That's pretty slick... I broke my spring while trying to shorten it, so I'm just limiting boost and RPM for now...

But, I was running late to work the other night(started 45 minutes later than normal), and I ran the car pretty hard(still limiting boost/RPM though), averaging 11.7mpg and 72.4mph, and I think I killed my intake gasket... When I start the car cold, it will occasionally sputter like it has a vacuum leak, and straighten out after a few minutes and run fine... Strangely, the UG still shows -9.xx psi boost at idle...

 

Sounds like right were you are supposed to be at.


Whats the weather been like? that can cause an issue, too.

 

No, it definitely has a dead intake gasket... While I was messing with the car today, I started it cold, and it sputtered badly, and UG was reading sometimes as low as -1.xx psi...

I also done a compression test on the car...

1. 2. 3. 4.
C- 200 197 205 198
W- 200 199 200 187
L-D. 0% on all cyl.

I did the test cold, then warm... Cold was with the UG reporting engine temp at 66 degrees, and warm was with a reported 156 degrees...

This might point to a current, or future issue with cyl.4, though everything is in spec for now... Due to no leak down(after 60 seconds) I'm not sure what to think...

 

That's not to bad.
04s had an issue with cylinder 4 being starved I believe.


I see a phenolic spacer in your future.

 

Yeah, but I'm still worried about it... Two reasons-

I checked the compression at 156 degrees, not the full 185-195 degree operating temperature, and I warmed the car up in place, no driving at all... Driving under boost would heat the piston/cyl head even more, and would make lots of blow-by possible...

The main issue I have with the phenolic spacer is cost- I don't think I can afford it... Which really sucks, because I'll be into it for 50 in labor to have the gasket changed anyway...

On one hand, the intake gasket could be causing my dipstick popping issue, and then again, maybe it's time for a full rebuild... I'm more than a little worried at this point...

 

yes driving under boost would heat things up, but I doubt the differential in thermal expansion between all the metals involved is large enough to make any difference. Plus the heat diffuses through the entire head, block, pistons, etc, and the engine coolant sucks it away, theoretically.

You want to know engine health at no boost as a baseline.
If you want to run it hard, then test it, go for it. I'd be interested in the results.

Also, if there was a vac leak at the intake, I don't think it would be self sealing just due to the engine warming up.

Get a can of throttle body cleaner and spray around the IM gasket and find the leak before you blow money on replacing it. Don't put the horse before the cart. Find the leak -- don't infer it. (Just my opinion)

As for warmer readings dropping compared to cold---I think it does need to be warmed up all the way and then some time running to get everything expanded to design spec.

 

Hm. I definitely see your point.
Warm the car up, do a pull, then check the compression. I'd be curious to see that.
Like derf said, use Tb cleaner to check the IM gasket. Why 50 in labor? Its not hard to change it man. Hell, I've done it twice already tonight. I forget how expensive they are. I got mine on black Friday for 60% off.


Wasnt that motor replaced? Or was it just rebuilt?

 

The reason for the labor is because I don't have any tools on hand to attempt the repair myself... The ratchet and plug socket? Borrowed, as well as the compression tester... Plus, the guy I know does a great job and is usually pretty quick about getting the work done...

... And the problem worsened today... Now, it won't build hardly any boost at all... 3.9psi @ 7000 RPM... Literally, a decent running LE5 ION would blow my doors off...

I haven't dug out the compression tester yet, but it doesn't seem to be the issue, because when I let it sit for five minutes or so, it was back to idling like it had a bad vacuum leak...

 

Honestly, I'm not sure about any part of this car anymore... The guy claimed that the engine/trans had about 63k on them when I bought the car, but some things stick out at me...

1. Throw out bearing is pretty noisy at idle in neutral, and through second gear, up to about 30mph... Were I faced with the opportunity to change them (clutch, slave and bearings), I certainly would...

2. There are no apparent "transplant marks" in the engine bay near the engine/trans... I'm not saying that it's impossible to change a drivetrain with no marks, but every one I've seen done, has left some mark or another, somewhere... Now, they could have done a perfect job on the engine swap, or the engine could be original to the car, it's hard to say for sure...

I'm sitting here, with just a little bit of "buyers remorse" nipping around my ankles... With each new issue, I wonder if my "good deal" wasn't so good after all... What if I had actually bought a car that was limping around on an engine that was about to die? I can't afford to rebuild her like she might need (and still have a ride to work)... I've already been advised by two different people, at different times, to make it run decent and unload it on somebody else... To keep it long term, it needs clutch, PP, slave and TOB, and will need control arms in the next year or two...

Any words of encouragement?

 

some words of possible enlightenment -- go find the date stamp on the block -- you'll know if it is different if it's a different year from the body. Of course they could've thrown in another 04 engine.

Even with the tranny and engine separated, there might have been enough clutch left that they just didn't touch it. I'm pushing 236K on my 95 clutch.....anything's possible.

The TOB on my 97 which DID have the clutch replaced was rattling on and off for about six months. Haven't heard it since

If he said engine and trans had the same mileage then he either pulled both from another RL as a unit (more likely) or they are from separate donors. Again, date stamps should help clarify. Also vins lasered into the parts.

Lastly,

PLEEEEAAAASSSEEE will you spray down the IM already and stop doubting everything in sight?
Your clutch works, the car runs. Point a to point b. Perfect? no. Will you solve this? Yes.

I know nothing about tuning but I bet that a tuned car is much more sensitive to little perturbations than the average non tuned car.

The most obvious simplest answer is usually the right one.

Goalie's up all night replacing all his gaskets to fix his boost leak.

Go find your boost leak.

One step at a time.