Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

[G DANE]

My eldest sons old Mazda 323 suddenly heated to edge of red zone the other day. He found that almost half of the cooling water was missing and that the outher rubber gasket on radiator cap was blown out. When he came home, we tried to start motor with cap off. When motor was reved up, water level sunk. When it lost rpm again, fountain shot up the radiator fill hole !! Blown headgasket - isnt it. Does anyone know what turque head bolts should be at ? - when gasket is renewed ? How do we stop timing chain tensioner from jumping ahead when we remove chain wheel from camshaft ?

 

[Terry H]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

Do a compression test, check oil for water, and check water for oil. When you run low on coolant you can get an air bubble in the head or manifold that will create a geyser sometimes. If you have a bad head gasket it should show up on compression test...don't fret just yet...

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

Cheif is correct. You wont know its head gasket till you do some better testing. If you don't have access to a compression tester after allowing plenty of time for air to get out of the system (usually an hour will be fine) watch for bubbles in the radiator. If you see them its probablt time for work. Look for oil slicks in the water or for the oil to turn grayish or milky. I believe Autozone loans compression testers by the way.

 

[G DANE]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

It didnt actually overheat past the start of the red zone. Will try to do some more checking. It surprised me geyser only came up when it lost RPM, after it was revn up, when going up in RPM nothing, no bubbles at all. No water is in oil and no oil in water. Thanks for your advise.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

What year 323(and what engine)? The TC(1.3), UC(1.4), E3(1.3) and E5(1.5) were common candidates for head gaskets. They often blew to exhaust. If the comp. test doesn't help, try 'headchek', the chemical will detect any exhaust gases in the radiator. <br /><br />Its been a few years since I've done one of these but I'm pretty sure the chain tentioner is easily removed (2 x 6mm bolts). The top sprocket then just rests onto the chain guides.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[G DANE]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

It is the E3 1.3 motor, 1985, but only 83300 miles. Will try to test compression tonight. There are definately no oil/water leaks. It had a funny thing, if often boiled for half a minute, when motor was stopped after a longer ride. These boilings often pushed an amount of water out.

 

[Terry H]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

If you find that it's ok in the headgasket department I would at least do a backflush of the radiator and new t-stat...just preventative maint...

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

Originally posted by G DANE:<br /> Does anyone know what turque head bolts should be at ?

E3 Head gasket bolts:<br /><br />82 - 88 Nm. Cold, cleaned and oiled.

 

[G DANE]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

It got a new radiator and thermostat 5000 miles ago. Will an exhaust leak be visible in compresion figures ??

 

[G DANE]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

Thanks for the advise and help with turque #'s

 

[Terry H]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

Exhaust leak will be visible as bubbles in radiator...

 

[ED21]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

Can you smell coolant in the exhaust. If so it is a headgasket. <br />There is also a test that will identify hydrocarbons in the coolant that usually means a blown headgasket.

 

[rwise]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

My Daughter has one of these 323 (ford mercury tracer same thing) we have been told not to let the coolant get low as any over heating will blow the head gasket. Don't know if its true, just what we have heard.

 

[G DANE]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

We got time to work at it today. My son bought a Haynes manual, and there was a procedure for topping up coolant and avoiding trapped air. We did this. After that it didnt shoot any water up radiator fill hole, no bubbles. We unscrewed spark plugs, all were almost clean, with a light brown coleration on the one side, exactly equal. Measured compression, all four right on 175, one maybe 173. We discovered the outher gasket on radiator fill cap was torn, and replaced with one from another cap, didnt exactly fit, but will probably work to we get a new cap. Took it on a 10 miles drive - no problems. Do you think he is good to go ? Can the missing outher gasket have been the problem, shouldnt it be the springloaded inner gasket that holds the pressure. When you put your ear down to upper radiator hose, when motor is just turned off after a longer run, you can hear a little boiling start - is that normal ? Temp gauge reeds right in middle when it runs.

 

[G DANE]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

Sorry I´m longwinded, my wife tells me aaaaaall the time

 

[Terry H]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

You need anew radiator cap...if the radiator doesn't hold the prescribed pressure it will likely overheat and you will be constantly adding coolant...

 

[G DANE]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

RWISE - thats what we were afraid of<br />ED - no smell of coolant at all<br />Chief 101 - will try to get another cap monday - by second thought,thiss started short time after he changed the radiator. Maybe the cap was damaged then - I hope so. I see there are two thermostats available, and it has the hottest - we will try to change to the next hottest.<br /><br />Thanks for your help all.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

Sounds like its almost good to go. Its always nice whenever you prepare yourself for the worst and the best happens.

 

[Terry H]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

G DANE...I'm glad I don't have your problem...but I do have one that has me stumped...can't get the motor in my pickup truck to get fully warm...go figger...

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Mazda 323 Headgasket ??

Cheif- Check with a cheap analog gauge before beleiving the factory gauge. My truck will show real low on the fac but with a true gauge it goes to 180. Very misleading.