The LT500 (1989) that i just bought has a problem with the cooling system. The water pump seal appear to be leaking so I installed a new one, I found the engine had very little water in it when I drained the system. Filled system with 50/50 mix, bled the air on top of the head and fired the engine. The cooling system builds pressure up in a hurray, blows water out the water pump bleed hole and the overflow bottle. If you start the engine with radiator cap off it will shoot water 3 feet when the engine starts.
No evidence of water in the tranny, no water comes out the sparkplug hole kicking the engine with the plug out, no steam from the exhaust pipe....
What do you guys think??
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

fires water 3 feet in the air on startup........ gads...... blown head gasket almost for sure.......... emgine combustion pressure overcomes a marginal seal hence no evidence when plug out.

Consider an 0-ring head mod from Trinity.

 

<< fires water 3 feet in the air on startup........ gads...... blown head gasket almost for sure.......... emgine combustion pressure overcomes a marginal seal hence no evidence when plug out.

Consider an 0-ring head mod from Trinity. >>



COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEM UPDATE Drained the system, pulled the head. Gasket was blown and in very bad shape. The piston was in good shape but the connecting rod has a lot of slack in it. So I pulled the cylinder off. Rod is definetly loose on the crank end.
Anyone have any suggestions as to a shop to use for repairing this beast? And what I can expect to spend to fix the crank, bore the cylinder and assemble?[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

I have had very good luck with Tony Doukas Racing for crank rebuilds. Site seems to be down at the time of this posting. Forward Motion Racing charges $50 for a bore and does a good job. I use a place called Ringmasters that charges $45 and is very good. I don't have his contact info handy. He does a lot of work for other shops.

 

When putting it back together DONT FORGET TO BLEED THE AIR OUT OF THE HEAD!!!when refilling the coolant
I made this mistake once [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] Only took about a 5 min ride and lost another head gasket
Jeff

 

<<

<< fires water 3 feet in the air on startup........ gads...... blown head gasket almost for sure.......... emgine combustion pressure overcomes a marginal seal hence no evidence when plug out.

Consider an 0-ring head mod from Trinity. >>



COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEM UPDATE Drained the system, pulled the head. Gasket was blown and in very bad shape. The piston was in good shape but the connecting rod has a lot of slack in it. So I pulled the cylinder off. Rod is definetly loose on the crank end.
Anyone have any suggestions as to a shop to use for repairing this beast? And what I can expect to spend to fix the crank, bore the cylinder and assemble?[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img] >>




Thanks for all the input guys, I am going to send the complete engine to CT Racing. They will bore the cylinder, rebuild the crank with a new rod and install bushings on the main bearings and reassemble. I'll let you know how it turns out.