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hi guys, big post sorry.

ok so on the weekend we rebuilt the top end in the wagon..(ea82) new headgaskets, machined heads, new valves and seals etc top end! the car was running rough and using water, no visable external leaks, blowing really thick white smoke, water pump is near new, most hoses have been replaced aswell.

my question is, put it all back together started first pop, idled beautifully, timing perfect, bled the cooling system, final check over and tune, topped up coolant went for a 3rd gear tune, and the car is still blowing really thick white smoke, now it really is steam, i havent seen it my father inlaw has described it... am the 1 thing that i asked to b checked wasnt.. i wanted the heads to b cracked tested as u all know between the valves the heads crack...i had a look at the heads after they had been machined and they looked excellent...

now could/can there b a crack/leak in between the exhaust ports and the water jackets in the motr? has any 1 ever had this... im thinkin its not fixable then...which would sux cause really dont want to use any chemiweld or additive stuff like that so plz give advice of info..cheers Ben

When the heads crack and let water out badly it is not actually between the valves where you can see it. It is inside. If you look up in through the exhaust port that is where you would see it.

And regardless of what people tell you, you will not be able to have it welded/fixed. Look for new heads as the old 1 will just fail again.

It does sound like its a cracked head

Now.... i was talking to an engine reconditioner the other day and he told me that the cracks between the valves can leak if they get deep enough and that they can be welded.
This was news to me because i have read a document that stated that the cracks between the valves is only cosmetic. Ive never heard of valve bridge cracks leaking before and i didnt know that ea82 heads could be welded.

I dunno what to think now

Gannon