Head Gaskets

[Nate]

Ive just bought a car with a fkd head gasket.. water in the oil blah blah.. is there a way to clean out all the crap oil? Besides an engine flush? should i put some engine crap in there, and try to start the motor? im not sure if it was really fkd before i got it, so i dont want to seize the pistons up on it by starting it.. would this stuff em up if i ran it for like 10 secs?

[Dj laBBy]

Hey the only way i can think about cleaning it out (without stripping the engine) would be to take the sump pan off and pour some degreaser or diesel or something to flush it. Don't start the engine unless you are ready to rebuild it, then try and put new oil in it and see how you go, but be careful.

[JimX]

Degreaser IN your ENGINE?! That is one of the worst bits of advice I have ever heard! I can't even fathom why you think that would do anything anyway - the problem is water and coolant in the oil, and degreaser doesn't do anything to water or coolant. All you will be doing is disolving your oil and leaving more water to **** up your engine!

A more normal fix would be to drain the oil completely, replace the head gasket, refill with fresh (cheapish) oil, let it run for a few minutes, then drain and refill again with good stuff. If in doubt then refill once more with cheap stuff before the good stuff.

[Nate]

lol @ degreaser in the engine.. thanks for the advice.... but i think ill go with JimX's idea Ill drain the oil, use some crap oil for now, then after a few mins, put some engine flush stuff in with it, let it run for longer, and then see how it runs after a full oil change with some magnatec Might even get a carbon clean, but i think thats for the intake isnt it? Also, the motor im talking about is a 2.8L dohc, above the head, there is 2 separate sections.. i guess these would hold the two cams, if so, is there any water jackets/lines running through there? because im thinking it may not be the head gasket, as the oil is on TOP of the inlet manifold etc.. and in the middle of the two sections above the head.. no visible leaks, but there might be where the inlet manifold hides everything, thats where all the oil is anyway, ill pull em off later, but im dying to know if water runs through there, after all, i paid $350 for a licenced 81 soarer, twin cam, so if i can fix it reasonably cheap.. i can use the cash from my old R31 that i sold to my dad, but still use when i like , and the cash from my laser that im using.. for a turbo conversion.. ,mmmm Boost..!

[blind_elk]

Dump the oil.

Replace head gasket.

Fill with cheap stuff.

Run engine until VERY hot (you might need to remove the fan to achieve this).

Dump oil, leave everything open ie filler off, sump plug out, spark plugs out, PCV hoses off, OVERNIGHT.

Then the insides should be clean enough to carry on. Fill with good oil.

[JimX]

The thing is even if there is a tiny bit of water/coolant left in the oil, it will eventually burn off. Won't take very long at all in the general scheme of things. Blind_elk's suggestion of running it hot will get rid of it quicker, but I don't think it's too important considering how long the engine has been fed water/coolant up until now.

Be careful of overheating the engine if you shut the fan off.

[Nate]

thanks alot for the advice! Its much appreciated.. even the pricks at the toyota forums wont tell me shit, and the R31 skyline club are like (now that i dont have a r31) "put a new head on it and sell it" geeeezz... it burns a R31.. and its a friggen 1981 car! I am a nissan man through and through though.. but thats not the point :'(