I decided to go on a highway test before my trip to Gainesville. So I decided to drive the turnpike to the Florida Mall. On the way back, all the sudden I check my mirror and there is a huge cloud of smoke about as wide as my car, kinda whitish. As soon as I saw it I glanced at my oil press guage and saw I had no pressure, and pulled over immediately, popped the hood and looked under the car to see what looked like a oil/water mix flowing like a river off the back of the oil pan.

I think the head gasket blew but I have no good answer why. Its a brand new fel pro head gasket, only a few miles on it because I changed it when I changed the cylinder head a few weeks back. I also had used new head bolts and I am 99.9999999999999999999999% sure I torqued them in the right sequence to the correct amount of torque.

Can anyone describe what detonation sounds like to me? I am starting to think that all this time that noise I was hearing was detonation. I guess that driving around town at 55 or below it was mild enough that it didn't do much damage. But maybe at highway speed 70+ with short little 85mph sprints, that it could have been too much for it and blown the gasket. I don't know, just a thought. (also considering that the engine is holding fairly high rpms at highway speeds because of a 3spd non lockup)

I don't have time to fix it myself, so its going to be towed to a shop this time. We'll see what the damage report is then. If its not to much I might just pay them to fix it good. If its a lot or if the crank is bad from the oil press drop, I am gonna say to hell with it. Maybe I'll drop a turbo engine in it, maybe I'll just get a different used car, maybe a Shadow or Neon. Who knows. I guess I'll figure that out if the time comes.

 

man that sucks bug time, sorry to hear that, explaining detonation online is like trying to explain what music sounds like to a deaf person, maby someone else could but Im not that creative at writing, I'm still sorry about your car, Get a cheap Neon or CSX or I guess you could Turbo the old 4D K

 

I know a guy with a really really fast csx that still has it for sale

Ok, sorry, that does suck a big weinie. Just keep telling yourself that it will pay off in the end, all the preppy little engineers that haven't ever touched a car, and you have a vast amount of experience because you have a dodge and will land a killer $$$$ job. Or at least thats what I keep saying......

 

dude if I had the money that CSX would be mine all mine

 

:withstupid:

 

ignition was set by me just two days before this happened, it was at about 14 BTDC. I run 89 octane most of the time.

My car sounded like a little clakity clakity rod knocking or something, but it didn't always happen which is why I thought it might be some sort of detonation. When I took it on the highway it made this noise a lot unless I let off the accelerator completely, or if I hit a sweet spot. I know its not a rod knock though cause I checked the clearances just this weekend.

I guess the only real way to tell is to check the plugs.

 

Check the plugs, and you might want to check your fuel filter also.

 

What should I be looking for in the fuel filter? If it makes a difference, its brand new, less than 1k miles, fuel pressure was about 12-13lbs, a little low, should have been 14.5lbs, but my A/F always seemed fine.

Actually it won't matter I am paying someone else to look at the car right now, I don't have the time to, have to be in Gainesville tomarrow

But I'll check these things when I get it back, if I decide not to have them fix it.

 

There really isn't anything you can check unless you have a clear one. Point I was getting at was when was the last time it was changed. How old is the fuel pump?? It may be cutting in and out, especially after longer drives. Fuel pressure sounds about right, though I'm not a tbi wiz by any means.