Throttle was stuck at WOT and I blew a header gasket, maybe more.....lets discuss

[BlueOvalStangGT]

Yesterday a local club rented out the track, I paid $40 to get a spot,etc etc and I was going to FINALLY run my car after all this time of breaking things, tuning issues. Without including the one night I ran my car on March 30th, its been over 1 year and 2 months since I have been to the track and actually raced. So yesterday my car was all up to par, and ready for the track. I was leaving to go to a friends house to change my oil, and wash/wax it since I dont have the commodities to do that on campus. As soon as I leave USF, I do a quick WOT run and the throttle stuck. I think my pedal may have gotten caught up on my floormat, but theres no way to tell. The car was bouncing off the revlimiter and did so a few times before I turned the car off and coasted off into the shoulder. Popped the hood and looked around, nothing except the oil which vents from my breather(which sucks) so I started the car and there was a nasty ticking noise(loud.) At first I thought bent pushrods and more.....but the car ran pretty decent so I figured it was a blown header gasket. Instead of changing the oil/washing it I went to Discount, bought another gasket and swapped it out in a little under 2 hours. Since I was in a hurry I did not put the drivers side bolt in(the farthest one foward). I figured it would hold up enough to last me a day(and I couldnt get it in). Well the car drove fine all the way to the track (I was taking it easy and their were no exhaust leaks) but when I got on the road which the track is on, I did another test run to make sure everything was fine and the car couldnt break them loose in 1rst gear, and overall felt slow. Plus, when I let off, the ticking came back. Its leaking on the primary that was missing the bolt(installed the bolt while I was at the track). Well, even with the bolt back in place, it still leaks so I guess I messed up the gasket? I logged A/F and it is LEAN, which I had guess it should be RICH since exhaust is leaking out before the WB02. The car has a little difficulty idling which I guess is becuase of the funky o2 readings but overall drives pretty good. It just feels slow when I get on it. What else could have happened? Im going to replace both header gaskets and then see what happens...hopefully nothing too hardcore happened.

 

[bimmertech]

any exhaust leak prior to the O2's are gonna make them think you are running lean. this is due to the fact that the exhaust will suck in air into the exhaust.

it is very possible that the ecm saw this too and really fattened it up, resulting in a power loss. although it would have to be a pretty big leak to diminish that much power to not be able to break first gear loose.

i would be more worried about banging the rev limiter in a supercharged car than anything else though. stock rev limiter cuts out fuel which tends to melt pistons.

good luck, i hope those header gaskets fix it.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

My throttle got stuck wide open during a WOT blast. The return spring got caught on some wires and held it open. Bounced it off the rev limiter for a few seconds before shutting it down.

Drove the car home and it was fine. The next day the car was way down on power. Then it started idling funny then barely at all.

Valve covers came off first. I couldn't find anything until the pencil on my ear fell into the valve train. I picked up the pencil and while pulling up a rocker was real lose. Got my face real close and found a broken valve spring.

Your going to have to inspect many things out most likely. Hopefully you have no damage. Good luck.

Do you want this moved to tech?

 

[BlueOvalStangGT]

I guess I will change my header gaskets in the parking lot after classes n such, and then take it for a drive and see how it feels. I should know once I drive it right? Either its nothing or something big right?

 

[bimmertech]

I guess I will change my header gaskets in the parking lot after classes n such, and then take it for a drive and see how it feels. I should know once I drive it right? Either its nothing or something big right?

exhaust leaks are alot easier to diag than a valve spring. exhaust leaks will get louder the more load you place on the engine. valve springs will make a number of unusual noises.

good luck

 

[blksn955.o]

I would pull the side the noise seems to be coming from either way...

I had a pushrod bend on me one time and it sounded like someone threw a hadfull of washers down my intake. Thankfully it was the intake so It didnt keep dumping fuel down the cyl. and lock the motor up with raw fuel or something.

with an over rev. better safe than sorry...that and the gaskets to get to check it are re-usable so its just time realy.