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EF XR6 Rough Idle & Lost Coolant 

 

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 Post subject: EF XR6 Rough Idle & Lost Coolant
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 8:40 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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Posts: 890

Joined: 1st Apr 2005

Gallery: 4 images

Ride: EF XR6 Wagon, AU2 XR6 VCT

Power: 148 rwkw

Location: Auckland
New Zealand

I think I have a blown head gasket, but some things are just not making sense.

- When cold, idles rough for 10-20 seconds, then smooths out at 900-1000 RPM
- When warm, idles rough all the time (at correct revs), like a really lumpy cam, but smooths out above 1000RPM
- losing 300-500mls of coolant a day (about an hour's driving), but nothing visible under the car or the bonnet
- disconnecting cylinder 1 plug or injector makes no difference, but disconnecting the others does, so the problem must be in cylinder 1
- swapping plugs between cylinders 1 and 2 makes no difference
- replacing number 1 injector makes no difference
- compression is all over the place: cylinders 1 to 4 are 110, 110, 150 and 95 psi
- spark plugs show good colour
- new coilpack and new 8mm Champion steel-core wires
- No smell of exhaust or petrol in overflow tank
- No smell of coolant in exhaust
- Builds up high pressure in overflow tank, spraying coolant everywhere when opened, even when cold.
- No coolant in oil; no oil in coolant
- When switched off hot, can smell petrol fumes
- Changed from Autolite 985 plugs to the recommended NGK ZGR6B-11 (2 steps colder) a month or so ago

This can't all be caused by a blown head gasket. But for all this acting up, the engine is still producing excellent, smooth power from 1000-5000 RPM. The Engine is stock XR6, stock Tickford cam. Anyone have any ideas? What else can I check?

 

_________________

95 EF XR6 wagon, 17" FTRs, DBA rotors, KYB/Koni, AU bottom end, ported EF head, backcut valves, SS Inductions, Territory intake, 10.2 CR, Auckland 1258 cam, vernier gear, PH4480 headers, no cat, Tickford 2.5", 2800rpm stall, J3 chip

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Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 8:50 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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Age: 54

Posts: 903

Joined: 7th Sep 2007

Gallery: 3 images

Ride: BF3 Egas wag SY AWD Terry Ghia

Location: Brookfield
VIC, Australia

definite head gasket or cracked.

 

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BF3 Egas XT Wagon
SY Territory Ghia AWD 6spA :))

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Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 8:53 pm 
Stock as a Rock
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Posts: 189

Joined: 5th Mar 2007

Ride: 94 Futura

Location: Midland
WA, Australia

Replace the head gasket. You know you need to.
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Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:37 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline

Posts: 890

Joined: 1st Apr 2005

Gallery: 4 images

Ride: EF XR6 Wagon, AU2 XR6 VCT

Power: 148 rwkw

Location: Auckland
New Zealand

Thanks guys. At 253,000kms, I suppose I can't complain. It uses only a litre of oil every 10,000kms, so the bottom end and valve guides seem to be in decent shape.

With the head coming off anyway, maybe it's a good opportunity to up the compression, do a valve job, and do a little porting and polishing. Should be good for another 10kw or so.

Any recommendations or warnings?

 

_________________

95 EF XR6 wagon, 17" FTRs, DBA rotors, KYB/Koni, AU bottom end, ported EF head, backcut valves, SS Inductions, Territory intake, 10.2 CR, Auckland 1258 cam, vernier gear, PH4480 headers, no cat, Tickford 2.5", 2800rpm stall, J3 chip

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