Tragedy has struck. ETA head gasket

[18Fiatsandcounting]

My recollection is that, once you open the hood much past the fully open point (straight up and down), you run the risk of the tip (nose) of the hood hitting into the grill. I also vaguely recall that the contours of the hood outer perimeter can scrape against the bodywork near the headlights (don't ask me how I know this....). Personally, I wouldn't chance it. You should have a hood linkage rod and bracket that prevents the hood from opening past the near vertical point.

You know, if I am doing extensive engine work, I just remove the hood. It's much easier and safer with two people, one to hold the hood and one to remove the 4 bolts (2 on each side) holding the hood hinges to the body. I don't recommend doing this while it's windy! You also have to remove that hood hinge gizmo that I talked about, and the easiest way to do this is just remove the bolts that hold the bracket in place. Again, with a helper to hold the hood in place.

I'm describing what I recall on my car, and your setup might vary somewhat, but this should be close.

-Bryan

[JohnMc]

I mark the hood hinge on both sides with Sharpe. That way it can go back into original position without much fuss.
Agree fully that removing the hood is a 2 person job, if you do not want a scrape on the paint.
I have long tube exhaust header so I remove it before pulling the engine but I do pull the head with the intake manifold on.
Just take double the amount of pictures that you think you need. Also bag everything.
I bought a bunch of new nuts from Bolt Depot. Also bought from Midwest Bayless exhaust bronze nuts that were quite a bit longer - though not cheap. Like the looks of them.
I am now really skilled at installing Heli-coils. All on the exhaust side.
If you do not have, get a good torque wrench.

[maluminse]

Ok ready to have your mind blown?

Recap. Bought car in November. Driven 700 miles. Ran beautifully and strong. Hummed like a bee at stops and idle.

But fuel blockage. Fixed clogged filter. So drove a little harder, not that hard.

Little smoke. Lot of smoke.

Took head off today. See if you see an issue.

https://imgur.com/a/qnI7BJM





No. 4? Never fired. Ever. Or barely ever.

Good/bad news is the engine is new. When I cleaned the oil filter mount underneath it was crystal silver. Looked brand new.

The valve here on no. 4? Clean.

But that makes zero sense. How could it be running strong and idling perfect on 3 cylinders? I would think it would be chug chugging.

I dont see a problem with the old head gasket. I have a high performance gasket to replace it.


Also can the crank spin either way? I want to spin it to align to put the head back on. It spins clockwise from the drivers seat?

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Well, maluminse, another way to look at it is that cylinder #4 is running mean and clean, and it's cylinders #1, #2, and #3 that are screwed up...!

I agree that it is immediately obvious when a 4-cylinder engine is running on only 3 cylinders, both in terms of idle roughness as well as driveability. The best test that I know is to remove one spark plug wire at a time. When you remove a plug wire and the engine performance doesn't change, that cylinder is not pulling its weight. Now, that's not to say that even if all 4 cylinders are firing, each of them is 1/4 of the total power output. Some cylinders might not be performing up to their colleagues because of low compression, oil fouling, too hot/cold, bad spark plug/wires, wrong air/fuel mixture, etc.

My guess is that, since your car drove fine, all 4 cylinders are firing. There could be many reasons why cylinder #4 appears cleaner than all the others. One common reason is that cylinder #4 is running hotter and burns off all the carbon deposits, due to the fact that this cylinder is last in line to receive "cool" coolant that has just came from the radiator. So, to add to your list of things to check: coolant and radiator performance.

To answer your question: If you are sitting in the drivers seat and facing forward, the engine spins counterclockwise.

-Bryan

[maluminse]

Well, maluminse, another way to look at it is that cylinder #4 is running mean and clean, and it's cylinders #1, #2, and #3 that are screwed up...!

I agree that it is immediately obvious when a 4-cylinder engine is running on only 3 cylinders, both in terms of idle roughness as well as driveability. The best test that I know is to remove one spark plug wire at a time. When you remove a plug wire and the engine performance doesn't change, that cylinder is not pulling its weight. Now, that's not to say that even if all 4 cylinders are firing, each of them is 1/4 of the total power output. Some cylinders might not be performing up to their colleagues because of low compression, oil fouling, too hot/cold, bad spark plug/wires, wrong air/fuel mixture, etc.

