[sasilverbullet]

<img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/blink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/blink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/blink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

Ok, here goes update number 2...just got of the phone with the shop. They dropped the oil pan and there was CRUD, overheated, nasty, gooey crud in the oil pan that to get out completely they had to sand blast the thing!



The rod bearings all had the coating worn off and were about to start failing...



btw, this car had never had Mobil 1 until I bought it...



The motor mounts were both squashed, replaced those...



Now they're starting to put everything back together...



<img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/ohmy.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



I can't wait to get the bill!!

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[Greimann]

Pictures man, pictures! We need to see the gore, not read about it! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/ohmy.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Anchorman]

Were there any clues to the engine's condition by looking under the valve cover? Was that area also gooey and/or cruddy?

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[sasilverbullet]

I had replaced the valve cover gasket a couple of months ago...that part looked great!



No indication there...



The shop thinks that I had water in the oil for about a week. Last Sunday I took it out for a hard drive through the hill country. I didn't overheat it, but it was a HOT day (106ish) and the temp gauge was near the upper white mark quite a bit. They think the oil and water cooked in the oil pan...

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[midblue]

What a mess!



I'm with David.....we need pictures to be able to fully absorb what's happened here!



Ron

94 coupe/6 speed

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[Anchorman]

Interesting.



One humble suggestion - keep going on this thread; don't open more, it destroys the continuity of events.

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[sasilverbullet]

okay, I'll keep it on this thread...



I personally haven't been able to take any pics, just too busy, but the shop has been taking some digital shots. But I won't be able to pick them up until later this week.

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[sasilverbullet]

Wednesday - 1:30pm:



Shop is getting things back together, all is going well. They expect to have it done tomorrow.





Some lessons learned so far -



1. If you're loosing coolant and can't find a leak anywhere, STOP driving the car and have a shop check to see if coolant is getting in the engine!



2. A white bucket is the way to go to see if the oil is brown from coolant.



3. If you have ANY evidence of coolant in the oil, plan on replacing the rod bearings. The coating on those things gets eaten up by a little coolant. Once the coating is gone, they fail rather soon thereafter.



4. At about 120,000 miles - replace the head gasket and the variocam blocks.



5. You'll probably need new motor mounts also at 120,000 miles.



6. If you don't drive your car like a Porsche was meant to be driven, you will have a bunch of carbon in the intake manifold and ports.



7. If you overheat the engine, replace the head gasket. If may be okay now, but it will fail soon thereafter, it's the after part I hate...



8. And finally, like Chris Alvarado in Austin says, "Drive it like you stole it!"

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[6spcab]

Must be contagious! While headed up to get the car smogged it started to buckle a bit and I started to smell coolant. Upon inspecting the upper hose I noticed that it was swelling above normal. No smoke out the exhaust and nothing in the oil yet...but I already knew that this car was at double it's head gasket expectancy. 173k. Got progressively worse going home which is only 1 mile away. At home I pulled the plugs and a compression check confirmed my results as well as the coolant that blew out of the spark plug hole. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> Not much but enough. So head will come off this weekend and I will inspect everything on it, then off to machine shop. Pan coming off to replace rod bearings and re-ring the pistons as well. Well...I was going to do it anyhow so no big deal. Take me about 15-20 total hours taking my time spread over a few weeks . Lee

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[sasilverbullet]

Lee - I wish you lived down here! I would have loved to have done this myself instead of paying the shop $$$$$.



What do you'all think about my 'suggestions' above?

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