[glntom]

Okay, I now have time to address a problem that developed about 2 months ago.
I had driven into town to the parts store(running parts for may dirt track car). When I cam out and got in my 84 (5mge) it "sputtered" when i started it, and i saw steam in the exhaust, I drove it 0.5miles to my mechanics shop and shut it down. When we tried to restart it it was locked due to a cylinder full of water. :evil: Being racing season and having to work on my dirt track car has put off this problem til now.
I trailered it home and set it in the shop. Yesterday I began assessment of the problem. It would crank and run, but blew steam(ran it about 20 seconds) checked oil, at full and only slightly milky. Pulled sparkplugs, 1-3 are clean and look great, 4-6 are wet. Motor spun with plugs out blows water out of 4,5 and 6. I don't claim to have much knowledge of these motors( small block chevy is my main interest)
So here is the question of the day. What has let go, can a blown head gasket give you 3 wet cylinders? or is it more likely the head.
This motor was put in 3 years ago by the cars original owner, and had documented 44,000 on it at that time. It has never been hot to either of our knowledge.
My inclination is to pull it out and drop a 6mge in, but if it is possibly
fixable I might go that route. (yes i realize it needs to come out anyway to get the crap out of the block, and oil passages)
What do ya'll think??

 

[glntom]

did not hydralic motor, cylinder filled when shut off, then was locked, removed water, will crank and run.

 

[glntom]

Thanks for the input , I am planning to start pulling the motor down on saturday, I will let ya'll know what I find(and probably have more questions)

 

[glntom]

so far i have found that it takes a while to dis-assemble the top of the 5mge and not screw something up................... about 1-2 more hours to get head off. But I know it will all go back with no problem... i hope

 

[glntom]

I am pulling the head "whole" but have removed manifolds.
will update as I finish my learning experience.

 

[glntom]

Got the head off this afternoon, headgasket had let go between #6 and rearmost water jacket, and between 5&6.
The best part is the block is nice and flat, as is the head. The previous owner had the head worked when the motor was put in and it looks great.
It is going to the machine shop anyway, but prob. will just get a multiangle valve job, and springs checked.

 

[glntom]

I am pondering that at the moment. I will have to recheck the block for flatness and get a report from the machine shop before i decide.
Thanks all for the input.

 

[glntom]

My supra is once again running, it was "just" a blown head gasket. The head was flat, and did not require surfacing, however it did get a port/polish job. The intake got gasket matched and smoothed. The throttle body got its bore honed smooth and polished. and somehow a small pipe plug found its way into the egr passage in the head.
All in all a learning experience for me. I did find out that my motor is the higher compression version and is 0.5mm overbored. The 5mge is a big change from my usual sbc, but the small mods do seem to give a nice return. I have to recheck timing( just put it back where it was prior to BHG), change oil again to make sure all the coolant goo is out, and I will take it out and see how it is above 4000rpm.
It has been great to be able to search the forum for answers to my "stupid questions" as well as seeing if my ideas for modification had been done before, and how they worked out prior to doing it to my car.
Thanks guys,