Marvin to Kat: Happy @#$%ing New Year!

[KatWoman]

And what a lovely way to start the New Year off

Earlier this week I noticed the heater hose that's just to the right of the upper radiator hose was bubbled up so I parked the car til I could make it to Autozone to pick one up today. So Alex is working on the car and decided to open up the radiator cap and this is what we find:





Most of you may remember that last Feb/Mar we tore the motor down to do the HG/timing belt/water pump etc. So not even a year later this happens

Ever since the teardown party I have checked under the radiator cap every few weeks to make sure things stay kosher. 3 weeks ago was when I last checked and there was nothing, coolant was nice n green. So this is what today has brought me. For as bad as this looks, I havent been blowing any smoke, no change in performance and no unusual smells have been detected. I am so pissed at Marvin right now mad: I am ready to put the car out in the middle of a pasture and just let weeds grow over it

Now taking PayPal donations for the psychotherapy I need after dealing with something every month with this machine


Oh yeah, HAPPY NEW YEAR

[ac427cpe]

AHHHHH!!! NOOO!!!! i feel your pain, today the rx7 decided to let the pulse supressor die.... now i have to take the top of the engine apart... grrrrr... and the mr2 is laughing at me cause it's still not done.

at least i have some good new year's resolutions!


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[Jay!]

Why did you put peanut butter in there?

[KatWoman]

Originally Posted by jay@af

Why did you put peanut butter in there?

Peanut products = performance

[Steel]

Get an RX-7.. seems more reliable

[ac427cpe]

yes! i even have one i'd sell to you!!!

[KatWoman]

Unfortunately we're not in a position to get another car yet

ANd I just heard back from one of my buddies that knows Neon motors like the back of his hand....he suspects that my head may have been warped before and that the new headgasket was just a temporary fix. Unfortunately too this is not gonna be an easy job as far as just replace the HG and flush the cooling system. We're probably gonna have to have the head milled, valve seals replaces, valves cleaned good, and major major flushing of the cooling system, as in taking the radiator and water pump out of the car and cleaning those out realy good etc etc. He has a port n polish business going on so he can do the machining and cleaning, but if this job costs $1000 or more between parts, his labor, and any other costs arising out of it, I just may burn the damn thing. So I guess first thing is to tell my stepdad tomorrow that I may need his car for awhile At least its a spare car for him and not one he or my mom uses that much.

ARRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[tiremanjd]

I have never replaced a head gasket and not had the head or heads if it was the case surfaced. I always believed it was just a setup for future let downs.
Hopefully you can get a good deal on the work

[Oz]

Kat - I would be investigating the economical feasability of dropping a new, reconditioned motor in. Might be cheaper

[raysoh8]

whats that stuff on the cap?

[Jimster]

Originally Posted by Oz

Kat - I would be investigating the economical feasability of dropping a new, reconditioned motor in. Might be cheaper

Oz is dead right- in fact the 2.4 motor from the PT Cruiser would be my ideal proposition- could get one for mucho cheapo and Chrysler ironed out the 2.0's problems in that one

[dayna240sx]

Originally Posted by raysoh8

whats that stuff on the cap?

corrosion...
and/or an oil leak into the water system.

[KatWoman]

The stuff on the cap and in the thermostat housing is the result of coolant and oil mixing. And what is pictured above is pretty bad. This was what it looked like when we did the job first time around:



The white stuff is the oil/coolant mixing. Not bad. The good news is, that it's not gonna cost as much as I was thinking, but it's gonna be more time. Basically we need to drain the cooling system and flush it ala garden hose style and get teh majority of the crap outta there. Then we will take the head to my friend, and he will mill it, have it machined, clean it and do the seals etc...then come over and help us reassemble it and set the timing. It's not gonna be a full port n polish, no need for that, but the head will be clean. If there is any damage to the block though, then we may look into another motor. So for my friend to do what he is doing vs. taking it to a shop I am making out good. PLus the shop would look for another $900 worth of problems

[KatWoman]

Originally Posted by Jimster

Oz is dead right- in fact the 2.4 motor from the PT Cruiser would be my ideal proposition- could get one for mucho cheapo and Chrysler ironed out the 2.0's problems in that one

Hmmm 2.4 could be lots of fun