1995 Blown head gasket

[rob_bluhm]

1995 1.9 liter car over heated and warped the head. I replaced the head gasket and shaved the head and did not replace the head bolts and reused them. Is that why my head gasket blow again?

[tempfixit]

Originally Posted by rob_bluhm

1995 1.9 liter car over heated and warped the head. I replaced the head gasket and shaved the head and did not replace the head bolts and reused them. Is that why my head gasket blow again?

Did you check to see if the head bolts were stretched ar all??? Put a straight edge against the thread's, if they are stretched you will see the threads are not evenly spaced. Stretched will look further spaced apart.

[rob_bluhm]

no I did not but it only took 2 hr to get the head off and I am just going to do the j\ob right when I put it back togeather.

[tempfixit]

Originally Posted by rob_bluhm

no I did not but it only took 2 hr to get the head off and I am just going to do the j\ob right when I put it back togeather.

I suggest looking at the bolts even tho you are replacing to see if they are stretched, otherwise you need to look elewhere for cause. Are you using the correct torquing precedure and spec?

[AzTumbleweed]

Since it's doing this again I wonder if maybe the head or block is cracked?

[mightymoose_22]

Could be the bolts.
Could be that the head is still warped.
Could be a crack.

Considering it was hot enough to warp, I would bet there is damage that you weren't aware of. Maybe a small crack that you did not see that becomes larger as the head heats up.

[Intuit]

Shaving the head is not enough. It needs to be fully checked out and pressure-tested by an experienced, reputable machine shop. (local racing crowds will know who to go to) Cracks can be internal where you'd never see them.

2nd Gen Escorts use TTY head bolts meaning, you cannot reuse them. Any headset you purchase, should've already included new head-bolts, new intake and exhaust gaskets. Purchase from the dealership next time, and make sure you have the right set by comparing the gaskets with the OEM originals you removed from the engine during the first repair. If any of the gaskets are bent, creased or otherwise, do not leave the parking lot with it. IMMEDIATELY return with it for an exchange.

Follow instructions and do NOT use any sealants or re-torque-ing.

[Jamesjjr9110]

I've done the head on my old Escort twice. CHECK THE BLOCK. Mine was warped 3 thousandths between the cylinders on the second head. Make sure you torque it right, and follow correct torque sequence. For this car it is VERY in-depth.
Example: torque in this order to 25 ft lbs 4,5,3,6,2,7,1,8 then in same order tighten 90 degrees, repeat, twice, then loosen in reverse order 90 degrees.
THAT IS NOT PROPER TORQUE SPECS. just example.

Also before you put head back on check the block with straight edge every which way and shine light from back side to ensure trueness. Tip tilt straight edge on one corner to help find minor flaws in block surface.

In my opinion, these are throw away engines and weren't built the best. Your best bet is to either buy new engine, or throw the whole car away. Or have fun with it and bolt the 2.0 SPI in it.

[Intuit]

"Throw away" engine here. (/sarcasm) Fully stock. Drove it for years on a bad head gasket before finally servicing it at 190k. Currently> 260k miles. Doesn't burn oil. Only major service thus far ? Head gasket and Helicoil repair cracks in original head way back at 190k. Still going strong. In fact, does 120+ mph pretty easily. Live in the Ohio Valley which means, very hilly terrain. No stranger to the accelerator.

Best things you can do for your engine is keep it cool, run it on Castrol GTX 5w-30, keep it internally clean, and shift low.

[denisond3]

Even a partly corroded region on the top of the block can allow a head gasket to burn out quickly. Thats why I got one of mine milled down .006" by the machinist. He was the one who had the brains to look for a block that wasnt right, as well as milling the head.
The head bolt tightening also involves making sure the bolt holes in the block are clean all the way to the bottom - and if you had any rusted bolts, it means you need to put a tap down in it to clean up the hole. With the head in place and seated fully onto the locating dowels, the tightening sequence is to start from the middle bolts, and go outward from there in a circular way, and bringing them all up to 44 lbsft in a few stages. The left side of the diagram is the side toward the water pump.
Each sequence is 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,*.

93157
00000 intake
00000 exhaust
8624*

I like 20 lbsft, 30 lbsft, then 40 lbsft. Then you loosen them all about two turns, and repeat the tightening sequence in stages just like the first time.

The final two steps are the ones that always give me anxiety:
!! You rotate each head bolt clockwise 90 degrees (in that same way of starting with the two at the center and going out until you have done them all). The last step is to tighten them all an additional 90 degrees, in that sequence.
You dont need a torque wrench to do the last steps, just with a carpenter's square to judge when you have turned a bolt 90 degrees.
And you start with the threads on the bolts being oiled too.

On a block I was going to junk, I tried the tightening sequence using a torque wrench for each stage, and a set of new bolts I had. For that final 90 degress of tightening, the torque it took to turn the bolts varied a lot - probably due to the bolts stretching and twisting as I turned them. Some only showed 70-75 lbsft at the end, some read upwards of 100 lbsft.

