I was driving my 87 GN WOT car studderd I glanced at boost gauge it was at 20 spiked to maybe 25. It was to late as I headed for nearest exit car was missing bad.I had AAA tow me and my 3 year old daughter home
The number 3 cylinder is bad. I pulled the spark plug it is black and wet. I am a Tool Maker not an engine builder. How can I fix my problem and what else should I have done while I am having this fixed. Car just turned 90,000 miles. If any one knows a good repair shop some what close to Simpsonville South Carolina. Please let me know. And about what will this cost me if it is all done right. What caused this ? sticking wastegate. Im a little shook up. Thanks
Jay Brennan 864-299-8769
100 Hackberry Street
Simpsonville South Carolina
Sounds like a head gasket, unfortunately. Looks like you'll be learning about engine building
Sorry!
Thanks
Its all good. Could have been worse. But what caused this ? What all can cause this ?
So it doesent happen again.
When I fix my head gasket is there any other recipe I should follow to beef her up a little.
Since I will be knee deep in engine anyway?
Is know the time to do this or should I just fix my haed gasket. And when I am ready beef the engine up a little. I dont have a deep wallet.
This car is a daily driver.Just turned 90,000 miles.But it likes to go fast some times
Thanks Ken and all you are awesome help through my Turbo blues.
Jay Brennan
Lots of things can contribute. In your case, it sounds like too much boost and not enough octane.
All of the following can cause a head gasket. Often times it is contributions of more than one thing.
- Inadequate octane leading to detonation
- Too much boost for available octane
- Inadequate clamping force (head bolts stretched, improperly torqued)
- Too lean for the boost level causing detonation and high combustion chamber temps
- Bad surface on head or block
- Hot spot with burn through on the fire ring (rare, but have seen one happen due to misalignment of fire ring)
Basically, the most common cause is detonation brought about by too lean, too much boost, too little octane and combinations thereof. Especially if the condition is repeated several times.
Detonation can be happening without any audible clue... I can never hear anything until almost 12 degrees of retard are being applied by the ECM.
ok ive been watching but now I have a question, Ive been around the block but all the same rules dont apply (im finding out) yes about the detonation, lets say for learning purposes that detonation is the primary cause for this failure for whatever reason detonation is taking place, on a engine that was seeing this kind of abuse do you think during engine disasembly you would see damage to the head gaskets in all cyl? in some sort of a progressive state, but the cyl in question just happend to let go first? or typicly in this situation detonation would probley pick on one particular cyl, my head gasket blew clean out to the lifter valey, ring, compostie, and anything in its path, absolutly no compression in that cyl. but all others showed no problems whatsoever, also 2000 to 3000 mile eng and had some detonation during tuning speed bumps, what is anyones take? thanks nick
Ken
As I was driving I felt some hesitation or miss fire.I trusted car was running fine. I did a stupid thing I didnt bother to look at the new boost gauge I installed on the piller until it was to late. I thought there might be trash in the gas as I just filled up on a empty tank. So I stomped it clean er out. As I looked down at the led boost indicator it was in the red I then glanced at my vacume line boost gauge it was at 20 spiked a little higher. I had a code 31 earlier that you helped me with installed a new ECM that fixed my code 31. My wastegate has rust on the shaft and the bell. Guess I should have replaced it. Would a sticking wastegate cause my over boost ? What else would cause over boost ?
Could this new ECM be faulty giving wrong signal ?
I want to fix this so it doesnt happen again.
Head gaskets will be fixed next week.
Thanks
Nick, for some reason the #3 cylinder is a very common one to blow. My theory is that it has the biggest EGR port and the fact that it is in one of the weakest positions for clamping force. Or it could just be turbo karma!
Jay, Sticking wastegate is definitely a possible culprit. I bet it's mechanical (i.e. sticking wastegate, leaking wastegate hoses, etc.) and not the ECM.
YOUR NOT THE FIRST PERSON THAT HAS SAID THAT SO THERE IS GOT TO BE SOMTHING UP IN THAT AREA, MINE HAPPEND TO BE THE #5, AT THIS POINT IM GOING TO BLAME OLD USED MISMATCHED HEAD BOLTS, ANOTHER GREAT REMAN ENG, "THANKS JASPER ENGS" IT WAS IN THE CAR WHEN I GOT IT SO NOT MUCH CHOICE, YOU WOULDNT BELIVE WHAT ELSE I FOUND, LIKE A NON TURBO N/A CAM SHAFT THAT WAS USED PRIOR TO BEING IS THIS ENG, HOW DO I KNOW? IT HAS A FUEL PUMP LOBE THAT IS HALF SHINNY NOT BLACK LIKE A NEW ONE, ONE N/A 1978 HEAD, AND ONE 86/87 TURBO HEAD CRACKED, AND THAT IS ALL I LOOKED AT CLOSE, I DECIDED MY TIME WOULD BE MORE WELL SPENT THROWING THE PARTS ACROSS THE STREET IN THE WEEDS ONE AT A TIME WHILE HAVING A COLD ONE,
Look up Wayne Haydock. He lives just north east (I think, directions are so messed up in SC) of simpsonville in spartanburg county. There are a ton of Turbo regal guys in the GSP area, but he's one of the best. If he's too busy to do the work himself, He can steer you in the right direction.
Chris Bischof
Southlake TX
http://perfauto.tripod.com
Thanks Chris
Poof update !!
The reason I blew number 3 headgasget.
The hose that goes to wastegate selinoid then to turbo cracked and came loose.Over boost 20++
Grasshopper learned check all hoses and fittings before one has hair in wind and foot to floor
I got my 87 GN back today. Head gaskets replaced.
When I picked my 3 year old daughter at day care.
She saw our 87 GN and ran to it yelling YAYYYYYYYY
its fixed !!!Guess my daughter is hooked bad too
Its sounds great we are happy campers.
Later Thanks to all.
I also have an overboost problem and maybe a headgasket problem. Can I detect the head gasket problem with a pressure guage check? How do I troubleshoot the wastegate?
thanks