My guess is that, since your car drove fine, all 4 cylinders are firing. There could be many reasons why cylinder #4 appears cleaner than all the others. One common reason is that cylinder #4 is running hotter and burns off all the carbon deposits, due to the fact that this cylinder is last in line to receive "cool" coolant that has just came from the radiator. So, to add to your list of things to check: coolant and radiator performance.

To answer your question: If you are sitting in the drivers seat and facing forward, the engine spins counterclockwise.

-Bryan

Ok thanks. That makes sense.

Im going to turn the crank by hand/wrench tomorrow to make sure it feels ok turning.

[Daddio]

It looks to me like you had 2 HG failures going on, both related to improper torque; there's burn-thru between 1 & 2, and the leak from the water jacket into #4- which is why the head's de-carbonized and the block picture looks rust-tinted instead of freshly sloshed in green coolant visible in the pic. (get some WD-40 into those bores!)

[maluminse]

It looks to me like you had 2 HG failures going on, both related to improper torque; there's burn-thru between 1 & 2, and the leak from the water jacket into #4- which is why the head's de-carbonized and the block picture looks rust-tinted instead of freshly sloshed in green coolant visible in the pic. (get some WD-40 into those bores!)

Im glad you said wd40. Was trying to find if wd40 would foul the head seal. Im using it clean the head too.

I poured a bit of 10w30 into the bore and massaged the cylinder.

Heres the whopper though. I dont even want to type it.

I turned the crank, without the head, and it felt like it caught on something. I turned it the opposite way and it was fine. But I understand the crank properly turns counter clockwise sitting in the seat. Im going to go out again today and try turning the crank full revolutions in the proper direction.

There was never any clash sound when driving. When I parked it, it was running 'fine' (missing from 4 shutdown and smoke).

Blown head gasket cause crank issue?

[Daddio]

Auxiliary shaft can interfere with the crank, that's why it has timing marks too.

[maluminse]

Auxiliary shaft can interfere with the crank, that's why it has timing marks too.

Oh the distributor auxiliary? Not familiar with the auxiliary shaft. The guides I have only discuss lining up the cams and the crank with the timing belt. Its the only things on the timing belt. Where is the aux shaft driven from?

[Daddio]

Distributor is timed too! All run from timing belt. Fuel pump "bump" I think is the culprit; non-issue on FI cars with different shaft.

[Daddio]

Hole in aux pulley aligns between tensioner spring bolt and pulley center bolt when installing belt.

[maluminse]

Distributor is timed too! All run from timing belt. Fuel pump "bump" I think is the culprit; non-issue on FI cars with different shaft.

Distributor was removed long before the head. Fuel pump is electric. I think im ok on timing issues.

You think a bearing spun?

Or I have been having a bit of starter stick.

Ill turn key and it just clicks once. Maybe (i hope) solenoid is engaged and its impacting the flywheel to stop the crank from turning. Thats the only thing, other than a bearing, that I can think of that would impact the crankshaft once the head is removed.

[Daddio]

Aux shaft still has pump bump, still can interfere; remember if it doesn't turn, neither does oil pump, so bearings etc running on residual oil film.
I'd turn engine over either with socket on front bolt (mine takes 1 1/2") or pushing the car in fourth gear (if it's in a level spot); crank turns clockwise from the front.
Aux shaft should turn pretty freely w/o dist, if not check for crank interference.
Your dist on aux shaft, not on cam?

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Daddio is correct in that it sounds like your auxiliary shaft is hitting something internal to the engine (likely a connecting rod). The engine timing belt goes around 4 pulleys and the tensioner/idler pulley. The 4 pulleys are one on the crankshaft, the 2 camshaft pulleys, and the auxiliary shaft pulley. The auxiliary shaft drives three things: the oil pump, the distributor (if not mounted on the exhaust camshaft), and a mechanical fuel pump if the engine has one. The auxiliary shaft has a lob on it that, when the shaft spins around, it pumps the lever on the fuel pump and thus operates it.

If the auxiliary shaft is not timed correctly with respect to the rest of the engine, this lobe on the auxiliary shaft can interfere with the connecting rod for one of the cylinders and cause major internal damage. So, it is VERY important that you not run the engine, or spin it around with the starter motor, until all the pulleys are timed properly. If the head is removed, you don't have to worry about the camshaft pulleys, but you still need to make sure the auxiliary shaft lobe isn't hitting.

-Bryan

[maluminse]

Recommend for head gasket?
https://imgur.com/9n5nqw6