Blew The Head Gasket ***UPDATED WITH PROGRESS PICTURES***

[ThePaintballGuy]

Ok, some of you may have seen my other thread that resulted in a blown head gasket. I decided to make a new post asking a few questions about the install and what parts I should get so that way if someone else is searching it will be easier for them to find answers. I did search around a bit but could not find any good answers so here we go:

1. Should I leave the motor in the car or pull it to do this? I am having to replace both head gaskets and most likely piston rings. There could be some other stuff broken to but I don't know yet.
2. What is the advantage of lowering the compression ratio? I saw that 034 Motorsports offers a HG that lowers the compress .7. Should I get that or just get the OEM ones.
3. What type of piston rings should i pick up?

Please let me know your answers! Thanks again.

Josh

[khj677turbo]

Hey josh, sorry to hear that you blew your head gasket, you just got your s4 right? (i remember you from audiforums)

Lowering the compression is always a good idea on a turbo car. No hurt there, besides that i think your gonna be pulling the motor if your doing rings too.

[rms-s4]

i sucessfully pulled both heads in the car. it wasnt worth it at all. and i actually just ended up pulling the motor to put it all back together. im a good mechanic and it took me about 3 ights of 2 hours each to et both of them out. it would be less stressful to pull the lump and then remove the heads. and you sure as hell wont be doing a re ring in the car so just pull it

[ThePaintballGuy]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Just out of curiosity. What is the advantage of lower the compression ration? Will i see any types of gains from it?

josh

[BurnAll4S4]

i just pulled a set of 2.8 30v AHA (shhhhh!!) heads in a junkyard the other day. motor in the car and basic tools. its frustrating at some parts, might just be worth the time to pull it out in the end.

[lil' is 300]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Just out of curiosity. What is the advantage of lower the compression ration? Will i see any types of gains from it?

josh

I wouldn't lower compression with K03's or K04's. Lower compression can prevent knock (though generally not an issue with untweaked software), but you will make less power at the same boost than if you were on higher compression (stock). I guess if you wanted to boost the hell out of your engine you could lower the compression, but it's sort of pointless with K03/K04 because there's a point of diminishing returns (just become hairdryers).

If you lowered compression and left everything else the same, you would actually lose power.

[Overboostin]

Did you figure out if it was the meth or not?

[ThePaintballGuy]

No, I am pretty sure the HG was on it's way out already. I remember seeing white smoke for the last 3 weeks or so whenever I started the car. But then it went away. So I am thinking it was leaking when it was cold then when it warmed up it sealed it back together. Then I got the car tuned (GIAC-X) and put the W/M kit on and it was just to much for the already messed up HG so it just blew it up.

Josh

[Dr. Jekyll]

I wouldn't lower compression with K03's or K04's. Lower compression can prevent knock (though generally not an issue with untweaked software), but you will make less power at the same boost than if you were on higher compression (stock). I guess if you wanted to boost the hell out of your engine you could lower the compression, but it's sort of pointless with K03/K04 because there's a point of diminishing returns (just become hairdryers).

If you lowered compression and left everything else the same, you would actually lose power.

Agreed.

[S4 in_lowplaces]

I just did the head gaskets on my car. It wasent very difficult just a lot of things you need to remove to get to that part. Since your going to be puling the motor out you might as well just replace every seal and gasket you get your hands on. Your' going to need new head bolts. The dealer wil want roughly $90 for all 16 of them, I found mine for $47 here. http://www.purems.com/products/product.php/II=2013

Your going to need this tool to pull the head bolts off http://www.purems.com/products/product.php/II=2105

You'll also need a cam lock bar, and crank pin to keep everything at TDC when removing. This is somthing you dont want to skip, if anything moves and you put it all back together it wil result in bent valves and/or damaged pistons. ( i didnt buy these, I found someone local that had them and let me borrow them, I'm sure you cando the same.) Good luck.

[pdq 5oh]

I seriously doubt any ring damage was done. All you did was leak a little coolant into the cylinder. Set the piston to BDC and check the wall. And a blown head gasket won't cause rings to collapse. Don't lower your compression, either.

[ThePaintballGuy]

OK, I am in the middle of pulling the engine now and I am trying to get the radiator support/front end off. However there are 2 hoses on each side that are hooked into the radiator that do not have anywhere to disconnect them. What are they and how do you get them off? here are some pictures:











Let me know what it is! I am so confused!

josh

[AudiTechS4]

are they the trans cooler lines? or power steering cooler lines. either way i believe they disconnect from under the car. or right at the radiator itself

[ThePaintballGuy]

It looks like they hook right into the radiator itself. If I unhook them will it drain my trans fluid? I really really don't want to do that.

Josh

[ThePaintballGuy]

ok, I just looked again and it is in fact the ATF coolant lines. Does anyone know if I take those off what will happen to my ATF Fluid? Will it all drain out? Is there any way to prevent it from doing that?

Josh

[Charlie]

do you have a Tip, i dont recall seeing those lines on my car....

