I just remember it not being fun. Erics garage before the workshop was up. From memory the turbo plumbing was the issue. Maybe clearance sliding the turbo out. Something like that. I would just pull the engine. Easier to work on out of the car. Timing belt reinstall etc
Could be... ...coolant leaking into the turbo I guess, but 200+ PSI in cylinder 1 makes me think this isn't the case. You could block the coolant supply to the turbo to totally eliminate this unlikely scenario. Sorry bud, I think you need to pull the head off to investigate further
Only other thing I can think of is the under plenum coolant hoses are somehow leaking... have never pulled a plenum so don't know if this is possible to leak into the inlet.
Once I found moisture in cylinder 2, I forgot about the cracked CHRA thought. It just doesn't add up to me. No oil in coolant no water in oil, small amount of moisture in cylinder 2, no pressure in top hose at temperature, fair bit of steam coming out passenger exhaust, high comp on number 2. Obviously I am losing water at a rate of knots into the exhaust, so if its coming thought the head gasket, why doesn't compression suffer ? Cracked head ?
Cracked head makes sense... under plenum coolant hoses is me grasping at straws, seriously doubt this can happen less there was massive corrosion.
honestly, its not worth it, i have done it once. dont recommend. remove the motor and do both heads. i have never had a turbo failure that allows coolant through to the exhaust in this way but i guess its possible. confirm by clamping off the coolant lines to turbo, drive gently and see if problem still exists
All under plenum stuff is long gone. Thought about lower plenum gasket but it would happen on # 1 and 6. 2 and 5 are not close enough. Those extra holes are for water ?
so we are looking at a cracked or corroded head between coolant gallery and exhaust port? thats one of the only things that makes sense.
im not sure of proximity to no 2 intake runner, but at idle the plenum is making vacuum. i suspect maybe the water lines under the plenum throttle body heater etc could be blown. these can be deleted without too much fuss. do egr delete and all those emession crap while you're at it. with the plenum under vacuum it would be sucking it out like a straw. this would give the 200psi. remember water is not compressable. you're getting very close to hydrolocking that cylinder. and thats how you massively bend or snap conrods... so until you find the leak, i would not be running the engine.
Thanks for the input. Under plenum and throttle body water has been long been deleted. I had thought of the hydro lock situation but the amount of water in the cylinder is minute, enough to reduce quench volume I guess but bugger all on plug and when run open with no lug next to nothing comes out. I am banking on cracked head or over zealous port job. Hasn't been a problem, I am starting briefly every day to lubricate and heat slightly until I can resolve the situation.
John - With the spark plugs removed, fill the coolant system & pressure test it. If you have the piston at least three quarters of the way up the cylinder you should be able to see if any water is entering the cylinder & a pretty good indication where it would be coming from. Chances are it isn't going to hold pressure because of the leak, so you may need someone to keep applying pressure while you do the looking. A bright torch will assist.
There is no pressure in the cooling system at temp, top hose is soft. At the rate the water is going there is no run off under neath, steam out passenger pipe, passenger mid pipe is dull compared to drivers side bright to the tap, I think its full of water. Its pretty much a done deal I think, cracked head. But on the weekend I have arranged for a rad/cap pressure test, what I might see is a bit of a pressure rise at rev. I have pretty much exhausted any less then head off options, denial has passed and I am in the acceptance faze.
Over zealous porting... ...makes perfect sense. Dumping coolant straight into the turbo hence you're using tons of water when driving. Hopefully lucky not too much is backing up and entering combustion. Running it will not do any good if so. Don't pressurise the cooling system, or try to test it less the plug is out waiting to confirm diagnosis. But then you might have water in the sump if it leaks through? Squirt some oil in 2 and 4 and start removing head or engine soon as you can.
"Dumping coolant straight into the turbo hence you're using tons of water when driving." This theory would explain the loss of coolant & how it would be entering the exhaust & being emitted as steam. However in relation to this theory............ Can you please indicate how the coolant is entering the combustion chamber & isolating the coolant contamination to one cylinder only?
