I recently posted on this forum that I had a problem of loss of coolant, there wasn´t any leaks and the radiator cap seemed to have been working properly. Coolant expansion tank boiling, many people pointed that my problem could be related to my head gasket.
Yesterday my car lost compression between two cylinders, the number 1 and 2, my mechanic took the cylinder head apart and saw that the head gasket was burnt between two cylinders. Before bringing the car to my mechanic I checked the cooling system to see if combustion gases were getting into the cooling system. I saw bubbles the first time I started the engine but after that there wasn´t any bubbles. The car was blowing some white and blue smoke on the tailpipe, and coolant loss was very slow like 300 cc every 3 days. I didn´t saw any condensation on the oil filler cap nor in the oil dipstick.
My question is: Should I change my oil even when there aren´t any signs of coolant getting into the lubrication system?
Head Gasket Failure
- Thread starter Emanuel
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Nick1994
$100 site donor 2023
Originally Posted By: Emanuel
My question is: Should I change my oil even when there aren´t any signs of coolant getting into the lubrication system?
Any time I've pulled a head off of an engine, there's always been coolant that's dropped onto the pistons or down oil passages. Both of which will ultimately make their way into the oil.
Sorry to hear of the blown HG . Not good news , but , at least , you have a direction to go .
Best of luck to you , :-)
Glad you can put that issue to rest. Toyotas and headgaskets my friend, you should be fully aware by now. Yes, of course change the oil. Also look into getting a thermostat installed ASAP, Toyota engine thermal management is already chronically abysmal IMO and cycling head temps, pressure fluctuations and overcooling/uneven head temps are just going to guarantee head gasket problems in a Toy 4 cyl. The 1ZZ is better for headgaskets than other Toy 4's but their head sealing is noticably below average relative to the entire pool of engines currently in service.
Also a shout out to tig1 who actually called it first.I have a 7AFE engine not a 1ZZFE. My first head gasket lasted 250k miles.
Oh a 2001 with a 7A, that's got to be a E110 (old school Corolla like the Geo Prism). We don't have 2001s like that here in Canada. Why didn't you clarify earlier? The thermostat is off the head in that car, not on the block. Yeah 250K miles is good for one gasket (though I don't rate them in miles, they're not wear items!). The A-engine isn't so notorious for head gasket weakness, not like the E- and S- engines from that era that's for sure.
Yes change the oil. It will be full of contaminants. And change it again in a couple days.
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: Emanuel
My question is: Should I change my oil even when there aren´t any signs of coolant getting into the lubrication system?
Originally Posted By: PeterPolyol
Oh a 2001 with a 7A, that's got to be a E110 (old school Corolla like the Geo Prism). We don't have 2001s like that here in Canada. Why didn't you clarify earlier?
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Yeah if you go through all that trouble may as well just change the oil to be safe..
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Yeah if you go through all that trouble may as well just change the oil to be safe..
Yes, your oil is toasted. After your HG change your mechanic should put new oil in it as well for this reason. Change this first fill early and if you have time, take the pan off and scrape any sludge that might have build up from the coolant leak as well.
IIR the original thread correctly (it got a bit convoluted) this engine already had a head gasket replacement in its fairly recent past.
If that is correct, its particularly important (though its always important) that your mechanic doesn't just chuck another one on. The head and the block need to be carefully checked for distortion with a known-good steel straight edge and feeler guages. You can check the stright edge with fishing line.
Such distortion might explain short head gasket life. I don't know this engine, but if it uses stretch head bolts you should also ensure that they aren't being re-used.
Nothing specific against your mechanic, but I wouldn't trust a randomly selected Taiwanese mechanic further than I could throw them.
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