Urgent Help Please!

[RB20DET_Silvia]

Hey,

I got a RB20DET in a silvia.

Just drove my car seems to be alot of steam or clear smoke not white coming from what seems to be around the rocker covers.....what could this be does not show on the temp dial thats its overheating.

But is has caused the car to stall twice so far and it wont kick over until you leave it for 5 mins.

I need any help i can get ASAP.

- Thanks Luke

Edited October 27, 2005 by RB20DET_Silvia

[someonestolecc]

I'd stop turning the engine over incase you're doing any more damage.

Does it smell like oil?

Do you have oil in your radiator? Do you have a full radiator?

I'd be looking for oil or a exhaust leak - depending on what it smells like.

Head gasket let go perhaps? did it occur after spirited driving?

[RB20DET_Silvia]

Hey mate,

Yes it did take it for a good drive on the weekend.....we put water in the radiator just then it it came gushing out the side of the block at the bottem there was white smoke from the exhaust aswell but there is now none.

- Luke

[The Dan]

The temp guage will read normal if there is no water in the system....it needs water to function correctly.

If you drove it till it stalled and did that a couple of times you will have warped the head. If may drive ok once the leak is fixed but get a leak down test done and find out how bad it really is. Another problem is that the turbo would have overheated severely also so there is a good chance that once you fix the problem, be it water pipe, welsh plug or head gasket, the turbo may have damage to the bearing which can cause them to fail soon afterwards.

Another problem that you will have to check is piston shrinkage. If it turns out to be a head gasket blown and you drove it until it stalled there is a good chance your piston can shrink in size once cool again. Make sure you get this checked out by whoever does the head work - BTW it will cost at least $600 to repair the head if it is warped.

[Duncan]

maybe a cracked block?

Look, engines run on smoke. Once all the smoke gets out they are dead.

[RB20DET_Silvia]

Ok,

Car drives fine....just pisses water everywhere when i turn her off out of block think its just the gasket that is broken so simple fix i hope....and theres no pressure in radiator hose which warrents that problem aswell.

Will soon see.

- Luke

[thommo]

have you found the exact point the fluid is coming out?

i had some trouble with my r33 dropping coolant but only after giving it heaps, never lost any thru normal driving. it was dripping down off the bottom of the block. traced the leak back to a tiny pin sized hole in a coolant line close to the block, guess that the leak was forced due to higher temps/extra pressure in the lines.

have since covered and clamped the hole (no more leaks even after hard driving), and am replacing the lines this weekend.

not sure if this is relative, but may be worth checking.

[Scooby]

  Duncan said:

maybe a cracked block?

Look, engines run on smoke.  Once all the smoke gets out they are dead.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

aaaahhh, i see you are wise in da ways of da smoke. applies equally to electrical systems particualry those installed in pommy cars and affiliated with lucas aka the prince of darkness.

[race_snooze]

head gasket, now that you have cooked it dry be careful that the head gasket is not broken

Edited October 28, 2005 by race_snooze

[The Dan]

You will be looking at a minimum of around $1000 to do a head gasket on one of these if you go through a workshop.

$1600-$1800 if the head is bent (which it more than likely is)

$4000 if the pistons have shrunk.

Good luck, let me know if you have any issues. I have dealt with many of these.