contemplating some work

[scottinAZ]

I am contemplating some work on my car, I think that the head gasket is either slow leaking or the head itself is cracked. I am losing about 1L of coolant per month, with no signs of visible leakage. I am also not getting any oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil.

I am contemplating getting a head and intake off a 2.5, but I have neither the availability of parts, the funds, nor the time to swap the electronics. I am therefore looking to reuse the ETA electronics that are currently there and working fine

Does anyone have an idea what kinds of power increase I would be looking at? I know that the rev limiter is still in effect, but that can be bypassed with a chip. I would also most likely replace the electronics with the upgraded Motronic 1.1+ as parts, funds and time become available

[pogiboy9]

Check your oil cap on the valve cover for visible coolant or smell it. if you're losing coolant without "visible" trace you might be burning it.

[scottinAZ]

Check your oil cap on the valve cover for visible coolant or smell it. if you're losing coolant without "visible" trace you might be burning it.

no coolant smell on the oil cap, and no "smoke" from the tailpipe. None of the classic symptoms.

[jlevie]

Before tearing into the engine, you should pressure test the cooling system. There could be a leak that you just haven't spotted.

[Rolla1990]

Before tearing into the engine, you should pressure test the cooling system. There could be a leak that you just haven't spotted.

This is good advice. You don't want to jump the gun on a major repair. You could also try a leak down test with the coolant reservoir cap off to listen for air or watch for bubbles.

[SpecM]

^ I agree with Jim


and as for your queston, I would just find another eta head for now. There isn't a whole lot to be gain by slapping a 2.5 head on without any supporting mods. So save you money for a full swap later.

[scottinAZ]

Im not sure that a leakdown will tell that much, Im losing only about 1L per month, and that is with about 2500+ miles of driving, fairly slow leak.... I did just order a new overflow tank and rad cap, as a pressure test showed nothing. I am getting some moistness around the overflow tube, so hopefully it is a bad cap. I also am not trusting 23 year old plastic to hold a good seal, so Im changing the tank too.

Im not really wanting to tear into the engine, but if I need to, I will. If the 2.5 head and intake isnt that much of an upgrade with the eta electronics, I will try and find a wiring harness that isnt all butchered to hell in the junkyards, but it seems some asshole is going in with wire cutters and just fucking things up for giggles. (how hard is it to UNPLUG that sensor, and not just CUT THE FREAKING HARNESS AND LEAVE THE CONNECTOR ON THE GROUND!!!)

my main reasons for swapping the 2.5 head over the eta head were that if I have to pop the head now, and I intend to do the upgrade later, why waste a perfectly good opportunity to do it once, and forget it. Also, 2.5 heads are more abundant in the yards around here. I can do a head job in about 4-5 hrs, and would prefer to only have to do it once. The electronics dont require me to take the car off the road for an extended period of time, and can be done when I get a good harness (I fucking hate cut and paste wiring, so pristine is the order of the day)

The car is my DD so I need reliable, more than I need the extra power, but hey, a couple of more ponies never killed anyone

[scottinAZ]

ok, update on the whole situation. I was overestimating the problem immensely. Turns out that the rubber sealing ring on the rad cap was missing (didnt realise it needed one until I had the new one beside it). The system would pressurize before, so I didnt see it as a problem. The new expansion tank is also a huge improvement, as now I can easily see the coolant level. Overall, good money spent, and now I can concentrate on other issues, and do a proper swap at a later date, without doing it half-assed

[Holland]

Awesome, glad to hear it didn't take major work. You can save up and do something much more elaborate and worth while on a later date. I understand the whole DD thing.