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Car Won't Start After Head Gasket Install

4518 Views 15 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  matt89glturbo
I changed the headgasket to a copper one and my bolts to ARP Studs. I turned the car on and it ran, but sounded horrible I'm guessing it was the HLA's because I had the head cleans and resurfaced. I drove the car around the block to see if thing would clear up, but it only got worse. The car would turn off when at idle and it started to smoke badly out of the exhaust and as I was pulling back into my garage overheat fast. Signs of leakage (bad) around the head surface. I installed everything to specs. Now after going around the block the car won't start. I am getting fuel and spark. When I turn the key to the "ON" position I hear a buzzing sound coming from the IAC and when I unplug it it stops buzzing. If I have it plugged in with the key on. I'll tap the IAC with a wrench or something and it will make a whirling sound. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that it is not the IAC causing my car not to start. I know it will idle bad if it is faulty. I guess I should check my fuel pressure and do a compression test? Any help will be appreciated.
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Do a compression check, since your getting spark and fuel. Dont u have to put someting else besides the copper head gasket? I have heard that u have to put some sort of seals or somethings?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that it is not the IAC causing my car not to start.
Yeah, even without the IAT your car will still run.



First stop is a compression check. That will let you know if the gasket sealed or not.




Though you may not want to hear it, most people that have copper headgaskets (at least f2t-wise) have always had sealing problems.
im not 100% on the stock ecu. it will run with no iat, and throw a cel. but probably wont cold start without it. needs to have that signal feedback to run open loop

edit: and why didnt you go with a MLS gasket?
Though you may not want to hear it, most people that have copper headgaskets (at least f2t-wise) have always had sealing problems.
Correct.

Check your coolant level. If you're low, you've leaked it into your cylinders/oil passages.

In fact, after letting the car sit overnight, try changing your oil and see if coolant comes out (at the end since it floats on oil).
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im not 100% on the stock ecu. it will run with no iat, and throw a cel. but probably wont cold start without it. needs to have that signal feedback to run open loop
Im not sure on the cold start. Ill go research that... I know some guys who have just deleted the whole thing and had no problems other than the CEL...


edit: and why didnt you go with a MLS gasket?
Cmon now, you know why:p
Do a compression check, since your getting spark and fuel. Dont u have to put someting else besides the copper head gasket? I have heard that u have to put some sort of seals or somethings?
Yes, you have to use crush rings or O rings to make a copper head gasket seal, I know because I did'nt have them used on my engine rebuild and my copper gasket leaked from the begining.
Yes, you have to use crush rings or O rings to make a copper head gasket seal, I know because I did'nt have them used on my engine rebuild and my copper gasket leaked from the begining.
I've never heard of these. Got any links to them?

When I was doing a build, I had inquired into getting an engine O-Ring'd and one shop who would actually do it would have been about $600 for setup because they couldn't expect anyone to ever want it done to the KL again.
Correct.
In fact, after letting the car sit overnight, try changing your oil and see if coolant comes out (at the end since it floats on oil).
Oil floats on the coolant. (Oil SG=0.8, Water/coolant SG=1.0)
Oil floats on the coolant. (Oil SG=0.8, Water/coolant SG=1.0)
Maybe I have it backwards. But no big deal, hope someone wouldn't drain a quart to say "oh, no coolant" and put the plug back in.
Yeah, that would kinda defeat the purpose...
i also have a copper HG and ARP head studs with 12pt fasteners. my first startup was last year and i believe i have a few posts and vids about the plumes of some that poured out the exhaust. coolant on top of the cylinders seen through spark plug holes!

im actually going out to try a few things right now thats why i did a few searches.
update
i disabled the fuel system and ignition. with all four sparkplugs removed i had my girl start the six while i watched each cylinder through the spark plug holes.... cyl # four is definitly allowing coolant to enter the cylinder chamber. also the oil now is visually contaminated with the coolant.
My # 1 theory is no longer the seals but the copper headgasket even though correctly torqued and copper sprayed, is leaking.
*I do not have either the head/block o-ringed*

My first attempts to seal this gasket this weekend without removing the head will be to back off the 12pt fasteners and retorque them all to a higher amount. I am also trying to find a shop nearby which has a torque meter to check my wrench for yield/accuracy...
Ditch the copper head gaskets. I don't think a higher torque will resolve your issue and you will risk stripping the top half of the block where the studs are threaded in.
I ran mine with ptfe pipe dope around all the coolant and oil holes...slight leaking out of the rear of block from oil return, but as far as I could tell, that was it...I kept it as far from combustio as I could figuring it prolly wasnt the best with the heat, and when I pulled it, it was all still there, but didn't have a ton of driving time on that motor
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