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Head Gasket? https://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18561	Page 1 of 2

Author:	Anto [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:16 am ]
Post subject:	Head Gasket?
Hi Guys, Just thought I'd pick your brains about the funny stuff my knackered motor is doing. Starts up fine in the morning, drives fine (considering it's knackered, obviously it blows enough smoke to attract those hippies from Greenpeace, but that's another story ). Problem is when you turn it off. Try to start it again warm and it's just like it's flooded. Won't start, have to put my foot down, when it does start it initially runs on three cylinders and then blows a heap of crap out the exhaust pipe. I thought it could be filling with water, hence only doing it when warm. But the oil shows no sign of water contamination and vice versa. Radiator level is down but it appears to be throwing it out the overflow pipe. I'm guessing it could be oil? Coz I'm guessing the reason it starts fine when cold is because whatever had filled the cylinder has drained back to the sump (you could drive a truck past the rings)? Any Ideas? And before you say anything I'm 99% certain it's not actually flooded with petrol

Author:	sherman67 [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:45 am ]
Post subject:
it could be the valves stick for some reason maybe take the head of and clean well but thats up to u and i dont even know if its that lol but yer i had the same kinda problem on another car.

Author:	Mini Mad [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:52 am ]
Post subject:
Mine does exactly the same thing right down to throwing water out the overflow. Start's brilliantly first go, when hot it take a bit to start, then struggles a little coughs before smoothing out and running like a dream again. I put it down to when the engine is cold the clearances are tight and there isn't any blow by so it starts. Once hot, everything is nice and loose and it's getting blow by.. I have a really low compression as is from the high lift cam and dished pistons with a large chamber 295 head...that doesn't help. But hey it still flies and i flog the crap out of it and it's still got the highest output from a N/A smallblock, even after the recent WA dyno day 4EFTE is going in soon

Author:	Anto [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:14 am ]
Post subject:
Yeah my old 1098 went hard (35kw at the wheels when I dynoed it), even though it had high oil consumption from the head. Shame I blew it up (can't think why). The current engine is a loaner and I can't flog it, the clutch slips I had saved up a few grand to build my 1275, but I spent it on a motorbike instead

Author:	sports850 [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:20 am ]
Post subject:
What is it about the design of A series motors that they can be all but completely rooted and blow smoke like a steam train but still pull strongly ? I've seen in magazines where there's a VW show each year and they stick a VW motor built from spares in a cage and run it at redline till it blows , normally fairly soon after starting . I've been tempted to do that with a near dead mini motor but I'm sure it'd just keep revving till fuel or oil ran out . I've killed many mini motors but nearly all through wear , only two were bearing failures and they were caused by a dodgy clutch master cylinder . They's tough little beasties .....

Author:	Anto [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:27 am ]
Post subject:
The motor that was in my car when I got it was the ultimate knackered Mini engine. Rings? What rings? It ran on 1.5 cylinders, rough as guts, chewed the oil and water. But it still went! Got me round for ages before I put a new motor in. The current knackered motors (I'm obviously 'in between' good motors at the moment) had a burnt out exhaust valve when we put it in. Drove it probably for 10,000kms like that. The head was screwed by the end, but it was only a 998 smog head anyway. The engine was found sitting in a wheel barrow in some guys shed, just put oil in it and went

Author:	9YaTaH [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:20 pm ]
Post subject:	Lord of the
Rings...Anto...I would suggest rings....when it gets hot....compression goes down and stays down so long as it is hot...thats why it could be hard to start....sell the stoopid BMW and fix the Mini

Author:	Anto [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:45 pm ]
Post subject:
Yes but that doesn't explain the large puddles of liquid that come out the exhaust all over my driveway Although admittably the compression was low when I tested it last night. 105 95 95 120

Author:	smurf11 [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:01 pm ]
Post subject:
with 2&3 at the same pressure i would suggest blown head gasket between the two. if your radiator is pressurising it indicates the same.. you wont necessarily have oil in the water or water in the oil just because your head gasket is blown.. it must be pushing the gunk out of the exhaust

Author:	Anto [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:09 pm ]
Post subject:
In my vast experience of blown headgaskets (I've blown a lot), I'm not so sure, since it runs normally. Might do the compression test again tonight, see if the comp goes up if I block the other cylinder with the spark plug. If the gasket was blown between cylinders the car would be running hot and would have died by now. Don't think I'll be taking the Mini on the club run this Sunday, might take the bike instead. It's reliable

Author:	Mini Mad [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:43 pm ]
Post subject:
I did a compression test on mine and all were even... With BASHER we flog the crap out of it the poor thing..i mean hold foot flat in neutral and it just valve bounces, but keeps on going...damn thing won't die...we'll see how long it takes

Author:	Rodney [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:01 pm ]
Post subject:
I'll bet you a beer that the head gasket is blown between 2 and 3........ All that crap coming out the exhaust, I think is water or whatever you run in your cooling system. Start the car with the radiator cap off and see if bubbles rise to the top - but it sounds like you're much more experienced than moi. There's still a beer on it tho. Hooroo

Author:	drmini in aust [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:11 pm ]
Post subject:
If the head gasket IS blown between 2 & 3 as Rod suggests, it would have SFA compression on those 2, not 95psi...

Author:	Anto [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:37 pm ]
Post subject:
Problem solved. It got a lot worse today, mainly because I drove it instead of leaving it in the garage Head gasket is blown allowing water to fill a cylinder. It has hydraulically locked a few times today. When I finally get it started, lots and lots of steam out the back, and a driveway covered in water. So maybe it wasn't burning oil all this time! I wont be fixing it. Somebody offered to sell me a complete Mini clubman, with a good 998 motor (which I have seen running). Don't want the rest of the car though!

Author:	9YaTaH [ Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:49 pm ]
Post subject:	not again...
Anto wrote: Problem solved. It got a lot worse today, mainly because I drove it instead of leaving it in the garage Head gasket is blown allowing water to fill a cylinder. It has hydraulically locked a few times today. When I finally get it started, lots and lots of steam out the back, and a driveway covered in water. So maybe it wasn't burning oil all this time! I wont be fixing it. Somebody offered to sell me a complete Mini clubman, with a good 998 motor (which I have seen running). Don't want the rest of the car though! Anto ...sad news...ring me about the nice Mini I saw for sale tonight...Mick

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