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Note Mods: I posted the below in projects but think it's the wrong place and it hasn't been approved by a mod yet. Maybe here is a better section for it. Feel free to delete/move/do whatever trickery thanks.

Hi all, looking for some guidance on what to do with my car.

95 r33 gtst, blew built engine recently, put in a second hand motor, drove for 1 day, thermostat stopped working, overheated and blew head gasket likely.

Telltale symptoms are white smoke on idle and water/coolant spitting out from the exhaust for the blown HG. Car also idles upto 80+degrees and the top hose gets hot but the bottom hose stays cold (so stuck thermostat i guess). Radiator is an alloy unit and almost positive not blocked.

Am quite poor nowaways due to family and commitments and just spent a lot dropping the second hand motor in.

Where should i go from here? Either sell it/wreck it or do another f*cking motor and get it back on the road again.

I'm fairly confident with doing my own work but have never opened an engine before (but am keen). I have limited garage space but do have a decent collection of tools etc.

I also still have the dead built motor at the mechanics and the BHG motor is of course still in car and running.

What's my best option in your opinion? Pull head off and replace headgasket on standard motor? Do i need to get the head machined for this seeing as it is probably warped from the overheating and BHG or is the head likely no good to reuse because it's warped?

Head on the built motor isn't warped but may have a dead valve or two from when a piston failed so that's always an option (get it refreshed and reuse maybe if it's not too buggered).

Tried to keep post as short as possible sorry. And i would REALLY appreciate any and all help. I've drained myself $ keeping this car and it's one of only few things that keeps me sane/happy and feel ultra passionate about.

I'll have a fair few questions to follow likely once i get some guidance on what to do, all to do with doing the work myself or whether something is suitable i guess (for example is a warped head reusable ).

Many thanks.gif

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speaking from experience as an automotive machinist... you really do have to overheat the head to get it to warp, and even then, not every overheated head is warped. that being said, it is always a good idea to machine a head whenever you take it off. it'll make sure that you have a nice flat surface for your new gasket. whatever you do, DON'T use any air tools (wire brushes or the like) or do any heavy hand sanding of any of the machined head surfaces, that WILL warp it.

if you do have some mechanical experience, go for it. if the other option is wrecking it, what do you have to lose? just take lots of pictures as you work, and i am sure there are some write ups to be found on here.

Thanks for the replies so far Tridentt and insert.

Yeah i've been doing a fair bit of searching and reading and found a very rough process from a very old post on SAU. Doesn't seem too hard and will be a good learning process as i want to learn how to do major services and taking the head off will go beyond that.

If i do decide to fix it myself vs sell or wreck it, i would definitely get the head checked and machined, i understand this isn't much anyways and any head servicing place can do it ?

Could i have enough bad luck to have warped the block too though or is that insanely hard on the iron rb?

Cheers guys.

Thanks Tridentt.

With the potential of finding more damage like you just mentioned, i think i'm gonna sell/wreck the car then. The second motor was the last attempt to keep it and i can't justify spending anymore at all on it.

How much do you think i should ask/get for it?

Currently gear on it is

silicone intake pipe + pod, plastic air box, gt2871rs turbo, z32afm, fmic, coilpacks, custom crap front dump, high flow cat, 3.5" x-force catback with varex end muffler, exhaust cam gear, alloy radiator, nismo fuel reg, 044 pump in tank, oil catch can, apexi PFC with HC and boost sensor, Gizzmo MS-IBC ebc, exedy lightweight flywheel and custom built clutch.

hks springs/bilstein shocks, whiteline front rear adjustable sways, front rear strut bars, hicas lock,

dba4000 rotors, steel brake lines and a small stereo system. shell @ 207xxx, rear/boot stripped and blueslipped as 2 seater. Heck, they can take the dead built motor too if they pick it up from the mechanics lol.

Crappest luck this year bah domokun.gif

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