Hey guys got a bit of a prob. with my 6 cyl EL and I hope someone might be able to shed some light on it... anyway its done about 149,500 km and has been drinking coolant for a while now. It had been eating coolant at a slow and steady rate (about 200 ml a week or so) up until I replaced the radiator surge tank cap. But now its gotten much worse and I am basically having to bring the surge tank back up to halfway after every drive. Both caps are completely identical in both specification and brand. The old cap was quite loose and the new one is a fair bit tigher to screw down. The coolant disappearing isn't the only problem - its also idling somewhat rough though the tacho says its idling around where it should be for both D and N respectively. Coolant eating aside, I forgot to mention that whenver I remove the surge tank cap now, there's quite a lot of air pressure in the tank - it's like opening a soft drink bottle. And there's a bit of gunk in the surge tank too, looks like dirt floating in it. Also, no emulsified oil/water in either coolant or sump.

Early this year I had the water pump, thermostat housing, thermostat, upper and lower hoses, and coolant replaced by my mechanic. This wasn't too much of a prob. because I could actually see where the coolant was squirting out into the engine bay. The current problem worries me because I can't see/smell the coolant whereas when it used to leak before the pump was changed you could smell the coolant burning in the engine bay. Couple that with the rough idle and I'm beginning to feel my wallet glowing. I purposely put about a grand away in case the head gasket shat itself and I am hoping there is some other explanation for these problems. Anyone able to help?

i dont know anything about cars please help

what brand are the caps to your surge tank?

Sounds like your car is suffering from noobiness.

Install a spoiler

I purposely put about a grand away in case the head gasket shat itself

Wise move

I think it also means your car has caught the gay, perhaps due to the driver?

I think it also means your car has caught the gay, perhaps due to the driver?

and the make ?

wtf

you guys just got reeled.

el falcon pffft.

are you sure its not that extra weight from the country pack?

Just put stickers all over the place, possibly also inside the engine bay just to be sure.

if your oil is a milky colour (water in the oil) then yes, its a head gasket.

what u could have it a broken gasket between the cylinders, which has a 2 way street with coolant and gasses. coolant probly flows into the cylinder when its running and getting exhausted out the back, and when it get sa bit low, low enough for no coolant to go through, cylinder gasses are probably making their way back into the coolant channels, pressurizing the system even moreso.

have u checked your oil cap? if its milky white, then you have a problem, coolant has mixed with the oil, which is a sure sign of a broken head gasket.

what u want to be careful about it driving it if u know its got a broken head gasket, the cylinders can fill up with coolant when its switched off, and when u go to crank the engine to start it, it can hydraulic, because u cant compress fluid, it was destroy your engine.

also, is steam coming out of your exhaust after its warmed up. thats another way to tell.

also youd be very lucky to get change out of $1000 for that.

Hey max-i head over to this forum, they might be able to help you.
http://maxe.ausforums.com/?agn=thread&id=2340304

last edited by Opec at 19:26:16 15/Aug/05

Hey max-i head over to this forum, they might be able to help you.
http://maxe.ausforums.com/?agn=thread&id=2340304

?

TEN BUX HEAD GASKET

I would have to agree. Head Gasket

i think i will avoid this problem by not buying s*** australian cars

all cars are s***ty, they all wear out and break down..

bloody money pits on wheels.. :(



yep, gasket.

or.. it could be something reaally bad.. but i don't want to jinx you..


:x

think happy thoughts..

sorry, but am I incorrect in thinking that 150'000kms isnt that bad mileage for a head gasket?

the 4L i6's in falcons are excellent engines, even if the car is crap.

poor hunter

speaking of car crap the old laser i bought a few months ago seemed to have lost the little pipe thing that goes from the filter to the engine ... would that make it backfire or make backfirey noises? its started to do these noises abuot a week ago

ps. i hate cars too

Listen to Cainer.

White, yellow or brown gunk in the radiator resovoir is a sign of oil getting in to the coolant. The roughness of the idling is caused by water getting into a cylinder, so it can't fire.

The beggest problem with the head gasket is teh labour. And mechanics will try to screw you for more parts that you don't need (like a new radiator).

It all boils down to whether or not you want to keep the car long term or sell it when you're done with it. If you want to keep it long toerm or sell it, you're better off getting a mechanic to do it (for an XD falcon I was looking at $600-$1600, so it pays to shop around). However, if you just want the car to last you a few more years before you get rid of it, you can cheat... I've been driving around with a busted head gasket for a year and a half now. Here's how:

-Flushed out the radiator system. To do this I used water and the magic ingredient: one of those dishwasher tablets.
-Refill the radiator with water and a bottle of chemiweld (or similar product)
-Let the engine run with the chemiweld in.
-Keeping the engine running, take the spark plugs out one at a time (this is as loud as f***). This allows the pressure to flow in one direction, and gives the chemiweld a chance to patch the hole in your gasket and allows moisture to escape any wet cylinders.
-Leave the chemiweld in for a week, then flush out the system with plain water and refill with your coolant of choice. Don't worry too much about corrosion while chemiweld is in there, it coats the whole system in a thin, protective film. The only problem is the water boiling or freezing, so you can't drive too far for a while.

