Ok ive just had my 5k running to check compression ect and and have discovered it's turned the oil to milk. I know it could be a head gasket put i have put a new on in.... could it be a crack head. does this happen much. What else could be the problem?

Alloy heads don't usually crack they usually warp. My excel blew a head gasket. It could turn new into a caramel milkshake in 20k's (brought all the boys to the yard).

 

It could have been some moisture in the engine but that is usually a small amount of milky oil. If the whole lot is milky I'd say you done a head gasket. Did it overheat recently? Loose all the water?

did you get the head checked before you put it back in when you replaced the headgasket?

 

edit: alloy heads do get cracks, but its usually from corosion.

 

an old 4k i had had a corroded head that leaked, had to get it welded up by the machine shop.

Edited October 10, 201114 yr by ke70dave

Why did you replace the gasket, and did you get the head skimmed??? BIG questions! How did you clean up the block and head mating surfaces??

 

I haven't heard of the heads cracking, someone else may have.

 

Somehow it is leaking from the water jackets into the sump, which is a path of low pressure.

 

No oil in the radiator?? That is the high pressure path.

 

Starts OK in the morning, no backfires between the cylinders?? That would be HG burn between the cyls

 

If the head gasket shows no other symptom, the option is block corrosion, a pinhole rusted through from the water jackets into the sump.

 

 

Why did you replace the gasket, and did you get the head skimmed??? BIG questions! How did you clean up the block and head mating surfaces??

 

I haven't heard of the heads cracking, someone else may have.

 

Somehow it is leaking from the water jackets into the sump, which is a path of low pressure.

 

No oil in the radiator?? That is the high pressure path.

 

Starts OK in the morning, no backfires between the cylinders?? That would be HG burn between the cyls

 

If the head gasket shows no other symptom, the option is block corrosion, a pinhole rusted through from the water jackets into the sump.

 

There was build up of yuck white glumpy crap in the rocker cover. Should i have used a gasket sealant when putting the head on? The block looks in pretty good nick. Ill take the head of and chuck a picture up of head gasket and stuff.

Did you have it skimmed before you put that gasket on?

 

Get it clean, really really clean without scraping up the surface, and put a clean straight metal edge down it like a steel ruler. If you can fit a feeler gauge under it in the middle then it is warped.

 

No it doesn't need sealant, although some people do. It just needs a clean straight head and a clean block top.

 

If the white emulsion is only in the tappet cover then it could just be condensation. Clean it out and just run the car to see what happens. If the white emulsion is right through the oil its a leak of water into the oil somewhere.

 

 

Yeah head was skimmed by engineers. Ok will give it good clean and see what happens. Thanks.

Yeah head was skimmed by engineers.

 

Excellent, so you can take the head to head gasket seal out of the equation.

 

 

So it looks like a corrosion problem, either head or block, unless you find some bit of dirt or distortion somewhere when you take it off. Ask the engineers if they pressure tested it or checked it for flat before they skimmed it. maybe the head was fine and it has been a corrosion problem all along.

 

 

Can you rule out the possibility of water getting into the block/ sump while head was off? My old 5k went under in the Brisbane floods, I flushed it out twice with oil and let it sit for 2 months. After running engine for the first oil change (50k's) there was water under the rocker cover. once the oil was changed for the second time it was all sweet, I know it's a long shot but it may be something helpful

A bit off topic (kinda), but i have seen a few cracked alloy heads. My old mans subaru years ago, a tarago with a 3y??, a flogged 4ac head and seen pics of a cracked 4.0L ford head. Usually happens between the valve seats/ports and water jackets from what i have seen. But every engine is different!

it may have been just moisture from the engine sitting outside. I brought it off a guy who had it sitting in a bath tub for a few months. There is a bit of corrosion in the water jackets but doesn't seem to be to bad. I took head off and gave it a good clean and the top of block a good clean. ill Flucsh it with some cheap oil then see how it goes. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the help.

Yeah, sounds like a head gasket problem to me. However it can be several other things, but usually the head gasket is the problem.

 

Like 'altezzaclub' said, have the head faced and make sure all contacting surfaces are spotless. I had a head bolt snap on my 5K whilst installing a copper head gasket, warped the gasket removing it from the block, put it all back together and oil turned to MILK!!! Had to rip it all apart again, put a standard ACL Monotorque gasket in and she came up fine. Easier said then done unfortunately, lots of time to do it right!

 

Just incase you're new to this, make sure you torque the head bolts in the right sequence, then check them again after driving it for a while. It pays to clean out the thread on the block too, something I learnt the hard way (cause of my head bolt snapping!).

 

Cheers

did u check the timing? if advanced to much it can blow them. i don't one last week like that. also make sure when u tension you don't use any extensions.