Head Gasket Problem

[fsrowsell]

I would like to thank Sparky, Chris(internets) and Governor Dave Freeman for all your help in getting my head gasket off today. Even if everything looked OK with the gasket.

I think Chris and I might have found out what was causing the Mayo on the dip stick

[Andy67]

Felix,good news that it's nothing too serious. Same as Andy(Clements0 I noticed some smoke from your exhaust and thought rings,but also forgot to mention it! Any parts required I might be able to help out with trade discount. That goes for any other members too.

[Dave Freeman]

Not sure this would cause the blue smoke. There maybe 2 problems here.

Blocked crank case breather could cause the smoke.

Need to give it some thought

Dave

[fsrowsell]

Good day, the mystery still goes on as to what was causing my blue smoke under boost and Mayo in my Oil

[andydclements]

Has the car been standing for a while to alow condensation in the crankcase?

[Dave Freeman]

If the crankcase was fully blocked the perhaps this forced the oil back up the pistons and burnt in the chamber. Just thought. Was it fully blocked ? And how much water collected inthe seperator. Could just be a combination my friend sparky would know.

Dave

[lotus4s]

Have you gotten the results from having the head checked? Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see how the oil and water can mix without one of the two systems being compromised. If it's not the head gasket then I'd be leaning towards a crack somewhere either in the head or block.

[jonwat]

Don't forget to check the liner nip.

I had an '85 S3 once where the liners had sunk into the block so the nip had disappeared.

Cheers,

John W

[fsrowsell]

Andy, the car is started every week since I bought the car last November

[sailorbob]

Excessive crankcase pressure can cause the turbo's oil seals to leak. When under boost the crankcase pressure would be considerably higher than normal with a blocked crankcase breather valve.

[Dave Freeman]

Felix, for me it would be worth chancing refitting the head assume skim goes ok and fully perging the seperator. Also the nip. If these are ok then all u have lost in goi g no further is the time (free) and the price of a head set.

The alternative is to strip it right downand check the block and linners. It's tough call. So listing of possibles

head gasket - no evidence

liners - seek advise from sparky

turbo- it's damaged we know(oilseals)

oil breather - you know it was blocked

crankcase - you will need to strip it

anyone for anymore helpful ideas

hope this helps

Felix, just read the oil seperator on the other thread. Sounds likley does it not.

Dave

[Sparky]

Hi guys - been frantic at work this week. Will give this some thought and report back!

Felix, the box bit you need is the cross shaft - A082F6421F, I believe. You'll also need the gearbox rear cover gasket.

Speak soon...

[Dave Freeman]

Felix, just a yet another thought, about 4 months ago megans Porsche was pushing out clouds of white smoke on start up, when giving it a heavy right foot blue smoke. The car had lots of oil sprayed over the engine compartment. Also the oil seperator had loads of mayo in it. The main oil in the engine was however ok.

Ok, it's a Porsche, the oil sump was not contaminated. But everything else seams similar, the cure was a new oil seperator and cleaning the pipes that feed it.

Therefore my comments given on an earlier thread could hold true.

Dave

[Sparky]

Hi guys. Given all that's been found, the requirement for a new turbo, and if the head comes back OK, I think it's a case of checking the nip, cleaning everything out and putting it back together.

Simples!

[Dave Freeman]

Fully agree with that

Dave

[rogerch]

Excuse me guys, but what is the "nip"?

[andydclements]

Nip- it's what you get when you tease a big dog.

OR

It's the amount of the liner that sits above the line of the top of the block which is subsequently nipped by the head being bolted down to the block.

[rogerch]

And thereby held, not to go walk about at 1.4 boost and 7000 RPM? presumably still allowing the head gasket to seal keeping water away from oil etc? That might be quite scientific to set up.

[fsrowsell]

Dave, I

[andydclements]

It's a simple matter of acurately measuring the protrusion and comparing it against the spec that Lotus tell us. Simple for us, don't even want to comprehend how they determined the correct figure.

[Dave Freeman]

Have you ordered your turbo yet. Consider the size you get against your new chip. I know bibs runs a bigger turbo to make better use of the chip.

However, a new turbo wil make a Hugh difference, almost jealious.

So when are your bits arriving, when do you need help, guess it depends a bit on sparky and chris.

All the best

Dave

[Bibs]

My turbo is a stock Lotus unit, bought from Lotus about 12 months ago

[fsrowsell]

Dave, my bits should arive tomorrow... So, I'm hoping maybe Sunday to go at it again. That's if Sparky is up to it. Right now I'm having a hell of a time trying to get the studs out of the manifold. I cut the nuts of in order to get the turbo of. I order S/S studs and nuts to replace the once that were on there. I was checking out the turbo's at Turbo technics. Not a bad price... The turbo might have to want a little longer... I'm all ready into 500 quid so far....

Felix

[Sparky]

Hi guys. Sorry but it's my daughter's birthday on Sunday so I can't get away! However, doing my bit to save the airline thereafter and going onto a 4-day week, so should have a bit more time.

Felix - I can manage an evening or two next week, maybe?

[Bibs]

I was checking out the turbo's at Turbo technics. Not a bad price...

There's a very long and involved thread on here called 'Turbo Options' which will explain that most of the 'upgrades' offered can't substantiate any of their claims with facts. Turbo Technics didn't have any details and wouldn't return phone calls enquiring as to the qualities of their units. Apparently only the MD knows the specs and he's never written anything down but since he only works 18 hours/day he's too busy to talk to customers. I avoided that option as it seemed to be a waste of money to spend anything there!