[ThePaintballGuy]

Yes I have a tip :(

Josh

[Charlie]

Not too sure with the tip but on the other side of that line there should be a Hex bit if im not mistaken and you loosen that and it should just come out... BTW while your motor/trans is out just do a 6spd swap =)

[ThePaintballGuy]

HAHA I wish I could. I heard you had to do a bunch of other crap though such as replace the whole rear end?

josh

[Charlie]

ehh who knows, Its probably not even worth it in the long run. Just be careful of your torque converter, I have heard they have a tendency to go when your putting out more than stock HP, but thats just what I hear....

[goohead]

when you take off the lines only a few once of fluidd will come out since the car is off and the atf pump is not working use these lines to do a atf flush

[BurnAll4S4]

you need to remove those lines at a different area (fitting on radiator or off the trans), the point you showed in the pic is a compression fitting, you dont remove it from there. yes it needs to come off though. it will drain roughly half a quart, maybe less. not really a big deal, just check the level when you put it back together.

[ThePaintballGuy]

OK, thanks for the info guys. I appreciate it.

BACK TO WORK!

josh

[goohead]

what? you can remove it from there no problem, just undo the torx bolt and pull out the tube

[ThePaintballGuy]

OK, Got it out. Now I am trying to get the AC compressor out and can't find the 3rd bolt. I am using the COMPLETE STAGE 3 Guide to pull the motor and it says there is a bolt right below the head on the drivers side but i can not for the life of me find it. Any help?

josh

[S4 in_lowplaces]

i think there is a diffrence on the TIP's vs. the 6speeds on that area because i found the bolt but it extremely difficult to get to. Had a buddy look at it and just decided to unhook the lines and let it leak out. Stand away from the car when doing this DO NOT breath in the shit coming out.

[goohead]

its behind, you cant see it get a mirror or feel from it, got it fin without any problems

[The_Jerbel]

The bolt is behind and on the top going up through the compressor. Feel around for it. You'll need some extensions to get to it.

[ThePaintballGuy]

ok, found it and got it out... well the bolt anyways. I will get the compressor out when we lift the engine a bit.

Josh

[ThePaintballGuy]

Here are some progress update pictures.

More Pictures:

1.

Radiator Support Off

2.

One of the Tranny Cooler Lines

3.

The other end of the tranny cooler hose.

4.

Another picture of the front.

5.

Intake mani with fuel lines removed on the left.

6.

Closeup of Fuel Lines removed.

7.

Another closeup.

8.

Backside of the radiator. See all those little pink spots? Yeah, those are all small holes in it!!!!! >:(

9.

An artistic picture of oil.

10.

Another Artsy picture of old oil filter and a cooler.

11.

Another oil pictures

12.

Front with wiring harness all disconnected.

13.

Close up of the wiring harness on top of engine.

14.

Empty ECU box.

15.

Closeup of harness

16.

Closeup of front. See all the white stuff on the left side? Yeah... More coolant that leaked/sprayed out.

17.

Parts taken off car already.

18.

More Parts.

19.

Tools

20.

Tools and parts.

21.

Random shot of wheel well.

I am planning on having the engine out tomorrow afternoonish sometime then starting to tear that down. Does anyone know of any good tutorials/information about how to do that? I have not done this before. LOL

Josh

[The_Jerbel]

You have an email address? I'll send you a full stage 3 swap writeup

[S4 in_lowplaces]

Lookin good man. Theres plenty of people here that have done this so if you run into any problems just ask. you'l get an answer pretty quickly.

[DxC]

wow i give you props for just digging into it like that ... a lot of people have done motorpulls, but very few have cracked open the engine to work on internals by themselves. if you're cracking it open anyway, consider a full rebuild.

[ThePaintballGuy]

I would love to be able to do a full rebuild but I am going to be scrounging around money as is trying to build put this one back together. It really sucks. I might end up having to replace the one piston anyways though which would royally suck.

Josh

[ThePaintballGuy]

What size of triple square socket is it to take the half shafts off from the tranny??? I need to go buy one.

Josh

[fitch303]

wow, holy shit man....you have balls. that looks very, overwhelming.......

[The_Jerbel]

What size of triple square socket is it to take the half shafts off from the tranny??? I need to go buy one.

Josh

Stock is 10mm, after-market axle bolts are usually 12mm

[ThePaintballGuy]

Yeah it's a little overwhelming. Everytime I look at it I am thinking... what I have I gotten myself into. HAHA

Ok thanks. i will pick up one of each.

josh

[HighDesertAudi]

Stock is 10mm, after-market axle bolts are usually 12mm

That was a surprise to me. I was halfway to pulling the engine out, took one Axle off, than went to the other and it had a different size triplesquare Had to stop and go the store to find a 12mm one.

[ThePaintballGuy]

LOL, now did you just undo the half shafts at the transmission and then pull the motor or did you have to do the hub bolt as well? one of my friends suggested taking the TRE and the upper control are bolts out and then just folding down the whole assembly and they would come right out. Does that sound like it would work?

Josh