Head gasket replaced...now new problems

[Caplax40]

EDIT: After writing all this I realize I may be over reacting, but I just don't know.

Well my fears came true. I had a shop replace my head gasket with an OEM one along with some ARP bolts yadda yadda. They also replaced the water pump, along with new belts, timing belt, radiator hoses and miscellaneous vacuum hoses and gaskets.

I get the car back and drive it for a bit then get it home and notice that "Houston, we have a problem."

1.) When I parked the car and turned it off quite a bit of coolant flowed out of the overflow bottle onto the drive way. Not a huge geyser but I'd half a cup at least. It IS 103 degrees out, but I didn't not push the car hard. Do you suppose that it's possible that the mechanic simply put too much coolant back in and this is the excess draining out??

2.) There is a rather alarming static/hissing sound coming from somewhere near the intake manifold. I refired the car back up after letting it sit and it didn't make the sound but as soon as I blipped the throttle it started again. It's loud, definitely audible over the sound of the idling engine. Do you guys have ANY ideas?

The other two things that are a bit amiss is that the factory boost gauge does not work and the gas pedal is stiff and doesn't have much travel. But those can be adjusted and fixed.

Help me please! I'm just about ready to fire up the ads and sell this beast.

 

[Joel W.]

I'd say take it back to the shop that fixed it but I don't take my car to shops.

The coolant over flow concerns me but I would make sure it is burped well by getting the front of the car high enough off the ground or on a steep hill to get the air out of the cooling system.

Your other noise sounds like a vacuum leak. Use a 3' rubber hose, and hold one end to your ear and point the other at your motor when running to pinpoint the leak/noise.

 

[Caplax40]

It looks like it might have been just air or a lot of excess coolant in the system. It did sputter quite abit and my driveway has a bit of an incline so I think that was what I was witnessing. I let the car cool down for about an hour and a half then went to check the coolant level. It's about half an inch above the "full" mark. So I'm thinking either there's still air in the system or there was/is an excess amount of coolant in there.

After the cool down I drove the car for about 30 minutes around town and then brought it back home and had no repeat of the situation that occured earlier. I think I'm in the clear.

The static/hissing noise is still a mystery. It seems directly related to throttle as even the lightest tap of the gas makes it going away for a little bit, but given time it'll return. I'll try some trouble shooting this weekend.

Thanks for the help!

 

[dbsupra90]

yeah i agree prob just air in the coolant system. most cars you just fill it up and go. youd think they would know better w/ a supra, but maybe not.

as far as the hissing noise, id take a close look at the throttlebody and intake manifold gaskets. recheck torque on the bolts too. if nothing else, just stop back by the shop and have them take a look at it.

good luck!

edit: on second thought, if your boost gauge isnt working it could just be that vac line is loose/damaged/missing. follow the boost gauge sensor (driver side between strut tower and firewall) an check to make sure it is correct. while you are there make sure the sensor harness is plugged in as well.

 

[935motorsports]

You forgot to add:


"I purchased a new radiator and radiator cap".


This is also very important, especially in 103 temps. I was driving around yesterday in 104 temps and my cooling system laughed. Here is the recipe:

new water pump
new radiator
13 psi radiator cap, new
new clutch fan

So basically, replace it all.

 

[Caplax40]

Well, since the 21st the car has progressively gotten worse. It's spewing coolant, idling rough, and has very little power. The turbo will spool but the engine will barely rev. I can floor it and go about 20 miles an hour. My 0-60 time is probably now in the teens.

I talked to a buddy of mine who's been in the MK3 Supra scene for awhile and he believes that the CPS might be off a tooth and/or the timing is off a hair.

The car is back at the shop so we'll see what they say!

 

[johnathan1]

Oh jeez...spewing coolant and idling rough?? I hope you don't have another BHG...

It could also be a boost leak though...did you find the source of the hissing noise yet?

 

[PIONEER]

The Initial noise under the manifold. Double check the coolent like from ISC going into the manifold. A Non supra mechanic can miss this thing easy and not clamp it properly causing a leak.

Next time don't check the bottle, Pop the radiator cap and check in there, Refill to top as car cools off. Each morning check again, if you keep loosing coolent, there's a problem.

For the Gas pedal and boost gauge problem, make sure the shop didn't cross the harness over the vaccum hoses and throttle cable causing a bind.