I had a bad ride home from work!

[jeffmerkur]

Hi Everyone,

I think I blew a head gasket and something worse. I was on the way home from work the temp gauge started creaping up. The gauge got about 2/3 of the way up.
The car never got this hot before. I kept going. I was almost home when the gauge hit the top white line. It never went above that. It then started tapping. The tapping noise is coming from the top of the motor. It sounds like a lifter has given up. If you pull the dip stick out while its running the engine slows down. If you remove the oil filler cap while the car is running there is a hiss and then the car dies. There was no coolant in the radiator but the oil is still just oil, no coolant in the oil. I think I killed the head and compression is leaking into the crank case. I think I would like to gt an Aspire head to fix it. Anybody got a low mile Aspire head they want to sell and a manual Festiva rack?

Thanks,

Jeff Webb

[jeffmerkur]

Also what year Aspire has the 1.6 with the roller cam head in it that would work on my 91 Festiva?

Thanks,
Jeff

[FestYboy]

all aspires are 1.3, you'll want to swap out the entire short block to make things easier.

BTW the moment it started getting hot you should have stopped!!! let it cool and then check the coolent level. doing what you did just shot yourself in the foot AND the butt.

[jeffmerkur]

I know I really screwed myself. Like I said, I was almost home and there wasn't a good place to pull over. I have a line on a 97 Aspire long block for $300.00 with 87,000 miles on it at a local junk yard. I think I will just want to swap the head and hang on to the short block if mine dies. Are there going to be any issues in just swapping the head from the Aspire engine to the Festiva?

I wanted to do the Aspire roller head swap but just not now. I'm trying to get my Turbo Coupe ready for Hyperfest at Summit Point. Oh well.

[FestYboy]

seriously, it's easier and faster to swap the entire short block, then save your old one for later. fewer things to go wrong that way.

[DrMaxwellEdison]

I've rebuilt the 1.3Ls before and listen to FestyBoy about this it is MUCH easier to do swap it the way he's saying...... I'm getting ready to do the Aspire setup swap in the Gremlin now that it's running..... when you get the 87k Aspire swap the motor and you can recoup your losses in parting it out or let yourself benefit from the Aspire brake swap, something I haven't done because I haven't gotten tires for the rims I have for when I do the swap..... good luck man, shame to hear about it.....

[jeffmerkur]

So its easier to swap the whole motor rather than just the head. That really doesn't seem right but I will take your word for it. You guys know way more about these cars than I do. I have worked on lots of different 4 bangers from 1.8 vw's to Ford 2.3 turbo motors so I'll be ok either way. I haven't maid up my mind what I'm going to do. My short block has less miles. I have only 62,000 miles on mine. Whats the best way to pull the motor?

[Grey Vw]

You could take the old engine out and have a new one in in half a day. Best way to get the engine out is to just go at it. It's pretty straightforward.

[jeffmerkur]

How long does it take to do a head gasket? Replacing the head would be the same has that. I think someone said you could do a head gasket in 2 hours. I guess you guys can see that I really don't want to pull the motor. I don't want to spend my weekend fixing this thing either. I need to get my T-bird ready for my track day.

[FestYboy]

head gasket doesn't require removing the intake... swapping heads does. seriously there's less time involved doing the entire engine swap.

[htchbck]

^^ Not to mention less gaskets

[FestYboy]

you need to swap the intake over but you won't need to touch the HG or the timing belt.

[kartracer46]

seriously, it's easier and faster to swap the entire short block, then save your old one for later. fewer things to go wrong that way.

he is right, I have swapped complete engines in way less time than it takes to tear one down and replace a head gasket. Then I set that motor aside for a rainy day and go to it on the engine stand were everything is easier to get to and see.

It's this:

http://

vs. this:

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I have done it both ways.

[jeffmerkur]

Ok, whats the best way. Do you just pull the motor or motor and trans together. Why can't you use the intake, they look the same.

[jeffmerkur]

I forgot to tell you guys. I started the car today and the loud tapping that was coming from the head is gone. The engine sounded fine. I pulled the dip stick and the engine slowed down and then pulled the oil filler cap the engine stalled out. All the compression
is going into the crank case. There is still no water in the oil.