loftust

When my HG failed on my MX5 (caused by waterpump blowing up), I had the head skimmed to ensure it was perfectly flat. I also had the head de-coked and the valves reground...which isn't expensive at all. You are likely to regain lost BHP doing this too.

s2kVTAK

what did all that cost you if you dont mind me asking??? you can PM me if you dont want it out on here thanks again

loftust

Nickamsweet

Can also save money by dissasembling yourself and taking it to the machine shop... every little helps

hondabim

i am kinda in the same boat.....

chek it out....

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?act=S...0#entry14887840

s2kVTAK

yeah seems pretty close except it really sounds like you have a blockage somewhere. mine has turned out to be a hurt head gasket on cyl. 3

just my kinda luck too i have only had the car for 4 months then all this goes down

zoomkat

[QUOTE=s2kVTAK,Dec 2 2008, 05:31 PM]okay well took it to the shop today and we did a leak test.

s2kVTAK

we left it on that cylinder and it was actually lowering the water level in the rradiator. no bubbles but after about 10 mintues i could see the first set of fins on the rad.

called my dads mechanic today and they dont just do a HG alone. when they do them its actually a valve job. so instead od paying 1100 for just a head gasket i get that and a valve job, its alot of money and im really bummed i gotta spend this much money but i guess it better value for the price

bitesthedust

I'm floating this same boat. I'm really hoping it's just something with the thermostat. If it is the head gasket how much does it cost to fix?

s2kVTAK

okay well i took the S in on friday. so they started on it that day and continued today. they went ahead and did another leak down test and a lithium test to confirm that it was a head gasket since they were not the ones to do it first.

well this is where it gets hairy. they came back with great results. only like 5 and 3 percent on all cylinders. they also did a lithium test which i understand to be a chemical test on the coolant to detect hydrocarbons. that came back negative as well. so he can not confirm its 100% a head gasket.

before i was able to take it in i had to wait about a week or so cuz of work and they were full as well. so i kept driving it, but i babied the shit out of it!! even 80 yr old grandmas were givin me the bird as i was goin down the road (serously!!!) it was fine for those couple days. i didnt have to bleed the air out at all. so im at a loss right now. im not sure what to do or what is causeing it. when i was having the most of my problems was when i would get on it a little getting on the highway or at an empty intersection. would this be opening up the head gasket or something? im not sure how to proceed. the other thing im thinking is maybe something with the thermostat, as this has started after that was replaced. im not really sure how it could be introducing air into the coolant, but im out of ideas.

anything that you can think of is more than appreciated! please please please help me!