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Help save my TC, need head gasket advice!


Guest EmmettTC

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Guest EmmettTC

Hey, my head gasket on my 2.2L TC has blown. Milky oil, tons of coolant smoke from exhaust, it's a no brainer. So, I asked my repair shop if they could do it and they are having trouble finding parts.

What parts will they (or I) need for the job?

I know the head gasket and head bolts obviously, but what else?

Links to parts would also be appreciated. Thank you!!

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Did the car overheat?  You going to have to take the head off and see what it looks like. I have seem aluminum heads that corrosion is causing the leaks. How is the turbocharger?

You could do a compression test and see how the rings, valves and head are holding up.  That was a very common engine, I don't see you having a lot of trouble getting parts.

Rock Auto. Parts Geek, basically a place where there is a machine shop.

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7 hours ago, EmmettTC said:

Hey, my head gasket on my 2.2L TC has blown. Milky oil, tons of coolant smoke from exhaust, it's a no brainer. So, I asked my repair shop if they could do it and they are having trouble finding parts.

What parts will they (or I) need for the job?

I know the head gasket and head bolts obviously, but what else?

Links to parts would also be appreciated. Thank you!!

Tell us a little more about the car; How many miles on the odometer?  

How long have you had the milky oil and exhaust smoke?

What other engine work have you ever had on this car?

Are you at all capable of doing the repair or are you stuck having someone else do it?

How long have you known these guys at the shop you reference?

 

I have done plenty of these engines, they are not difficult to repair, IF you just follow simple steps. I'll be glad to guide you through it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

^Yep and all the while the corrosive 'oil  milkshake' is eating into the steel parts of the motor.  No doubt there is a coolant puddle sitting in a couple cylinders as well.  I hope he doesn't try to start it without winding out the plugs first...

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest EmmettTC

Hello all! Sorry for the late reply, as I started a new full time job in addition to moving, all around the same time the head gasket blew. 

 

I've replaced the plugs and I would like to give the head gasket job a go soon. 
The engine has about 200k miles on it. With enough time I could definitely do the job myself (have everything except a torque wrench and feeler guages).

 

The engine otherwise is in very good condition. The problem was going on for about a month but only got bad a few days before I posted. (Meaning significant smoke from the exhaust.)

 

I hate myself for resorting to it but I used Bars max strength stop-leak and things are okay for now. The coolant system isn't gunked up, it now just has some shimmmery flakes floating in it.

 

I would like to give this job a go soon though. Thank you all for the help!!!

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With 200K i think you have other issues along with it. I have 3 turbo cars and all of them needed the turbo rebuilt or replaced( all under 100K). The seals leak oil in the exhaust and cause smoke. With that many miles it's time to pull the head and turbo and inspect thoroughly The turbo in my TC was in the worse shape, The impeller was hitting the housing and it only has 89K.

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20 hours ago, Moparite said:

With 200K i think you have other issues along with it. I have 3 turbo cars and all of them needed the turbo rebuilt or replaced( all under 100K). The seals leak oil in the exhaust and cause smoke. With that many miles it's time to pull the head and turbo and inspect thoroughly The turbo in my TC was in the worse shape, The impeller was hitting the housing and it only has 89K.

 

Interesting, my turbo TC is nearing 290,000 miles and is still on the original turbo and 2nd head gasket. (both of which were replaced BEFORE they failed)  Something about preventive maintenance here, I think.

By now I think we all know that there is a 'weak' spot in the head gasket by cylinder #1 at the water jacket adjacent to the combustion chamber. The trick is to EXPECT the head gasket to begin to fail near 100,000 miles if the cooling system is kept clean of rust, etc. Sooner if you let it go. The turbo tends to suffer from neglect too but with clean oil and coolant, it can apparently go on nearly forever. 

I use Mobil 1 Synthetic and this new type antifreeze good for 100,000 miles, they say. Seems to work for me.

 

My biggest problem with all these FWD fuel injected cars, the 89 TC, my 85 Laser 2.5L and the 85 Voyager van with a 3.0L MMC V6 is THE FUEL PUMP. Thank goodness for AAA towing.

ALL of mine have had the 'ride' on the rollbacks, some more than once. Fuel pump EVERY time. MOPAR ones too!!!

I believe the count is up to 7 now. Must be the rotten formulation of fuel we buy these days.

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