Help...please...help

[roccit_53 at hotmail.com (C Boyko)]

Yeah, my kid's POS beater Jetta actually streamed liquid coolant out the 
tailpipe when his blew its headgasket just before Christmas. (as well as 
that sweet smell and white smoke) And there was a rather dark oily tinge to 
the overflow bottle coolant too. His was $160 CDN in parts.
Cathy

>From: Dan Smith <sad_rocc@yahoo.com>
>To: scirocco-l@scirocco.org
>Subject: Re: Help...please...help
>Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 08:58:18 -0800 (PST)
>
>If you're in a climate where you'd rather not be messing in the engine bay, 
>the quickest way to tell if it's coolant (headgasket) or oil is to smell 
>the exhaust. Very white smoke with a sickly sweet smell to it is coolant. 
>With a blown headgasket, you'll most likely see a lot of this at startup, 
>as it burns the coolant that's collected in the cylinders and then it will 
>die down. Oil is black or dark grey and smells, well, like you'd expect 
>burning oil to. Good luck!
>
>Dan
>
>C Boyko <roccit_53@hotmail.com> wrote:
>But do check the airbox for oil first, the group at 2002 dyno day will know
>the scare we all got when one of the cars sucked a big slug of oil into the
>filter. Looked much as you desciribed, clouds of smoke, but the engine was
>fine. On a car this age, it's always possible it's had a "dipstick swap". 
>So
>check where it fills to with the precribed amount of oil next time you
>change it. Mine reads full when its actually a bit low. But a dead head
>gasket will give you the white smoke too. If the car's built for it, you 
>can
>run it up to redline, there is a rev limiter that will make you sure you've
>broken something first time you hit it. Mine sees that limiter often. But
>it's not the original engine either, and it makes good power in the high
>rpms...
>
>There are many, many good points in the previous post, shifting sooner may
>put you into a better place on the next gear, so shifting before 7000 is
>likely better acceleration-wise on a stock engine. And things do happen 
>when
>you're beating on the car that would never happen otherwise, better when
>they happen in the safe confines of the track.
>
>Oh one more thing, that E brake light? It will come on if your brake fluid
>is low too. So while you're looking at the airtbox, check brake fliud 
>too...
>
>Hope it's not a head gasket! Cathy
>
>
> >From: "T. Reed"
> >To: Stefan P
> >CC: scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> >Subject: Re: Help...please...help
> >Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 00:47:03 -0800 (PST)
> >
> > > Ok let me get to the point...I saw my neighbors CRX he asked if i 
>wanted
> >to
> > > race...me being me said yes. So every thing is going fine im beating 
>him
> >and
> > > im all happy i get into 4th all ok then at about 7000 rpm (thats when 
>i
> > > usually shift while racing) the car did a jerk and seemed to disingage
> >
> >Okay, two points here:
> >- most engines (the 8v and 16v included), particularly in stock form,
> > start producing less and less power above a certain rpm band. Shifting
> > all the way up at 7000 will likely make you slower rather than
> > faster compared to shifting sooner (ie. 4500 - 5500). You also risk
> > floating valves, breaking a timing belt, blowing a head gasket, etc.
> > when running the engine at such high rpms. Keep it reasonable and your
> > motor will last - try to be extra cautious above 6000 rpm.
> >- drive your rocco however you want, but in my opinion it is foolish to
> > beat on it if it has not been reasonably well-maintained. things do (and
> > will) break and if this is your only car you will be screwed.
> >- it's (arguably) foolish to beat on it, period.. "love thy rocco"
> >
> > > itself then i smelt stuff burning i looked behind me and I have a lot 
>of
> > > white smoke pouring out of my car...I could still drive it home and
> >all..now
> >
> >Head gasket, most likely.
> >
> >Expect $400-$600 of labor plus $25 for the gasket, $25 for the bolts. To
> >do it right you also need $25-$35 worth of intake gaskets and exhaust
> >gaskets, studs, nuts, etc. Plus drain+refill oil and coolant.
> >
> >Or, learn to do it yourself and it will only cost you $50-$85. It's not
> >that hard but you need some slightly-special tools, a Bentley manual,
> >mechanical ability, organizational skills and a dry place to work. It's
> >not THAT bad of a job, but you must do it -right-! Don't try to half-ass
> >it like my friend did "i just wanted to get it done so I hurried while
> >tightening the bolts" and wind up breaking bolts off inside the block
> >(note: he also re-used the original 1981 bolts, this was on a diesel
> >rabbit that blew a headgasket).
> >
> >(aside:)
> >Funny story, actually, as I _repeatedly_ insisted that he try to get the
> >broken bolts to turn out by notching them with a dremel tool and turning
> >them out with a screwdriver. I reckoned that they were very oily and no
> >longer under tension so they would turn right out. He ignored my advice
> >and began stripping the car to a shell to sell parts. He dropped the
> >engine (without a hoist) on the garage floor after using a die grinder to
> >cut the axles off (instead of selling them? talk about stupid) and
> >cutting the clutch/speedo cables and wiring, too . Then, for some reason,
> >he decided to try my method after all this and every broken bolt came
> >right out within 5 minutes. Dumb-ass, he could have had a running car for
> >the cost of head bolts. He paid $700 for the car, now he has no car (just
> >parts that aren't worth anything) and made an ass of himself by ignoring
> >my advice. It vexes me because that car had a lot of work invested in it
> >by my brother and I back when it belonged to my brother. Now its
> >dismantled and will probably be crushed as soon as he figures out he
> >can't get any money for the parts. A shameful waste.
> >
> > > here is where the stupid part of me comes in...earlier that day my oil
> >light
> > > went on i checked the oil...it was FULL....i checked again later that
> > > day...IT was FULL...but the light still came on!! ALso my E-break 
>light
> >is
> >
> >Common issue with these cars. I fought it until I did my 2l swap. Try
> >replacing the senders (several bucks a pop).. check the oil pressure
> >with a gauge if possible. If your pump is bad it will take your engine
> >with it in short order. Also sometimes the circuit board in the dash goes
> >bad.. try smacking the dash (but be gentle) and see if the light goes 
>out.
> >
> > > coming on once in a while randomly (thats been happening for the past 
>2
> > > days)...can any one help me...I think Im in a very deep hole right 
>now.
> > > ALso shouldnt a sports car be able to be pushed all the way once in a
> > > while...its not like i do it every day...thats actually the first time 
>i
> > > pushed it that far all the way.
> >
> >Okay, that's part of the problem. You should get to know your car well
> >before racing it. This applies to engine as well as handling and braking
> >characteristics. Otherwise, you're just being stupid. Like driving 100 
>moh
> >on a very windy road you've never been on before. There could be a 
>hairpin
> >turn, a rockslide, a stranded vehicle around a blind corner, etc.
> >
> >You get the point.
> >
> >BTW don't drive your car any more until you get it fixed. You risk 
>burning
> >off all your coolant, overheating and warping the head (~$150 for a used
> >head.. assuming you have a 16v).
> >
> >-Toby
> >
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