Total cost: $8 for chemiweld + few cents for dishwasher tablet.

This little patch lasted for a year, i just redid it 4 months ago and the car runs perfectly. This will only work if the hole in the gasket is small. And of course, talk to a mechanic first. I've been working with engines since i was 16 and a mechanic showed me how to do the chemiweld thing.

but am I incorrect in thinking that 150'000kms isnt that bad mileage for a head gasket

I think so. Most Japanese cars will do 250 or higher before needing a headgasket.

one of our many cars, a cressida has done 300 000km's on the same engine (7m-ge) which are notorious for blowing headgaskets aswell, but i have a feeling its gonna go soon.

my falcon has done over a million kilometers on the same engine... admitedly, the head has been done twice, and I'm pretty sure its going again, but still.

You should trade it in on something japanese, maybe an SR20 S13 or some such. Maybe think about starting a forum about cars and linking to an OCAU thread?

most of you's are crazy. Nothing is wrong with aussie cars. Imports = high repair bills with hard to get parts. The "ole falcons" live forever. Yes alllll E series are notorious for blowing head gaskets but its usually directly related to how you drive theme.

Coming from someone who blew a head gasket in a Nissan Pintara, Ford EA, Ford Sierra, all related to how i drove then. Now, I have an EL Fairmont Ghia with 150000km on the clock with the original gasket intact.

Anyways, in relation to the original question, changes are it is a head gasket which really isn't that hard to do. All you need is a decent socket set, the new gasket itself and a tension wrench to do the job but thats to do it properly.

Up until recently i thought that chemiweld product/products were all crap but after seeing it used in an old ford corsair, it works a treat. The gasket was really shot (water would shoot out the exhaust), they followed the instructions EXACTLY, and have since driven to sydney and back twice. Cant argue those results.

I agree with Scuzzy.
You also should have got an S1 Falcon instead.

end result, don't buy a ford. except the xr6/8 ok , but i'm only saying that because they're hot and they go.!

look at taxi's theyll pile on 600000, 1000000km's before needing a headgasket, sometimes longer. they are generally a very reliable engine. what probably happend is when you had the coolant leak, it got a bit hot one day, overheated and caused the headgasket damage. since then its only been a matter of time since it happend

needs more RB <3 i think skrwrs

last edited by Paveway-3 at 18:18:21 16/Aug/05

sigh, so many stupid answers for such a simple question......

Blown head gaskets are caused by cooking an engine in the first place. Obviously hunter had radiator issues before, fried the engine, didn't bother to check it properly and now its blown.

There is quite possibly much more wrong with it than just a gasket. (Besides being a falcon.)

You're a bunch of f***ing arseclowns. No really.

The cause of the failure was a broken headbolt. Head is fine. Very common.

Honestly you're all a bunch of stupid f***wits.

nice work team!

You know that sound in Q3 when you hit someone with a railgun.

Goes a bit like "tink".

I think i heard that when i read hunter's post.

You're a bunch of f***ing arseclowns. No really.

The cause of the failure was a broken headbolt. Head is fine. Very common.

Honestly you're all a bunch of stupid f***wits.

no u r

Classic thread!

easy solution maxe: BUY A NISSAN
you ford loving f*****.

Legendary Thread

http://images.ausimages.com/upload/2005-08-16/hondalegend.jpg

Glad to see you've mastered the fine arts of text macros AND html, whoop.

Well done everybody

Thread delivers, 10/10.

You're a bunch of f***ing arseclowns. No really.

thanks everyone, couldnt have done it without you

maxe, go suck a dick. Oh wait you already do!

Hunter - the most witless person on the internet.

maxe, go suck a dick. Oh wait you already do!

Chill out, dont blow a head gasket. Oh wait, you already have!

LOL!

hahahaaahahah


I actually re-read some of that 'i just had an accident' thread on ocau.. made me chuckle alot...

gold!

hunter do you still remain sufficient distance in your hunk of s***?

guys, its the transmission modulator.

Man, I'll change the motherf***in head gasket for $500 cash in hand + you buy the gasket (probably cost like $40-45 - my v8 one costed about that) plus a manifold gasket (as I'd have to pull it off to take the head off). - and possibly an exhaust one as well - as that's gotta come off, though you can usually get away with salvaging them if you're careful.

Oh yer, plus you buy the gasket sealer and the headbolt water-jacket sealer (for the headbolts bolts that go through the waterjacket - they need a special kinda sealer on em).

Take me a few hours to do.

Bigggest pain in the arse about changing your own headgasket is cleaning the s*** off the block and head where the gasket sits. It needs to be spotless and smooth for the new gasket - crack out the old razor blade and get scraping for an hour or so -.-

last edited by Loki at 08:36:59 17/Aug/05

what if you pull the c*** off and its f***ed?

what then backyard Joe?

If what's f***ed?
That makes no sense.
It can't "f***ed" unless the block is cracked, everything else can be easily replaced.

I think he means if the head is warped.