Cracked Cylinder Head

[Fenix]

Hi Guys,

I took my R33 S2 to a Mechanic yeaterday due to lots of white spoke coming out the exhaust and some from the engine bay, he said that after removing the plugs he could see one of the cylinders filling with water and believed to be a crack in the cylinder head but couldn't confirm without pulling apart the engine and doing more test which was just gonna be more $$$ at this stage.

So here are my questions, whats the best way around this, i know its gonna cost, but what am i looking at, repairing a cycylinder, new cyclinder, what other options? And what can cause a cracked cyclinder head? I was told its quite uncommon in skylines, is this true? (It happened while driving in the heavy rain on Saturday in Melb)

thanks in advance.

Jamie

[hecticrb25]

Water could also be getting into the chamber from the inlet manifold if it has warped (overheated?).

[Fenix]

Water could also be getting into the chamber from the inlet manifold if it has warped (overheated?).

I haven't seen any warning lights or anything appear on the dash, and never noticed the temp gauge up high... when it happened, the temp was a little above half. I have been doing a whole heap of extra highway driving between Melbourne and Ballarat of late, the revs are generally above average for the entire 2 hour trip (up and back). I also thought Ballarat being as cold as it is, I generally start work quite early and travel to work along 100km/h roads, maybe the cold to hot has fractured the head and has only come out now, maybe. dont kno, just throwing idea up i guess. But was still looking for idea on possible repairs of a cyclinder or head to a R33 and dollar figure?

Edited August 10, 2007 by Fenix

[benl1981]

its a tough one - your almost better off dumping a 2nd hand motor in (Can get motors for about 1k I think). But who knows how long that will last.

You could take the head off and get it inspected and recod. This would probably cost >1k

[Cubes]

I've never seen or heard of a DOHC head thats cracked.

Headgasket yes.... But even then its rare unless its been detonating really bad which also smashes ring lands.

Be sure he doesn't take u for a ride and fork out for a complete cylinder head when its a $80 headgasket.

What I'm saying is its extremely super duper rare for a DOHC head to crack; for the mechanic to pull the spark plug and suggest a cracked head straight up sounds strange if he knew these motors.

Take it for a second opinion.

[benl1981]

Yeah it could just be the gasket.

If you have had bad corrosion through the head (i.e. no coolant changes etc) it is possible to get corrosion around the water galleries and head gasket.

But yeah these motors arent really prone at all.

Pull it down yourself and take the head somewhere decent and get it tested. Check hoses etc and everything else first. Maybe there is a simpler answer.

I remember a friend that pulled a turbo off and put a new one on because he thought it was blown (heaps of smoke)..turned out being a valve for the auto trans fluid that was getting into the intake. A $5 valve

Check if there is water in the intake pipe!

Edited August 10, 2007 by benl1981

[Fenix]

Thanks Heaps Guys,

I didnt want to jump and say, go replace my cylinder when it might be something like a $5 valve.

Will strip apart myself and see what I can identifiy, then yeah, take the parts to another mechanic for a second opinion if i dont find anythign obvious.

It is strange that he charged me $95 and without really doing too much investigating said that the cyclinder head was cracked.

Again Thanks

Jamie