Tim Groth
SCCoA Member
Well let me start off that it feels good to be back in the seat of my own car, an SC at that.
Last Tuesday on the way to work while merging into traffic, I lost my drivers side headgasket. I thought at first VDOT had did an extremly heavy job salting the roads as huge clouds of white smoke rolled out from behind me. When I noticed it was only my car "kicking up road salt" it became apparent to me it was more.
Car ran fine, before and after this one let go. Problem being the minute coolant was poured in it would instantly leak out of the side of the block. Made me first think it might have been a busted hose or freeze plug. Instead the gasket blew the side out onto my headers and instead of internal pressure like most HG failures this one poured fluid.
I think this is a good time to say tuning is the key - When my car was tuned in November the passenger side head was cracked on cylinder #2 and dripping out, so I replaced that..and well the gasket stain on the head makes me think this one was this way for a while. I am pretty sure the period of time where I had just bolt on's and no tune caused these issues. Gaskets that blew were a year old, so it's the only thing that makes sense to me.
Total time for tear down was 1 hour...had it back together in 2 hours...so for 3 hours of time the job was done. Also since the gaskets were less than 1 year old all part expenses were defected out.
Moral of the story - if you're going to add on parts be smart, get a Quarter Horse, Tune it properly and enjoy.
-Tim
Last Tuesday on the way to work while merging into traffic, I lost my drivers side headgasket. I thought at first VDOT had did an extremly heavy job salting the roads as huge clouds of white smoke rolled out from behind me. When I noticed it was only my car "kicking up road salt" it became apparent to me it was more.
Car ran fine, before and after this one let go. Problem being the minute coolant was poured in it would instantly leak out of the side of the block. Made me first think it might have been a busted hose or freeze plug. Instead the gasket blew the side out onto my headers and instead of internal pressure like most HG failures this one poured fluid.
I think this is a good time to say tuning is the key - When my car was tuned in November the passenger side head was cracked on cylinder #2 and dripping out, so I replaced that..and well the gasket stain on the head makes me think this one was this way for a while. I am pretty sure the period of time where I had just bolt on's and no tune caused these issues. Gaskets that blew were a year old, so it's the only thing that makes sense to me.
Total time for tear down was 1 hour...had it back together in 2 hours...so for 3 hours of time the job was done. Also since the gaskets were less than 1 year old all part expenses were defected out.
Moral of the story - if you're going to add on parts be smart, get a Quarter Horse, Tune it properly and enjoy.
-Tim