I dont regard the Escort engines as throwaways either. They are easy to rebuild and use for another 200k miles. Unfortunately the transmissions seem to require being rebuilt somewhere between 120k to 200k. But even those are fairly easy to rebuild.

[Jamesjjr9110]

Any engine will go 200k miles if you change the oil and take care of it. I was told when I got ready to rebuild the whole engine. Several people told me to throw away the whole car and forget it. Thus taking several peoples advice I threw away the car. I wish I still had it though. I LOVED that car.

Also my opinion of the transmission, if its the Mazda transmission for a complete rebuild my transmission guy quoted $2400.... Another reason I decided to throw away the car since i had found excessive metal fileing in the pan...

[zzyzzx2]

Originally Posted by Jamesjjr9110

Any engine will go 200k miles if you change the oil and take care of it.

Not these, they drop valve seats like mad!

Originally Posted by Jamesjjr9110

Also my opinion of the transmission, if its the Mazda transmission for a complete rebuild my transmission guy quoted $2400.... Another reason I decided to throw away the car since i had found excessive metal fileing in the pan...

Then you don't know where to shop. Lots of people throw these cars away because of valve seat problems, so you should be able to find a parfectly god transmission in the junk yard. That and the excessive filings in the pan usually mean nothing. When I finally cleaned off the magnets in my transmission pan they looked nasty (reminded me of doughnuts). Around here I see rebuilt transmissions for $1700, not that I've needed one for this car yet (at 202K I have the original automatic).

[Jamesjjr9110]

Originally Posted by zzyzzx2

Not these, they drop valve seats like mad!



Then you don't know where to shop. Lots of people throw these cars away because of valve seat problems, so you should be able to find a parfectly god transmission in the junk yard. That and the excessive filings in the pan usually mean nothing. When I finally cleaned off the magnets in my transmission pan they looked nasty (reminded me of doughnuts). Around here I see rebuilt transmissions for $1700, not that I've needed one for this car yet (at 202K I have the original automatic).

Yes, I know, good point. Ha ha forgot about that.

But what brand of gears, clutches, etc are they using on the rebuild? I know for a fact that all parts going into my transmission by this guy meets or exceeds OE quality. Not that china junk from autozone. That 1700 can only buy you so much on parts. Also parts and labor are different all across the USA. Is he using bottom line parts autozone brand parts? or Motorcraft parts? It really does make a difference. I'm a firm believer in dealer parts, just not through the dealer. WAY too expensive. I have gone out of my way and pay the extra bucks for U.S.A. made parts and OE parts. I had faith in that car to jump in it and drive it anywhere. Good little car, had few issues with it but nothing I couldn't handle. Ran 10-30 full synthetic in it from 90k till it died... Wish I had rebuilt it ... Next time I wont be so hasty to throw it away.


I quote Intuit
"In fact, does 120+ mph pretty easily."

Intuit You have gotten it to 120? What motor was in it? 1.8? 1.9? or 2.0? I never got my auto Escort above 110 even going down hill with a/c off (I took the compressor, condenser, and anything else I could take off with out much hassle. Gave me about 2MPG and about 5 HP) a fresh coat of wax and 60 PSI in the tires....

[zzyzzx2]

Originally Posted by Jamesjjr9110

Yes, I know, good point. Ha ha forgot about that.

But what brand of gears, clutches, etc are they using on the rebuild? I know for a fact that all parts going into my transmission by this guy meets or exceeds OE quality. Not that china junk from autozone. That 1700 can only buy you so much on parts. Also parts and labor are different all across the USA. Is he using bottom line parts autozone brand parts? or Motorcraft parts? It really does make a difference. I'm a firm believer in dealer parts, just not through the dealer. WAY too expensive. I have gone out of my way and pay the extra bucks for U.S.A. made parts and OE parts.

Yes, if I were buying the individual parts I'd go out of my way to get doemstic ones, if I could get them. On this car I'd seriously consider the JY for a transmission though, if I ever need one.

[Intuit]

Originally Posted by Jamesjjr9110

I quote Intuit
"In fact, does 120+ mph pretty easily."

Intuit You have gotten it to 120? What motor was in it? 1.8? 1.9? or 2.0? I never got my auto Escort above 110 even going down hill with a/c off (I took the compressor, condenser, and anything else I could take off with out much hassle. Gave me about 2MPG and about 5 HP) a fresh coat of wax and 60 PSI in the tires....

hehehe. Fully stock. Briefly drove beyond 120mph, still pull'n steadily.

Just like head gaskets, Escorts weren't the only cars with valve seat problems. Early bimetal engines in general had problems with this. The problems all go back to the fact that different metals expand at different rates. Steel valves seats, aluminum heads, iron headers and iron block, all added up to problems for manufacturers.

That's why I quoted FIRST, "Best things you can do for your engine is keep it cool,..... People often ignore lifter tap and let them run hot. Because failure doesn't occur instantaneously, people never connect the dots.