My compression numbers were 210 195 205 and 200. Could it still be possible to have a bad head gasket? Maybe not blown, but just leaky? If it isn't a headgasket, then I don't know why I am leaking cooland AND oil, and I have no idea where it's coming from. I do need to change my valve cover gasket, and the spark plug gaskets, because there was oil on the plugs. Would that be the valve cover gasket? TIA.

possibility. My car leaked oil from the HG like a mofo but the compression was good.


Jon

1997 Eclipse RS

14.21@101mph 10/4/02

So if the compression is good, and your leaking/burining oil somewhere but cant find from where, do u think the car is ok? cuz thats the same problem im having. compression is good, but im either burning oil, or losing it somewhere.

probably back of the head gasket, the problem will spread, i think. My car leaked for 20,000 miles, no clue where it came from until i pulled off the head gasket and found a huge hole in it.


Jon

1997 Eclipse RS

14.21@101mph 10/4/02

how hard is it to change the head gasket? it seems like you would just disconnect the spark plugs and wires, and all the other hoses and stuff, take off the exhaust manifold, and take off the head. Is it really this easy, or is there something I'm forgetting. If I can do it myself, I probably will just do that. If not, I think I will go with a full rebuild.

your forgeting the timing belt part. intake manifold, and cams have to come off too.

Riiight, forgot abut all that. How hard is it to take out all the other stuff? I would just change the timing belt, just to be safe. How hard is it to take off the intake manifold, and take out the cams? I don't want to pay $1000 to have somebody else do it, if I could do it myself.

Take off the entire timing belt assembly, exaust mani, you can leave the intake mani on the head, the two head-to block brackets under the intake mani come off, valvecover, cams, rockers, wiring connectors, intake piping, throttle linkage, vacuum lines, misc brackets, upper coolant hose, and a few other things. Not an easy job, but if you have some wrench skills, then you can do it, just time consuming. Dont forget you will need a puller for the crank pulley, and a good torque wrench, and all the torque specs and tightening procedures. Copper gasket spray, new oil, and antifreeze. I'm sure there is some more stuff too that i am forgetting.

Yeah it's not a job everyone should do. But if you know what you are doing, by all means it's cheaper.

Yes head gasket can blow out towards the back of the block, or front, or sides and break the gasket seal around teh combustion chamber, which would leave compression alone but still have a faulty seal.

For whoever was loosing oil, could be a head gasket, also possibly oil blowing by the rings with a bad seal against the cylinder bore. Do you notice any smoke out the exhaust?



15.9 @ 86.7mph
97 Eclipse RS

Injen CAI, 55mm TB, P&P Intake, Crower Stage 2 Cams, Hooker Header, GS-T Muffler, AFX UDP, Crane Ign Amp, S-AFC