silentc40

Good evening all! I have been scratching my head with this issue for some time, and could really use some help!

My ladies' 1992 es300, (150K miles), radiator blew around 6 months back, and I replaced it with a new one, new hoses and thermostat. I stupidly (hindsight is 20/20) did NOT replace the water pump, and she tends to be pretty hard on the car. She got the classic bubbling in the engine, and it was clear the car was not circulating coolant. She kept pushing it, and now it is on blocks in the back yard!

There is a small amount of white smoke from the exhaust, but no milky oil and ran compression test twice and all cylinders were in spec with no variance. However, there is coolant leaking from the left (front) head. Wouldn't there be a noticeable difference in compression if the gasket was toast? I am willing to take off the heads and replace all gaskets, but I need to know for sure that it is indeed the heads. I thought it may be the intake, but can't find a leak from the gasket anywhere. Might even try to get a "mobile mechanic" out to verify.

Anyone have any thoughts, suggestions or words of wisdom? Thanks in advance for your help.

-Ben

LeX2K

High probability the HG is bad. Not exactly sure how compression can show okay even though the head gasket if failing but I've seen this myself on the 3VZ. BTW pull the plugs and look for coolant staining especially the cylinder nearest the battery.

silentc40

Alright guys, I am stumped again. Same car, 92 ES300. Replaced both HG's and put everything back, and she wouldn't start. Just kept cranking. So, compression test...all plugs have fuel on them. the 3 LH cylinders are all right around 150, but the RH cylinders are all at ZERO! Before I replaced the HG's, all cylinders had in-spec compression.

Now I am thinking...mechanical timing. Took the cover off the RH, but the "double dots" line up perfectly, and the timing belt as well. Could the valves be bent? What about the buckets/shims? It is possible I got them mixed up, but would that give me a reading of ZERO compression on all 3?! I am so close to getting this, but also so close to having it towed down to a mechanic. Help!

LeX2K

Valves cannot be bent (non-interference engine) you either have the timing belt installed wrong or the cams in the heads are not synced properly. Or could be both. If you mixed up the buckets your valve lash will be wrong but the engine will run assuming everything else is correct.