Guys, I need some help here - coolant in cylinder

[Matt UK]

Long story short, I need to replace the gasket between the throttle bodies and inlet manifold.
Car was running OK, but was making a squeaky noise and sucking air.

I'm a learner at DIY, but have worked slowly and methodically.

Dropped all coolant using the bolt at bottom of the rad, removed electrical leads, fuel rail and undid the throttle bodies.

As I was getting to the last two bolts the TB wiggled so I supported it as I undid the last bolt. Bit of coolant fell out (not much, just assumed it was some dregs that hadn't drained)

And this is what I find. Cyl 4 is literally full to the brim with coolant!

Questions I have are:
What do I do next?
Have I somehow fecked it?

[turbopug]

My money is on a cracked head.

Or a head gasket. Is that coolant coming out from between the head and block?

[davepoth]

It's not good obviously, but you've not killed it. By the way you really need to replace your coolant.

A couple of options really.

If you have got space and no washing nearby, Pull all of the spark plugs, and crank the engine. The water will come out of the spark plug hole. With extreme prejudice.

If you don't want to do that you can always try a pipette.

[davepoth]

turbopug said:

My money is on a cracked head.

Or a head gasket. Is that coolant coming out from between the head and block?

Water cooled inlet manifold will do that. or indeed heated.

[eldar]

Drain the water, bits of rag or similar, then compressed air, to dry it. Turn the engine over a couple of times, repeat the air, add a bit of engine oil, turn over again. Jobs a goodun. Assuming teh water came from removing the TB rather than a leak!

[rossmc88]

is that a k series?

[Hot Dog Harrigan]

The water isn't actually in the cylinder though is it? It looks as though it's sitting on top of the closed valves from the pic, If so get some kitchen paper or similar & soak it up & dry it off. I'm hoping the water has only come from the water way just to the right when you removed the TB.

[Eggman]

I suspect those valves are closed and it's only the head that contains water. I'd swab as much out as I could with a rag and (preferably) blow it out with compressed air, then as davepoth suggests, whip the plugs out and crank the engine to get any water out of the cylinder.

I'd also be fairly interested in finding out how the water got in there in the first place; my theory is that the circular hole on the right is a waterway and filled the head up up when the gasket seal broke whilst you were removing it.

ETA: Beaten to it - great minds think alike!

[Matt UK]

Guys, really appreciate your responses - breaking out in a cold sweat and feeling very 'alone' in my garage with a potential DIY disaster on my hands!

turbopug said:

My money is on a cracked head.

Or a head gasket. Is that coolant coming out from between the head and block?

I hope not - I think the coolant is just run off from where the dregs leaked everywhere. Until now temp has been perfect, even on a track day.

davepoth said:

It's not good obviously, but you've not killed it. By the way you really need to replace your coolant.

A couple of options really.

If you have got space and no washing nearby, Pull all of the spark plugs, and crank the engine. The water will come out of the spark plug hole. With extreme prejudice.

If you don't want to do that you can always try a pipette.

Yes, I'm dropping oil and coolant as I've just bought the car - the squeak just meant I had to tackle a gasket as well!

rossmc88 said:

is that a k series?

It is indeed

eldar said:

Drain the water, bits of rag or similar, then compressed air, to dry it. Turn the engine over a couple of times, repeat the air, add a bit of engine oil, turn over again. Jobs a goodun. Assuming teh water came from removing the TB rather than a leak!

Good advice - when you say turn the engine over are you saying take the spark plaus out and crank it on the starter motor?

Edited by Matt UK on Thursday 7th July 23:05

[Matt UK]

OK, I've used some rag and paper towel to mop up and this is what I now see.

What I plan to do it get some compressed air tomorrow morning to blow out any final liquid.

So, here is a silly question...

Am I right in thinking that fluid could not get past the valve?
So, if it leaked in from the bottom, it couldn't get 'up' past the valve to sit on the top like the first pic?
And the reverse, the coolant that was sitting on the top could not go down past the valves?

[TheEnd]

I have a feeling you must have accidentally tipped it in from the top.

[varsas]

Matt UK said:

So, here is a silly question...

Am I right in thinking that fluid could not get past the valve?
So, if it leaked in from the bottom, it couldn't get 'up' past the valve to sit on the top like the first pic?
And the reverse, the coolant that was sitting on the top could not go down past the valves?

If coolant can get past the valves you have big problems. Valves should be air tight at better then 10:1 compression and high temperatures.

As for the cranking, yes. Remove spark plug and turn it over on the starter, but the less fluid in the cylinder the better and don't let it fire up.

[Matt UK]

varsas said:

Matt UK said:

So, here is a silly question...

Am I right in thinking that fluid could not get past the valve?
So, if it leaked in from the bottom, it couldn't get 'up' past the valve to sit on the top like the first pic?
And the reverse, the coolant that was sitting on the top could not go down past the valves?

If coolant can get past the valves you have big problems. Valves should be air tight at better then 10:1 compression and high temperatures.

As for the cranking, yes. Remove spark plug and turn it over on the starter, but the less fluid in the cylinder the better and don't let it fire up.

OK, this was my thinking. Assuming that the valves are good (and up until now the car has run great) there should be no fluid below the valves.

So using this logic, there should not be any fluid in the cylinder?

[poo at Paul's]

It'll be fine if it turns over, so turn it over on a spanner, if it turns once, fire it up. A bit of water in the cylinder will soon clear out so long as it is not locked up. There wont be any in there anyway I dont think, as you correctly say, it was just on top of the valves.

[Egg Chaser]

poo at Paul's said:

if it turns once, fire it up.

Turn it over twice to be sure, each cylinder takes 2 revolutions for a full cycle.

[Matt UK]

Just noticed I'll have to take off the Apollo oil tank before I can get the casing off to manually crank.

Never easy is it

[davepoth]

Matt UK said:

Just noticed I'll have to take off the Apollo oil tank before I can get the casing off to manually crank.

Never easy is it

whip the plugs out and do it on the starter.

[Piepiepie]

Weeeeee i love these diy topics. Ages since we've had one.

[thinfourth2]

The cylinder head isn't cracked, the head gasket hasn't failed, its not the end of the universe if oil has got into the bores.

Remove the plugs, spin on the starter, change the oil and no harm of any sort done.


But do change the themostat while you can see it as its an utter pig of a job to do on a K-series with the throttle bodies in place

Also check the lefthand engine mount under the exhaust manifold as the early ones snap

[Fish981]

Matt UK said:

Just noticed I'll have to take off the Apollo oil tank before I can get the casing off to manually crank.

Never easy is it

But it in 1st and turn a wheel, assuming the other one is one the ground. If it turns there's no need to take the plugs out. Not that there'll be any water
in the cylinders anyway.