Cylinder head leaks '88 9000 Turbo

After my '88 9000 Turbo turned into a kettle on 4 wheels recently - steam pouring from the exhaust - i decided it was maybe time to check the head gasket. My suspicions were correct - a hole in the gasket between one of the coolant and the firing chambers. Okay, i then replaced the gasket and head bolts due to the mileage of the car (171,000m) and torqued them according to the factory settings in the Haynes manual. On start-up it was still burning off a small amount of water. I then removed the head and had it machined at a workshop for about £50 (including drilling off 2 exhaust manifold studs). Incidently, i got 2 new manifolt studs/spacers/nuts for £24 from a Saab dealer - rip off.

I have now refitted the head again using the torque settings from the Haynes manual and it is still seems to be burning water (i am using this to test instead of coolant) - there are small drops of water coming from the exhaust, which i am sure given time will turn into steam.

Has this happened to anyone else, and should replacing the water with coolant have any effect? Another question is that when i first start the car (after the head has been off) there is a small amount black smoke coming from the exhaust manifold/turbo charger area - is this just the oil from my hands on the manifold burning off? (I have refilled the Turbo charger with oil before refitting)

Please help me save this car from the scrap-yard!

Thomas

Reply to
Thomas Gilfillan
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When you say you have water coming out of the exhaust, how much water are we talking about? Exhaust gas contains large amounts of water vapour

- it's one of the combustion products. When the exhaust (the pipe, not the gas) is cold, some of the water vapour condenses, and is spat out as droplets. As the exhaust (pipe) warms up, no more condensation takes place, and all the vapour comes out in the gas phase.

What you've done sounds fine - as long as the head is flat (should be after skimming), the block surface is smooth and clean (did you srape away all the old gasket, and clean it up nicely?), and you torqued it down correctly, there is no reason for it to be leaking.

You mean smoke is coming off the surface of the turbo and manifold? If yes, then it is most likely just grease that you've put on there burning off.

Reply to
Grunff

Are you running the engine for just a few minutes or are you allowing it to warm up properly. Using just water can make a difference (I am not suggesting it is in issue in your case though). Water with antifreeze at the correct solution has a higher boiling point than plain water (thus it will keep the engine running cooler and will minimize any loss of coolant).

Try running the car with the correct coolant solution and see if you loose any liquid. Little point in looking at what comes out of the exhaust pipe.

If it helps at all. Charles

Reply to
""c.k.christacopoulos_removeme_"

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