Snowflake

[Tkeenan2107]

Nooooooo don't say that, before I got the DTM I had the opportunity to get an 8v which looked nice on the outside but the guy wouldn't show me any pictures of the engine, and when the DTM came up I thought this would be worth saving more, but up to now it giving me nothing but hassle lol, there's no usual signs of the head gasket gone, so what can I do to confirm this?
Compression test is that reliable enough?
Sniff test iv never heard of,?

If the head is gone what's my options?

[Tkeenan2107]

Thanks well funny you should say that because when we changed the rocker cover gasket I noticed from receipts I got it had been changed quite recently twice in the last 18 months, and Rich said I could possibly have a warped head, but that we will stick with replacing the rocker cover gasket as who ever put the last one on didn't do a good job and didn't replace the little "O" seals either as the ones that were on it were flat as a pancake and corroding away.

[Tkeenan2107]

Ok iv managed to sort a compression tester for me tomorrow, but iv never done it before, is they anything I have to do? The guy who lending it me said something about disabling ignition or something?

[Tkeenan2107]

May seem like a dumb question but How would i xlean the oil up once iv done a wet test?

[Tkeenan2107]

Just making sure the oil wont do any damage or effect the spark plugs thats all cheers

[Tkeenan2107]

Ok so i havent managed to do a compression test today as the guy i was borrowing one from was running late and by the time he got to mine and we had a catch up it was dark, but as were stood there looking at the engine we hear a noise and it was air pushing its way out of the radiator hose, and its dripping from underneath still, any time the engine is running or if i squeeze either the top or bottom radiator hose, i managed to quickly catch it on film too

Calibra radiator hose pressure leak: http://youtu.be/jNa0ubvKGUc

[Tkeenan2107]

Its not that its the poor lighting iv got, so in the morning i will be on with it as long as it doesnt throw it down as the weather has been shocking here lately!

[Tkeenan2107]

Ok Further to earlier while I was waiting for the bloke to turn up I emptied yet more oil out but then after turning the key over the red oil light came on so I did some research and this one means oil pressure low, but the original orange oil level light means low, which I thought just meant level in general either high or low, but after looking it up it means low, so iv been emptying all this oil out when in fact I need to be topping it up I'm guessing? But yet when Rich examined it the other day he said it had too much in?? After every journey I'm finding oil on the inside of the bonnet on the felt, my question is this iv an early xev according to the Haynes manual with the dipstick on the right hand side, now what sort of dipstick should I have in it??

It came with the top one, but iv still since realised the end has snapped so it's actually shorter than it should be the bit that's snapped off is in the bottom of the sump as I can feel it when pushing the replacement dipstick in (bottom one), but obviously both dipsticks will give me different level readings, the top one has "MAX" right on the tip, which dipstick should I have it, my temp one is out of a later xev.

[Tkeenan2107]

Well when I put the temporary dipstick in (the bottom one) it feels like it's hitting something, so I have to lift it out and in a few times, the RED oil light is now off after putting in 2litre of clean oil, im just curious to know what type of dipstick people have in there early xev's. To make sure mine is right, I know my original one should be a little longer but not as long as the temp one is im using, so I'm just trying to gage an idea of how much. It's seems as though iv got 99 problems

[Tkeenan2107]

Do I pour the oil in the spark plug before o connect the compression tester or after????

[Tkeenan2107]

thanks, I managed to look it up via youtube, just uploading the pics to photobucket cant say Im pleased with the results.

[wuffy]

If you have been emptying some oil out, did you see any evidence of water in it too?

[Tkeenan2107]

Nope I had a good feel too and it didn't feel runny like iv known some engines to when the head has gone, but when I topped the coolant up I did notice a bit of a shimmer in the water so maybe slight oil in there not much but a little, water still leaking from top rad hose too.

Well here are the results top is dry bottom is wet.
Pics are from left spark plug to right.
1 dry

1 wet

2 dry

2 wet

3 dry

3 wet

4 dry

4 wet


So what's peoples opinions???

[Tkeenan2107]

Yep I thought they were all high, I let the car crank over 6/7 times, and iv not checked the header tank for bubbles, but i'lol go and check shortly 128k on the clock.

[Tkeenan2107]

Ok so just took the other half down to see some family, and on starting it up since I did the test a cloud of smoke came out of the exhaust, is this a good sign?? iv also had the header tank cap off and had the other half revving the car and no bubbles from what I can see but the water does look like its tinged with a bit of oil?