Blew my head today

[Kindred]

Changed my valve cover gasket and oil today. Didn't realize that I had to remove the throttle body to get the valve cover off (looked like I had enough clearance), so I ended up limping the car to an auto parts store across town for the gasket after cleaning and reinstalling my valve cover. After changing the tb gasket, I was having trouble starting the car. A couple of minutes of playing with the ignition, tb, and some carb cleaner, I managed to get it to run but it smoked like fucking crazy. A couple of seconds later I recognized the smell of burning coolant, and sure enough there was a puddle on the floor and my oil was a nice milky white. Looks like my B6T swap is going to be on hold for another month or two.

[Silv3rBull3t]

..

Damn man... Sorry to hear.. -Kyle

[mechanicaldj]

maybe it's not a blown head gasket!

I hate to say this, but you may want to use hondabond or similar sealer to seal your throttle body gasket, to keep the coolant from entering your intake manifold! Thus no smell, and a hell of alot cheeper than condemning your engine!

[Kindred]

What I did was cap off the coolant lines and custom cut a thicker gasket out of some autozone material. Seems to do the trick. Now I just have to get around to changing my crank seal..

[rotinaj13]

could be worse bud my coolent seems to go down slowly only when being driven, and It is not burning it, and i see no evidence on my floor or in my oil :shock: so where the hell is it going..... coolent hell?!? cause i doubt any thing on "lucky" will b going up.... LOL

[Kindred]

I've got the same problem during the summer. From what I understand, the reserve tank likes to leak when the car's up to operating temp. I've noticed that tank is always empty, even when filled. Coincidence? I think not. If you have a blown head, chances are there would be a lot of pressure on the coolant system anyway. You should notice it in the form of (lots of) bubbles when you pull the cap off and start the car.

[rotinaj13]

depends on where it is blowen. My aspire blew it's HG and was pumping into the rad so it had crazy preasure. If it blew on intake side it'll burn it. It could have also blew by an oil journil so it'll pump oil in rad, or coolent in oil.

[miami man]

valve cover

is it true that you have to take off the throttle body to get valve cover off.
i just looked at my 93 festiva and it looks like there is enough clearence but i will take someone elses word if they say i have to.

[mechanicaldj]

yes, you do have to remove the throttle body to change the valve cover gasket. do not forget your throttle body gasket and sealant.

[Kindred]

Yes, DO NOT FORGET THE THROTTLE BODY GASKET AND SEALANT!

That's what blew my head.

[Ataristyle]

I changed the TB Gasket. I didn't use sealant. Is it a hit or miss on having the TB sealed? Or will I run into probs in the future? About 500 miles since change.

[Guest]

Yes you can get the cam cover off without removing the tb.. I've done it a few times.. there is a "sweet spot" and everytime I change a gasket, I've spent some time finding it, but it's there.. Since I am in the South, I removed the coolant connectors from the TB ( which are there only to prevent icing in the winter) and connected both hoses together.

Oh and I ALWAYS use sealant on paper type gaskets.

[fastivaca]

I have to agree with DJ on this. I've changed the valve cover gasket a couple of times on a couple of different Festivas. The "sweet spot" DJ refers to was different on both cars.

Bottom line.... it can be done without taking off the throttle body.

What I find more annoying is changing the passenger side headlight bulb on a stock fuel injected Festiva.

Ian

92 GL Sport
Calgary

[darkdan]

I've taken off my aspire's valve cover like 8 times without removing the throttle body.

Sorry about your head.