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Hello there...

I think I have a bad headgasket.. I read another thread from several years ago, where someone was having coolant backup into the reservior... well, that's what I have going on.. Took it to the dealer they replaced the thermostat and radiator, it didn't fix the problem, they ran a "head gasket test" and it passed as they said... if i bleed the air out it sucks the coolant back in some...

Anyways, I'm thinking it's a headgasket based on what I have read on here.. I have the helm manual for the car and am somewhat mechanically inclined(replaced struts/springs, brake caliper, replace fluids, etc).. but I've never done a timing belt or anything of this complexity and scope... Also, I'm affraid that if I screw up getting tdc on the crank and head and putting it back together and firing it up and screwing it up... Any suggestions?? Things to look for? Anyone done this themselves. The car has 142k on it, I had the timing belt/waterpump changed at 100k... I Hope I am not asking about something that's been repeatedly covered, if I am I sincerely apologize... The car has never ever overheated btw..I noticed when I found some drops of coolant on my garage floor... Thanks in Advance.. Brad

 
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Bump... No one's 2 cents...

 
Rep Power: 258

If you are mechanically inclined, then it should be no problem. I say just get a Haynes repair manual and you should be set. You can find them online or at Autozone, Pepboys and O'Reilys pretty cheap i would imagine.

 
Rep Power: 258

ok first thing the head gasket is supposed to be leak proof but ive never heard of a gasket that was leak proof anyway as far as timing belt goes its not too hard just take off the valve cover and then take off the cam gear cover then youll see the word UP stamped into one of the spokes of the cam gear when it points up then ur at tdc BE SURE TO MARK TDC ON THE BELT BEFORE YOU TAKE IT OFF then just take the timing belt off so for install put the cam at UP then slip the timing belt back on it has an auto tensioner so the timing belt is easier than the other belts
then ur

 
Rep Power: 380

D00d the timeing thing SOUND scary but it's not. The easy solution is to use two zip ties to hold the gear to the belt. The cam has a notch in it so that the gear only goes on one way. If you don't touch the cam you won't have an issue.

 
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Awesome feedback guys... I hated to do the bump but needed some feedback... Also, another question. I have the helm manual. so I'm good there, way better than the other ones in my opinion.. but anyways.. In the manual it shows taking off the crankcase pulley.. Looks like you have to do that to get the lower cover off, which the autotensioner is hidden by that lower cover... Do you have to take off the crankcase pulley?? If so, how hard is it? I see the factory special tool, and I've found a couple on the net that look like good generic versions, one is an alltrade tool the other one is Schley Products / Pt#: SP 60100 ... Anyone have experiences with these? They don't list our cars, but I'm pretty sure it will work.. Also, i've read they are torqued on really hard... and hard to get off, but in the manual it only shows torquing it to 14ft/lbs... so, anyone taken this off and how hard is it?? I have a 33gallon air compressor and a 500ft/lbs impact and a buddy has a larger one I can use... I know it's hard to get a breaker bar in there when it's just on jacks... hard to get leverage... Thanks Again

Hopefully if I do this, I'll be able to take my time and take pics and maybe write a diy...

 
Rep Power: 258

you will have to take the engine out to remove the crank pully. cause the special tool is pretty big (im referring to a general 2 ton puller)

 
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I think what you're thinking of is a pressed on pulley type puller, this tool fits into the hex shape in the middle of the pulley around the bolt. so it holds the crank from turning when you are turning the 19mm socket holding it on... If you have the helm manual check on page 6-13... I think some of you guys have the acrobat of it or something, I don't know what page it is in there... it's PN 07MAB-PY3010A... The manual doesn't say you have to pull the motor and I don't believe you do... This one of the generics... I mean, you have to do this to replace a timing belt to... and People don't pull their motors for that...

http://search.cartserver.com/search/...rds=SP%2060100

 
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Also, you can get to it through a spot in the drivers side wheel well I believe...

 
Rep Power: 258

yea you can turn it from the drivers side wheel and no you dont need to take out the engine to change the timing belt but to remove the crank pulley i belive you do but ive never had to remove that pulley and to remove the cover that covers the timing belt you have to remove these 10mm(i think if its the same as the upper one) machine screws and its a tight fit down in there so youll need to remove all the stuff in your way but by the time youve done that you might as well remove the engine or at least jack it up to make it easier

 
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oh ok i see the tool ur using hmm well ok it should just drop out the bottom but dont forget about those screws

 
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Cool, you see what I mean... I really don't want to have to yank the motor because of the tranny, other lines, etc... Granted I realize most things end up disconnected... Yeah, so we are on the same page, I'm not talking about the pulley the timing belt runs on, i'm talking about the one the alternator, ps and ac run off of.

Also, this car has never overheated, i've been gettting air in the system though causing my coolant level to rise and it doesn't do it all the time... Do you think I'll have to take the head to get it resurfaced?? If so I'd have to take the rockers, springs, cam, everything out of the head right?? I guess I could take it to a shop all complete and have them take it all apart and re-assemble it..

 
Rep Power: 258

yea just take the head to the machine shop and theyll do all the work
if its but in your initial post you said it passed a "head gasket test" which i assume is "aka a compression test" so if it passed that then its not ur head gasket

 
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Yeah, it passes the compression test... The dealership told me that they have had these motors pass the test and still have bad head gaskets.. The radiator's been replaced, thermostat, radiator cap, systems been pressure tested... but the coolant level rises randomly in the reservior... I bleed out the system but then it ends upcoming back... Dealership was talking about doing a headgasket... but I think I can do it myself, I can take my time, I have another car, albeit one I don't like to drive as much :-) but... it will work and runs good... so if I get into it and it takes me a week everyday after work... Then it's alright, I just hope it goes smooth.. I mean, do you have any other ideas as to what it could be?

 
Rep Power: 250

headgasket, almost 100% sure. same thing happened to me. if you take your time and have the manual for the car then you will be fine. just takes some time and patience. It will save you quite a bit of money though

 
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Cool, hey Airheadsman2k3, did you do yours yourself? or take it to a shop? If you did it yourself, did you use one of the tools to hold the crank still to get the pulley off? And how hard was it to get that bolt off, by hand or with an impact??

Thanks

 
Rep Power: 453

when i did my timing belt, I took my car up to the local auto place and for $20 the guy used an impact to bust it loose and then put it back on snug and told me when I was done with the job to come back and he would tighten it for me. worth it if you ask me.

 
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Yeah, that is a good idea.. Since I do a majority of work myself, i don't really have a great relationship with any local shops.. Though, I did start on this, have the exhaust manifold off, intake off, I tried to get it off with an impact with over 1000ft/lbs and it just kept turning the crank, I ordered one of the tools to hold the crank still... So, hopefully that will arrive soon, because I am just about at the point where I need it... I was going to do a diy on this, but it's already taking a long time.. so, I think this is probably too complex to create a diy on it, atleast for me it is and way too time consuming..