Disappearing coolant... Mysterious oil leaks, cruddy intermittent low idle startups...

Is this a head gasket leak or something else? Compression is currently 170 / 171 / 177 / 170, no oil in coolant, oil looks normal, plugs are clean

Thank you in advance for any input!



Pic is AFTER wiping a huge oil puddle off there. It appears every time I run the engine for more than 10min

 

Mine puddles oil there also. I believe it's a leak between the head and timing cover. Although that is the head gasket that is supposed to seal that, it's not the important part of the head gasket. If i had all the symptoms you describe, the only one I would really worry about is the disappearing coolant, I would def try and find that.

 

That's good to know. Thanks for the firsthand account!

I am hoping the coolant is leaking from the IAC valve water lines for which I used an improperly sized pipe clamp.

Yeah my initial thought was timing cover or something up there. Also I think my oil is overfilled by a little bit. I poured it in too fast last time.

Thanks again. Hopefully finding the coolant leak tmrw

 

Where's that part? How about zooming our so we know neighboring parts?
I'm looking at possible leak around my oil pump myself.

 

Top of the timing cover, just behind radiator fan



Hope that helps

 

maybe those half moon valve cover gaskets/plugs. they are notoriously hard to seal right.

 

there is also an o-ring on stalk of distributor, that could cause leak in that area.

 

Oh, I see.

Yes, after my engine rebuild I saw seepage there, too. Took it back to the shop and was fixed. I'm hoping that's just the case with Jennygirl's.

I suggest cleaning up that area and monitoring to better see where it's coming from.
Nothing leaking from below? i.e., main seal leak and and pulley flinging oil around? Found that on mine, too. Shop will fix on Thanksgiving week.

 

Me too, I also hope it's the case with mine. Is there any tricks to sealing those? My truck always leaks oil somewhere, I only fix them when they get bad.

 

Found the culprit to the water leak.. I think. Time will tell

The lower water hose that went into the throttle body was loose. Hose clamp was just hanging out. That'll do it! Hopefully that's just it.

Had one heck of a good day today, I did the conversion to 89+ upper intake and TB. Just got everything installed and great success Goodbye forever, IACV, and good riddance. Car started perfectly. Zooom!

msane- thanks for the info, I'll check that spot for sure!

RAD- do you know what they fixed? I guess maybe not. Either way I will find that sucker! I'm on a mission!

 

Nice find on the TB hose.
Are you going to get any grief when going thru DMV smog inspection rig in the future?
You are most definitely on a mission!

 

Smog checks here is not as big of a deal as it may seem. Two of my friends have cars that don't pass, but yet they do somehow. I think it comes down to knowing a guy who is a guy. I'll just leave it at that

 

The rate you are going you'll be out of projects on your rig before you know it.

 

Sorry, don't know. Probably just the gasket sealant.

 

Haha. I doubt that!

I've been eyeing the 3rz... Local boneyard wants to sell me the later 4 port version for 1100.

But now with the later model intake on my 87 22re, I am feeling like I want to enjoy it the way it is for a while. The throttle response is so different, it kinda blew my mind. Had to get a new feel for driving the car (I like smooth shifts and ideal mpg). Now it wants to hop off the line. Not used to that! I like it! Down, beast!

 

Those half moons like to leak. I have started putting sealant in between the half moon and the head. Also if someone forgets to put sealant on the head gasket in the corners, that will cause leaks.

It is more of a problem on the back half moon, but one of the lips can get curled up when installing it and causing a leak. Might try lifting the valve cover and seeing that the half moon is installed correctly on the inside and outside of the head. I have made that mistake before.

 

This past time I did RTV all the way around the whole dang thing. On both sides of the gasket and all the way around both half moons. I didn't use so much so it would squish into the crank case.

The pool is still forming there. It has to be a gasket or bolt somewhere else. There is absolutely no way oil is getting through all that RTV!

I'll check the distributor o ring thing msane mentioned

 

if timing chain cover is new and it was not decked with block could lead to leaks in least bad scenario.

Like the sounds of later model intake. Looking for a steal of a deal now.

 

the only bolt on front of timing cover that calls for sealant is the top oil pump bolt. center bolt in water pump goes through to block, two top bolts of timing cover go through to block as well. none of the others have access to oil.

I have re-sealed those half moons and still had problems. I ordered just those seals from autozone, and got a nice pair of fel-pro ones. Usually I wouldn't recommend (store or gasket), but they were a chunky thick pair, and worked nicely. I had trouble with that o-ring too on distributor. I order that o ring, and the one that go in dizzy cap every time I start a new 20/22r(e) project now.

If PCV is clogged or not working properly, it will cause alot of oil/air pressure on top end and help with these pesky type leaks as well.

Where to find a good write up on your intake conversion?

 

Do you have a part number you could post for those seals?