Topic: help please head gasket /cracked head ??? (Read 5789 times)

welshpaula · « **on:** January 19, 2013, 03:44:57 PM »

Hi
please can you very knowledgeable people give me your thoughts as dont want to be ripped off and i also might be in denial !!!

history ....... i have a 2002 jeep cherokee 3.7 ltd full leather excellent condition 70k on clock, she runs on LPG ,never had any probs,regularly serviced and runs like a dream
symptoms.... just replaced upstream 02 sensor on left side as getting lots of misfires which pointed to faulty o2 sensor took her back to LPG installer whos very knowledgeable and advised to do this ,this time of year i generally get misfires off the lpg system as the lpg doesnt like the cold i take off the codes with my OBD reader and its never a problem .
she is running fine idle bit lumpy but not much ,i have perfect coolant (no oil) and perfect oil( no coolant) ,she runs to temp( half) and has never overheated,im also a fanatic with the coolant level as running on lpg they run hotter so you have to make sure you have suffcient coolant ,im also not losing any coolant, last year i bought a new expansion tank cap as was losing small amounts from a worn cap ,she is not blowing any smoke from exhaust and is not losing power!
the only symptom i have really to make me think theres a problem is if you leave expansion tank cap off and turn her over the coolant swooshes out also if you give her a good rev with the cap on it forces coolant out ??
drove her yesterday in snow doing about 30 mph she started jolting i pulled over gave her a good rev then drove fine again ?
whats going on ??
she is due MOT on monday also thinking of getting a compression check ?? i am absolutly gutted as just finished paying for her and dont have the money for head gasket repair new engine !!

any ideas and views welcome ??

bgbazz · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2013, 04:14:15 PM »

The compression test is a good place to start..at least for peace of mind, if nothing else. I recall some years ago a mate had the thermostat collapse which caused a partial blockage, resulting in a lot of back pressure in the cooling system and coolant being expelled. That's a real long shot, I know. Also, is there any chance you've got a partially blocked radiator which could give you excess back pressure?

These are just thoughts mate..nothing really concrete to go on.

Good luck.

welshpaula · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2013, 04:21:59 PM »

ok will get garage to check monday ,im hoping its anything except the dreaded head gasket/cracked head diagnosis

thanks

bgbazz · « **Reply #3 on:** January 19, 2013, 08:04:57 PM »

Hope it works out cheaply/simply for you..all I offered was food for thought and lots of luck mate.

welshpaula · « **Reply #4 on:** January 20, 2013, 05:06:12 PM »

update if anyones reading
took all the plugs off ready to do a compression test today didnt go any further as plugs are tinged pink from the coolant !

so im guessing the head gaskets gone ??
what to do next is the question ??

isle of man · « **Reply #5 on:** January 20, 2013, 05:10:45 PM »

Have you the correct spark LPG plugs fitted?

welshpaula · « **Reply #6 on:** January 20, 2013, 05:21:06 PM »

they didnt change the spark plugs when they fitted the lpg system as far as im aware and the ones on it now are pretty new ??

robsrotti · « **Reply #7 on:** January 20, 2013, 05:39:33 PM »

It will cost you nothing to do a compression test, the plugs could be that colour from running to hot.

welshpaula · « **Reply #8 on:** January 20, 2013, 05:46:42 PM »

going to get compression test to confirm tmw
but its never ever run hot or overheated and my coolant is pink the plugs are tinged pink so im guessing coolant has got to them ?
my only problem is my expansion tank swirls out coolant if caps off and eingine is running ?? im not losing coolant either ,well not noticeable ?? was due for mot tmw to but going to hang on for that until diagnosed ?

Dave The Sparky · « **Reply #9 on:** January 20, 2013, 07:35:03 PM »

Head gasket shouldn't cause sparkplugs to be pink and you would be loosing coolant,the cause must be elsewhere

welshpaula · « **Reply #10 on:** January 20, 2013, 07:40:14 PM »

dave thats what im hoping as i have no other symptoms of hg failure .........well im actually praying now as at my wits end !

jay140285 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 20, 2013, 07:43:53 PM »

I would say you need to change the plugs for LPG specific ones, made a big difference when mine was converted.

Panic mechanic! · « **Reply #12 on:** January 20, 2013, 07:48:45 PM »

what brand are the plugs as ngk run a hotter range and are better for lpg not the silly one they try to get you to buy

welshpaula · « **Reply #13 on:** January 20, 2013, 08:02:31 PM »

dont know what make they are but they are not NGK ,werent cheap ones either and replaced last year .i do very little mileage really prob around 300 miles a month max

Panic mechanic! · « **Reply #14 on:** January 20, 2013, 08:11:06 PM »

they should do a sniffer check on your coolant as well, that will tell you what state the gasket is in as well.

warp · « **Reply #15 on:** January 20, 2013, 09:18:19 PM »

I have lpg on my xj 4.0l it runs on standard plugs, never had a problem with them. Not heard of anyone needing to have special plugs for lpg, think you maybe going down a wrong path saying it needs different plugs

Shaggy · « **Reply #16 on:** January 20, 2013, 09:30:30 PM »

It's just cos lpg burns a lot hotter than petrol so a different grade plug is required, it's not unheard of for lpg to melt the tips, even more so with alloy heads!

isle of man · « **Reply #17 on:** January 20, 2013, 09:33:31 PM »

I concur...

welshpaula · « **Reply #18 on:** January 20, 2013, 09:42:08 PM »

its been running on lpg for 5 years never had a problem with plugs before ? they are defo contaminated with the coolant as my coolant is flurescent pink and the whites of the plugs are tinged pink ?

Dave The Sparky · « **Reply #19 on:** January 20, 2013, 10:30:44 PM »

If they are all pink its got to be something in the fuel, unless every cylinder is in trouble which is highly unlikely

Lornaben · « **Reply #20 on:** January 20, 2013, 10:34:13 PM »

Is it possible the coolant feed to the LPG vaporiser is allowing coolant into the fuel ?

I may barking at the moon but it would explain the coolant getting pressurised and the pink tinge to all the plugs ie fuel contamination .....

welshpaula · « **Reply #21 on:** January 20, 2013, 10:43:36 PM »

if it is possible that would still mean coolant contamination in eingine so costly repair ??
my lovely garage man has had jeeps himself and fitted his own lpg system(so no novice thankfully !) so thats where my baby is going tmw

welshpaula · « **Reply #22 on:** January 21, 2013, 07:27:08 PM »

update
been to garage today did a dye test no leaks showing anywhere no gasket or head problems

but the overflow pipe from the expansion tank was mixed up with the main feed pipe

all engine lights now off no more misfires no damage to engine so very very very pleased !!!

Panic mechanic! · « **Reply #23 on:** January 21, 2013, 07:31:47 PM »

sorted !

gazjeep · « **Reply #24 on:** January 21, 2013, 07:38:36 PM »

Great result

Author Topic: help please head gasket /cracked head ??? (Read 5789 times)

welshpaula

welshpaula

welshpaula

welshpaula

robsrotti

welshpaula

welshpaula

jay140285

Panic mechanic!

welshpaula

Panic mechanic!

warp

Shaggy

welshpaula

welshpaula

welshpaula

Panic mechanic!