Head Gasket Blown between cylinders
Posted: October 26th, 2014, 9:07 pm
My 1608 Fiat TC has blown the head gasket in between cylinder 3 and 4. See attached pictures. The engine did feel a bit odd the months prior to this happening but having checked timing and carburetor (Twin IDF's) synchronition did not reveal or improve anything. Then during starting (warm engine) it blew. I drove 2 kilometers to a garage near by (detonated badly on load) to have it stored prior to shipment home. Probably shouldn't have done that as the head now needs to be skimmed and possibly the block also.
This isn't the first time; about 65.000 kilometers/thirteen years ago it happened too but than it was between cylinder 1 and 2. At that time it was on full throttle going up a mountain in southern France.
Friend of mine also had this problem on his 1800 Fiat TC.
We both run twin IDF 40's with K&N filters. Availability of 98 RON fuel has deteriorated here in Holland and sometimes I have to run 95 RON but can not detect detonation when doing so. Apart from maximum (+1 mm) bore pistons the engine is otherwise standard and runs a non standard 4 to 2 exhaust collector with a european spec standard 1800 exhaust. The car is a 1969 Fiat Spider.
I would like and appreciate some advice on the cause and how to prevent this.
Regards,
Charles
This isn't the first time; about 65.000 kilometers/thirteen years ago it happened too but than it was between cylinder 1 and 2. At that time it was on full throttle going up a mountain in southern France.
Friend of mine also had this problem on his 1800 Fiat TC.
We both run twin IDF 40's with K&N filters. Availability of 98 RON fuel has deteriorated here in Holland and sometimes I have to run 95 RON but can not detect detonation when doing so. Apart from maximum (+1 mm) bore pistons the engine is otherwise standard and runs a non standard 4 to 2 exhaust collector with a european spec standard 1800 exhaust. The car is a 1969 Fiat Spider.
I would like and appreciate some advice on the cause and how to prevent this.
Regards,
Charles