I'm worried because I almost overheated my car (as shown in the other thread) last week. Well since then my car has run like crap. I hear a distinct ticking that gets louder with RPM (and possibly throttle) from the passenger side head area. I'm not burning any coolant and I don't think there's any oil being consumed... but I was wondering what the signs of a blown head gasket (between cylinders, not coolant passages) would be. I'd imagine it would be fairly easy driving 10 miles at approx 260-270 degrees to destroy a head gasket- but let me just see your take on things.

I haven't tightened my rockers yet to rule that problem out- but if it's not the rockers, and it's definitely not an exhaust leak... then do you think it's a head gasket?

 

Your head gasket smiles - A lot...

Coolant consumption with white exhaust smoke once the engine is warmed, coolant in the oil pan (emulsified, milky appearing oil) misfire, hard starting, poor compression, bubbles in coolant when the engine is at temperature.

If you have no oil/coolant mixing, and no coolant burning, you might have a cracked head, craked exhaust manifold, or oil that has been cooked and has no more viscosity modifiers. That would create very low viscosity oil, and possible lifter/valve noise. Any time you seriously overheat an engine, the oil should be changed.

 

So I could have blwon through the gasket at the cylinders without a leak right?

 

Maybe the third time is the charm...

Why are you resisting performing the tests? They will clarify most of the questions you have posted in the last few days. :shrug:

 

I'm at work- I work 40 hours and I do not have a number of necessary things to play with my car (ie time, a garage, etc) and there is 8 inches of snow out.

 

Well, you might be in luck. The weather is supposed to break in the next few days, with highs over 50. If you're like many of us, you might get a three-say weekend soon. And the daylight hours are getting just a little bit longer every day. That may give you the chance you need to try a few of the things that have been suggested.

 

This "luck" comes too little too late if it's a blown head gasket! But yes. Awesome. I have much to get done with this car during the good weather. Friday is off

 

I still think you are suffering from coil bind and a really bad tune. You would poop yourself with what a good chip tune can do for your TBI combo.

 

The thing is *I cannot burn my own chips* Shifty. No way, no how. I'll go to carb long before I put up with TBI frustration. It's useless.

Coil bind, eh? Why would it be binding NOW and not 10 months ago?

 

I thought your car had been running like poo for awhile now, mechanically and not tune wise. I can't remember if you ever measureed to check the clearnace with that cam and those vortecs. To end your frustration you will have to go carb. You will never get anything out of your combo if you leave the stock tune in place. You have a 260hp engine trapped with a 170hp tune.

 

it's not the stock tune shifty- it's the TBIChips.com tune with more FP and timing.