Aloha,
Was driving home from work today and was at a stop light and noticed my idle was all over the place: going high then super low as if it was about to die then back high again etc... I drove home and when I got there I noticed a bubbling sound. I opened the hood and smoke was coming from both the radiator cap and the coolant reservoir. The coolant in the reservoir was bubbling/boiling. My coolant is a gray color and when I checked my oil it was low. When I went to add some oil I noticed there was a milky substance at the top of the oil cap (see attached pic). I checked the dipstick and there is no milky substance on the dipstick just in the oil cap. Upon researching the forums this may be either: headgasket or timing chain guide. I let the engine cool for a while, popped the hood and turned her on and tried to listen to the front end of the engine. There does appear to be a high pitched noise coming from the front end of the engine where the timing chain is but to my untrained ear I cant determine if this is the timing chain guide failure or not. I am in a serious pinch here and need to get her back up and running. I would be forever grateful for help in diagnosing the issue. Thank you in advance.

 

90 views and no ideas, do I need to post some more information?

 

To verify the timing chain you have to remove the rocker cover and look down into the timing cover space.

To verify the head gasket a compression and or leak down are warranted. This is less invasive.

 

I have a how-to on pulling the valve cover and checking the timing chain guide (drivers side typically fails). While I am in there I am going to replace the valve cover gasket/grommets. As for the compression test, do you have a recommendation on a kit to use? I'll look into the FSM for the pressure values I should expect and procedure. My friend suggested my temp sensor might be stuck, I will also look into that. Thank you so much for responding.

 

No particular brand of compression tester I have a couple, but don't recall the brand. You'll want to see what the pressure differences, if any, are between the cylinders along with the overall pressures.

 

Can you find the failed cylinders, in this compression test?




The point is it won't be as conclusive as a dye test or HC fluid test..

 

If 150-180 is spec then they all fail? Head gasket completely toast? I'll look into the dye test/hc fluid test. Thank you for chiming in.

 

Ok, so I am going to go ahead and do the following:

1. Replace the timing chain guides and timing chain. Using steel guides from Enginebldr.
2. Replace the head gasket/bolts. Getting the head resurfaced at a local machinist for $92, only guy on island.
3. Replace the thermostat.
4. Flush and refill the coolant.

Most of these things will need to be done any way so I am going to just do it all now and learn how. I am putting together a parts list and will post here once I get it together. I am also reading some writeups here on yotatech. If any of you have suggestions on anything I should do while I am in there (i.e. fuel injector reconditioning) please post. Thank you.

 

You'll need to adjust the valves once you put the head etc back on.

Also, the resurface may effect how it goes together depending on how much is shaved off the head.
Talk to the machine shop about that.