Blown Head Gasket ?

[ShoThang]

Ok.. I raced a Celica GTS turbocharged (beat him twice thumbs_u ) tonight. And after the second run my windows started to fog up so i turned on my defroster and the air comming out smells like antifreeze. I asked one of my buddies at work and he said that I probably blew a head gasket. Is that the only reason that would cause it to smell like that.
Any responses are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Mike Kopstain]

Ehhhh... No. More likely your heater core sprung a leak. Even more likely one of the hoses from the block to the heater core popped off or is leaking. Do a pressure test. It is the only easy way to find the leak.

<small>[ November 10, 2002, 03:06 AM: Message edited by: Mikeys_Taurus ]</small>

 

[ShoThang]

Hey, thanks man.
That is a relief, i was "wiggin out", hehe.

 

[ShoThang]

BTW.. What is the usual cost of getting a head gasket replaced ? Any Ideas ?

 

[ChitownA34DR]

do it yourself. Once the intake is off the SHO motor is not too bad to work on. I got two new heads on my firechicken and I think labor is somewhere near 300-400 dollars on a pretty simple motor. SHO might be more.

<small>[ November 10, 2002, 05:03 AM: Message edited by: SmOkE93SHO ]</small>

 

[olympic]

Sadly, labor for the head is probably less than the heater core! It's not easy to replace because the entire dash has to come out. Hopefully it's just a hose. Good luck!

 

[JC]

BTW, i paid a grand to have my felpro head gaskets installed in my 91... the whole kit. The kit itself was around $300 from O'reilly's, but my friend gave me his employee discount

 

[SHOfun 93]

JC,
Does indeed sound like a heater core. I am not sure, but I don't think that if you blew a head gasket that your windows would fog up and the anti-freeze smell enter the cockpit.

The heater core hoses are right in the center of the firewall, check and see if they have come disconnected at all or are leaking, like was mentioned above.

The head gaskets are usually not the problem with the sho motors. They don't blow regularly like the vulcans do...

 

[Mike Kopstain]

Jeremy Hohn:


The head gaskets are usually not the problem with the sho motors. They don't blow regularly like the vulcans do...

Before all of the SHOforums crazy vulcan owners jump on you for this... It's the 3.8 Essex that trashes the head gaskets. Vulcans are indestructable. I'm glad I'm not one of those crazy vulcan people.

 

[RI-SHO]

What you race the Celica up to? How much you win by?

I raced one of the newer ones with a TRD S-Cer to 130 and barly gained my 3/4car victory, I still won but wasnt easy.

 

[ShoThang]

I was not watching my dash (I usually don't when I'm racing.. dont ask me why.. I just don't) so I dont know what speed we got up to but i know I stopped when I was close to redline in 3rd gear, about to go to fourth but it was a dead end so I quickly hit the brakes...
This was done on a hill BTW.. and the first time I just straight up smoked him by like 2 or 3 car lenghts.. but he said that his turbo had not kicked in so we turned around and raced back up the hill and I beat him that time by about 1 car length.
He was EXTREEMLY mad that he lost to a FORD !!
I couldn't stop laughing and he got soo mad.
The funny thing is that I told him my car was f*cked up(thermostat was stuck open and my axleshafts were clicking again((after getting them fixed 2 weeks ago)) so he totally thought he was gonna win. He even called in sick to work the next day(today).. my guess is he didn't wana get laughed at when he came to work and all the co-workers found out I beat him. Anyway.. storytime is over. thumbs_u beer beer beer

 

[ShoThang]

One more thing... 2 co-workers of mine said that I had sparks flying off my car when I took off.. is it possible that the axle shafts were what was sparking ????

 

[RStalveyARFF]

do yourself a favor and change your wishlist. You do not want a centerforce clutch. They suck, and they are a ripoff. This is what you get for $600-700.... Stock pressure plate, painted orange, possible upgraded rivets, stock straps and stock stack #... Disc: Stock Ford disc with stock friction material on one side. 9 pucks of I believe to be kevlar on the other side. You can get full race clutches from either IPT or South Bend or Rochester Brake & clutch for hundreds less than centerforce's sorry excuse for a performance clutch. (btw, you won't want a full race clutch).

