engine and drivetrain Leaking Head Gasket/coolant In Manifold?

[scoopyg]

I attempted to start my barn find 75 2002, and got it firing but it would not run. Then I noticed something leaking out of the head gasket, so I decided the aftermarket turbo had to go. I began the disassembly, and when I pulled off the intake tube off the intake manifold, this is what I found. Looks like coolant, and was oily like coolant.

Next I removed the intake manifold and was looking inside the combustion chambers, and wow were they black and nasty looking. Granted, I injected some mystery oil into the cylinders before I towed the car home, but man it was one funky looking mess in there. SO...did that turbo foul the cylinders? Did my cranking of the engine blow the head gasket? Was the head gasket already blown, and that's why the car was parked 18 years ago?

What next...full engine rebuild, and clutch too while I'm at it? Thanks for any advice. Rich in OH.

[Guest_anonymous]

does that look like the same liquid in the radiator? doesn't look neccessarily like coolant, nor would I describe coolant as "oily", possibly 18 year old gas which you are wanting to drain

[scoopyg]

Well, the green color of the stuff made me wonder if it was coolant, but the bigger issue is probably the fluid leaking out of the head gasket. And I can't overstate the bad-looking piston chambers...like a dirty oil pan. Just wondering if that turbo was over-pressurizing the engine, especially since it's been sitting 18 years.

[Guest_anonymous]

can you show pictures of the leak area

[Buckeye]

Have you changed engine oil and filter yet? If so, is it milky looking? Did you check pistons compression ?

As other said above, what's coolant looks like?

Did you take cylinder head off? I'd so may want to share more pictures.

Where about in Ohio are you located?

[scoopyg]

I was going to change oil before a start-up attempt, but there is no drain plug. Instead, the aftermarket turbo kit uses the drain hole to provide oil to the turbo unit. So, I just primed the carb and started cranking to see what would happen. It fired OK and sounded like it was gonna run, but wouldn't. Then when I looked again, I saw the leak at the head gasket. Here are photos of the leak area, and the best photos I could get of the cylinders...note the gunky black appearance.

[scoopyg]

Hi Buckeye,  I see you're in Dublin.  I'm in Grandview.  richardreau@hotmail.com

[GoFaSSter]

The cylinder looks like it might have ran rich or oil was getting through, possibly from the turbo. Change the oil and fluids. Try to start and see if the head is really leaking. Compression test would be great before you start it. If it is just a head gasket, replace it. If the rest of the engine has issues, rebuild it.

[Stevenc22]

These motors are pretty resilient. Just change fluids and try ad get her running before you strip the motor apart.

[KFunk]

You sure he didn't put some kind of mystery fluid into the engine for storage? 

 

Yeah, I'd just drain and change all fluids before getting too excited.  Even if something did leak a little at first, a little heat and fluids soaking into gaskets might seal things up. 

[TobyB]

That's probably not a head gasket leak....

 

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[mike472]

You probably have a crack in the head somewhere in the intake passage. I had one crack on me in there and the coolant found its way up into the air cleaner. I would take the carb off and see water laying down in the manifold. The head was not cracked in the usual place, in between the valves, at least not visibly. When I had Korman inspect the head they found cracks in both places after thoroughly cleaning it. More then likely the turbo cooked the engine and cracked the head. New head castings go for around $1100 from BMW

[allbim]

I was going to change oil before a start-up attempt, but there is no drain plug. Instead, the aftermarket turbo kit uses the drain hole to provide oil to the turbo unit. So, I just primed the carb and started cranking to see what would happen. It fired OK and sounded like it was gonna run, but wouldn't. Then when I looked again, I saw the leak at the head gasket. Here are photos of the leak area, and the best photos I could get of the cylinders...note the gunky black appearance.

 

The oil drain hole on your engine is used as as a drain for the oil lubricating the turbo.  Not as a supply source. 

[allbim]

That's a coolant heated manifold.  Is it possible that the manifold is leaking?

Dry up the mess, figure out a way to pressurize the radiator and see what happens.