Help with my 4AGTE, major problems!!

[AA63 Celica]

Hey guys, awesome forums you got going here!!

heres how it goes, its an AA63 celica with a 4agze in it

never had it running

Put a Blue top head on it, bought it ported and polished, put a 1.5mm custom gasket in it, ARP headstud kit

Filled up liqiuds, oil/water, ready to start for the first time until i went to double check oil level, and discovered oil being pushed out dipstick!!

removed sump, lots of antifreeze sitting in sump.

Suspected the custom gasket, so removed and put Genuine GZE gasket in

Same problem, small amount of water sitting on top of #1 piston and yep i had it torqued down hard out.

WTF!!!!????
some suggestions have been:
crack in block
crack in head somewhere

I dont want to take it apart again!! Im only a novice self taught mechanic.

Could the head surface be so far warped that water literally pours out the sump when you fill radiator??

Or maybe they f***ed up the porting, and broke something?

or is it probably the block (which was supposed to have 80,000kms from engine importer!!(or so said the guy i got it off)) come to think about it the engine did come with a turbo and manifolds...but was supposed to be an unfinished project....

Should probably take head off and send to a cylinder head specialist, any one know anywhere that wont charge thousands to look at it or maybe the engine as a whole?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!! cheers

[Crucible]

Im not sure what your workmanship is like so there could be a few possibilitys.

from my experiance its normally the cylinder head or gasket thats at fault, cracked block etc is quite unlikely.

Get the head checked and skimmed, Make sure the block deck is clean enough to eat off and the dowels are in place before fitting the head to stop the gasket shifting, torque to specs inside out.

[trdfxgt]

is the gasket the right way around ?

[AA63 Celica]

pretty sure the gasket only fits one way ??

yeah i had a qualified mechanic on hand, cleaned it up real good, and the dowls were still in block

How many times can you re-torque ARP head studs??

[Chickenman]

A few words about studs: A number of engineering tests have demonstrated that studs are significantly stronger than bolts, and the ARP studs are beauties: they are made from extremely high tensile strength steel. Typical head bolts have a lifespan of about two "torquings" -- some would say that even this subjects them to too much stress. The ARP studs are good for more than that, although the very prudent would still be reluctant to reuse any part like a stud or especially a head bolt more than twice.

[trdfxgt]

care full they do fit both ways its been done before

[crnkin]

And i remember matt dunn saying that the torque specs in the haynes manual, or saomething, has the final torque specs on the page after, and that you dont actually notice the final re torque?

Either that or get everything x-rayed

[matt dunn]

And i remember matt dunn saying that the torque specs in the haynes manual, or saomething, has the final torque specs on the page after, and that you dont actually notice the final re torque?

Either that or get everything x-rayed

Hmm, doubt it was me as I've never seen a 4AGE haynes manual in my life,

But someone may have said it.

My bet would be on the head is bent.

Had a similar problem on my car once.
Apart from the head gasket surface of the head being very slighly out of flat (?) we spent a lot checking the head and block for cracks etc etc,
and never found anthing wrong even though it filled the cylinders with water.
Slight skim on the head and a new gasket and has been running fine for over a year since.

Matt

[AA63 Celica]

Awesome, cheers! I will do that, just spotted a mint as blue top head on trademe for $170, has been crack/pressure tested, skimmed and clearences set.
How much roughly can i expect to get that done to my head?

May be worth buying that instead

[crnkin]

And i remember matt dunn saying that the torque specs in the haynes manual, or saomething, has the final torque specs on the page after, and that you dont actually notice the final re torque?

Either that or get everything x-rayed

Hmm, doubt it was me as I've never seen a 4AGE haynes manual in my life,

But someone may have said it.

My bet would be on the head is bent.

Had a similar problem on my car once.
Apart from the head gasket surface of the head being very slighly out of flat (?) we spent a lot checking the head and block for cracks etc etc,
and never found anthing wrong even though it filled the cylinders with water.
Slight skim on the head and a new gasket and has been running fine for over a year since.

Matt

hmmm... was a fellow southerener, perhaps redmist.

anywhos

[no_8wire]

Awesome, cheers! I will do that, just spotted a mint as blue top head on trademe for $170, has been crack/pressure tested, skimmed and clearences set.
How much roughly can i expect to get that done to my head?

May be worth buying that instead

$60 to skim the head, $80 to pressure test...roughly

[AA63 Celica]

sweet thats not too bad, cheers....

How much boost do people normally run their 4agzes on?
think it will handle 18psi with T3 when im thrashing?

[Crucible]

sweet thats not too bad, cheers....

How much boost do people normally run their 4agzes on?
think it will handle 18psi with T3 when im thrashing?

With a proper tune yes, but I wouldnt push too much over 18psi though as a low boost setting.

[evil_si]

if tuned properly and with a decent fuel system 18psi will be fine,