 

[ShoThang]

So a stock clutch disk is the best way to go then in your opinion ?
I have been thinking about not going with the centerforce anyways, due to the price that is being asked.

 

[shojuan]

ShoThang:
(thermostat was stuck open and my axleshafts were clicking again((after getting them fixed 2 weeks ago))

You wouldn't have had this problem if you had bought your axles from Raxles. They're about $10-$20 more than from your local store and you'll pay some money in shipping. People pay a few dollars more for high performance tires, struts, tie rods, etc. yet for something as fundamental as the axles everybody cheaps out. I don't understand. The axles Mardi builds are better than a new freakin $399 axle from the dealer if they still made them for a few dollars more than NAPA and a bit of hassle for the wait involved with mail order. Plus you get Mardi's wise council whenever you need it with a call to his 800 number.

[/Rant off]

Sorry ShoThang, this wasn't really directed at you. I'm sorry you went to the trouble of replacing your axles to have them go out a week later.

Rick

 

[rangerj]

Do I understand this correctly? You have malfuncioning axels, a thermostat that is stuck open, a coolant leak, and whatever else is not funcioning properly, and you were pushing 100+ mph on a dead end road? Ah to be young again.

Check your carpeting below the dash for a wet spot that smells like anti-freeze. If you do not find any there, then look up under the dash for any green fluid. I sounds like you have a leaking heater core.

Next, check your axal boots for any rips, tears, splits, or holes. There is no way you should be throwing sparks while you are running. If you were you have a very serious malfunction that needs to be corrected ASAP.

If you are going to do this kind of racing, with your car in the condition that it is in, then put your name and phone number on three pieces of paper.

Put one piece in your shoe, one in your wallet, and one in your shirt pocket. This makes it much easier for the emergency medical people to identify the body! rangerj

 

[ShoThang]

HAHA, thats not a bad idea rangerj, with my luck my car will probably blow up and all three pieces of paper will be burnt to a crisp so nobody will be able to read them.

I seriously doubt that it was 100+ miles, it didnt feel like it, but you never know. And it wasnt' really a DEAD END road, it was a no outlet road that had a circle at the top so it was a little less dangerous than a dead end but not much. thumbs_u

 

[rangerj]

ShoThang,

There are a number of organizations that hold sanctioned racing events, like the NHRA and SCCA.

Street racing is dangerous and can be deadly, not just for the drivers, but for innocent bystanders.
If you want to **** yourself thats fine, but you have no right to put other peoples lives in danger.

High performance driving is a lot of fun, but should only be done where it is regulated and relatively safe. The lights and times do not lie!

If you want to know how good you realy are, join the NHRA and race leagally. Do you think you can cut it on a sanctioned track? I do not think there is much satisfaction in blowing off street rice grinders. Big F'n deal! rangerj

 

[hooterville]

If it was your head gasket, you can smell and feel antifreeze in your exhaust. If it is your heater core, you will be able to smell the sweet smell of antifreeze when you heater is on (and sometimes when it isn't). It also could be your water pump, do you smell the antifreeze while driving at 40+ MPH speeds. It could be leaking coolant from your water pump burning off on your cats.

My advice concerning all of your breaking parts: SLOW DOWN! Don't complain about broken parts when you race your car. Hey it happens.

Case in point: I bent my rear axle on my IROC murdering a 99' Mustang GT. Cost me $300 to fix but boy it was worth it.

 

[ShoThang]

Rangerj - I do agree with you about endangering lives of others, obviously I was not thinking about anything (as hooterville stated, I should have not been racing with such problems occuring on my car). However, the only people who would have been hurt if, anything would have went wrong, would be the drivers, which would be that case at any track(atleast around here where the track doesn't have a barrier between cars). The two people that were watching were at a VERY safe distance protected by quite a bit of concrete.

hooterville - like I said earlier, you are right.
I shouldn't be complaining about my parts breaking when I raced my car.. although, that was the only time I actually raced my car and all the things that are breaking/broken, were broken before I raced so it was not due to racing (I know that doesn't make it right) I'm just saying that... i dunno.. i lost my train of thought.
I'm gonna shutup now before I make a bigger fool of myself.