Bad news? hopefully not a blown/cracked/warped head

[andrewsw]

Hi all, been a _long_ time since I was here.

Today, I started my '93 B4 for the first time in almost 2 years...

Yay! She started right up after a little borrowed juice. But she never smoothed out and ran clean, though this isn't really a surprise at this point. I expect to have to do a little clean up and tune-up.

I was looking around picking out bits of accumulated detritus while she was idling along warming up when I noticed a little drip... drip... drip... uh oh.

Followed it back to the cylinder/head junction on #3, right below the exhaust port. Damn! I'm hoping it's just a torque issue after sitting so long. It was spitting and bubbling reliably, and the header there was significantly cooler than the others -- I could _almost_ hold my hand on it. So... Fingers crossed that a proper application of torque wrench to the head bolts will solve it otherwise, I don't know what I'll do. :(

best

A

[Chris H]

Oh dear, i will be suprised if it tightens up due to the gaskets having a rubberized coating.
Once they start to leak its usually a gonner.
I would say the reason the down pipe is cool is that your not firing on 3.

[pmackie]

Hey Andrew

Good to see you're back!   

You didn't say if you drip was coolant, fuel or oil, or possibly just acculated water vibrating out from between the fins, or drips from the spark plug drains?

Anyway, it is not likely that retorquing the head bolts will fix it, if it is a head gasket leak.

[andrewsw]

Hiya boys! :)

It was definitely water, not fuel or oil. I suppose it could have been accumulated water still boiling off, though it seemed to be lasting a little too long. But then again, this is Portland in the spring... I suppose it could have been water from the spark plug drains.

Definitely #3 wasn't firing, but it's hard to say what could cause it at this point; there are too many possibilities. With 3 not firing, it would take a lot longer to boil off, I suppose. But it was bubbling and sputtering right at the gasket line -- shudder.

I need to pull the carbs and give them a quick once-over, fire it up again and see if I can get #3 to fire before I go too much farther. Probably a compression check is in order as well.

thanks guys.

A

[andrewsw]

Just got a chance to look under the plug caps in between squalls here... ummm... maybe I should dry that crap out a little better before posting...

[stormi]

no way!! This way we know you're around again!! Glad to hear it's probably not a big deal. 

How you doin'?  We missed you on our last trip to Spokane, stopped into the bar and everything.

[andrewsw]

Hi Stormi! Sorry I missed you!

When were you in Spokane? The bar is no longer mine, and is in fact no longer at all. I'm in Portland now and trying to get my girl back on the road. I'm tired of 3 hours a day on public transit for the same cost as a month of gas for the bandit. So, hopefully that means I'll be a little bit more around (even if I'm getting a little too round).

A

[stormi]

Uhm,.. I wanna say August 2010??   The bar was still yours at the time, but you'd been away a bit.  Was going to show off the new VFR and everything!

Yay! Good to hear the old girl's going to get a workout! 

I think we're all getting a little too round. 
Geez I hate winter here, and it's been a mild one for us too!

[andrewsw]

So, it turns out my panic was over nothing. Tons of schmutz in the #3 spark plug well and a clogged up drain... Running fine. Now all I need is a chain and... my title! Dang it! Where'd I put the title!!

A

[stormi]

Good Boy!! And then you'll have to update your "Places I've ridden" Map.