't mention that...
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Post by schmauster920 »

In this picture, right side cylinder, top left coolant passage it looks like there is some darkening right between the cylinder ring and coolant passage, the metal on the cylinder ring also looks fresher than the rest too, thats the most likely spot i can see.
rn240sx wrote:Block side...
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There is also a lot of breaking down of gasket material between the coolant passages and cylinder ring on cylinder #2
rn240sx wrote: Image
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Post by rn240sx »

schmauster920 wrote:.There is also a lot of breaking down of gasket material between the coolant passages and cylinder ring on cylinder #2
Now I did notice that from the new gasket to the old one, cylinders 1-3 coolant passages are blocked off where on the old one, some of the passages are somewhat breaking apart like u said ... How would this be affected by the combustion process if that material between that ring and the actual passage is intact ?
I just don't see how any of the combustion is making its way to the Cooling system judging from the way this gasket looks ... It's one thing to see a lot of physical damage but with this gasket I'm not sure it's the culprit ... I think it may be a warped head instead...
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