#78218, "How can you tell if it's a blown headgasket or piston rings?"
So my car's been acting a little weird for the past week. About the last couple of months I've been getting a little bit of white smoke at idle out the tailpipe - I still boost'd it for awhile, 7psi max for a few seconds, I figured "eh, leaky headgasket" So now this past week my idle has been kinda lumpy, vaccumm about -14Hg compared to my normal 15-16Hg. Also I've been smelling really noxious fumes inside my car. So I'm thinking exhaust leak, but nothing. I do a little looking around and find that my breather tube, I ran a line to near the bottom of the car, is spitting out white noxious smoke. Then I pull out the dipstick and yup more smoke. I have to do a compression test on it but is there a way to find out if it's the headgasket or rings? I just bought an exhaust too dammit. I planned to get a rebuild next Spring so I'm just gonna limp it till then. I mean the car still boosts great but I'll probably turn it down a bit. I know alot of my other friends that drive on blown motors till the rebuild so hopefully mine will last. BTW How many of yall have driven on a blown motor and for how long? Thanks
#78219, "RE: How can you tell if it's a blown headgasket or piston rings?" In response to Reply # 0
sounds like a ring to me. coolant in the oil would be one sign of a HG, white smoke out the pipe is a sign of rings. do a comp. check and i bet you won't be happy...
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#78221, "RE: How can you tell if it's a blown headgasket or piston rings?" In response to Reply # 2
Well, I know I will get a low compression on at least on of the cylinders, but how can a tell if that's the HG or my rings. I was overdue for a rebuild. I blew my first motor on NOS at 65k (due to operator fault) Got another motor with 30k on it. I drove the stock motor for a short while, I gunned the crap out of it it was pretty fun. Then went turbo cuz I NOS was getting too expensive with the fills. So about 35k turbo'd on the stock motor ain't bad. I can't stand that smell in my car, I'm about to route that hose to rear or something...outta smell, outta mind.
#78224, "RE: How can you tell if it's a blown headgasket or piston rings?" In response to Reply # 3
when you said smoke is coming from your dipstick when you pull it....its a dead ring giveaway. cumbustion gas is seeping past the fauly rings/cracked ringlands and into the crank case
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96 Black ESi 91 Red TSI AWD (RIP) 02 WRX
"turnin wrenches for nine hours in the pouring rain, just to get the beast up and running again"
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#78225, "RE: How can you tell if it's a blown headgasket or piston rings?" In response to Reply # 4
Just remember, a headgasket keeps four things seperate: compression, coolant, atmosphere, and oil. When the headgasket blows, any of the four can mix. The best way to check for compression mixing with anything else is to do a leakdown test. Also, a leakdown test is the best way to check for leaky rings.
#78230, "RE: How can you tell if it's a blown headgasket or piston rings?" In response to Reply # 5
Damn...car is falling apart now..it just now started overheating like crazy at it was only about 88 degrees outside. C'mon baby I just need you to last for 6 more months! I'm bout to change my oil here this weekend maybe I should go a little heavier weight. Any 'quick and cheap' rememdies to minimize the damage? Thanks for the help guys
#78231, "RE: How can you tell if it's a blown headgasket or piston rings?" In response to Reply # 6
if its overheating, sounds like a HG.
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