Trying to get down to the bottom of a head gasket issue

[Skeet Skeet]

Ok my friend has a 92 with some crazy issues. After it gets up to temperature and you cut it off, 5 mins later when you crank it back up it will sputter and act all crazy for the first 10 seconds and then get over it. Before I go any farther, this is BEFORE the head gasket. We pull the spark plugs out. There were GREEN. So we determined it was a failed head gasket. We noticed that water went missing (which I found the leak later on at that heater valve) and went ahead and ordered the gasket. While the gasket was on the way, we went ahead and snatched the head off and sent it to the machine shop to be worked on. Long story short we slapped everything back on and fired it up. It ran great for the whole month of January. Now come February, its up to its old habits again. We pulled the spark plug, and they are a pretty brown color. We have fixed the leak and have not determined any water loss yet.

The motor is tuned on crome with just a cam and F22a6/H22a intake manifold and of course IHE. We are starting to think it may be an injector issue or something. The entire ignition system is new including minty fresh NGK wires and BKR7's (the plugs which add 1hp on the dyno btw). I also have eliminated the EGR and firewall mystery box MAP sensor and its emissions equipment. We compression tested it and got 180 across the board every time with it slightly warm. I haven't done a leak down test yet. Never done one so I don't know how.

[Skeet Skeet]

I have new information that may lead to the findings of this problem. My other friend who has an H22a1 is having the same exact symptoms as far as the nasty sputtering in the mornings and after cutting it off and then cranking back up after a longer drive.

The F22a1 that we are working with here has new fuel filter, recent a6/H22a intake manifold swap, and complete tune up along with NGK wires and NEW distributor. The motor gets a semi annual sea foam bath intake and gas tank. We will swapping the map sensor this weekend to see if it may be reading wrong or something. TPS was broke so it was replaced with a used unit and was set to the correct position using a multimeter. We are out of options at this point

I watched a video of the leak down test, so he is going to go buy the tester and we will perform it. If it comes back good, what is our next step???

[uslspct]

Curious to know your status. Did a search for some things and your problem sounds like mine. All of a sudden I'm getting some sputtering. I've replaced a lot on it and it has this other issue with the exhaust but never had this happen. Going to do a compression test now...

[Skeet Skeet]

We never got to do the leak down test, but we are sure its a head gasket issue again. Its just worse this go round and without the green plugs. Another friend had a CE1 wagon that did the exact same crap recently and it was a blown head gasket. Compression testing will probably only tell you if the gasket is blown between the cylinders. Ill see if I can get a tripod and do the leak down test on camera.

[alan lx]

Just a couple thoughts. Does the heater work well? Meaning, Does it blow hot air? If not, its a sign of a bad head gasket (providing all else is correct like the heater control valve). Also, while its running at operating temperature, if you take off the radiator cap, does it have normal pressure? Or does it have extreme amount of pressure? If so, its likely you have a bad head gasket or possible head issue. Just a couple thoughts.