1997 Sidekick Sport

[fixkick]

progress, and happy for that.
carb in the spark tops mostly means 2 things, burning oil there or runs super rich on that cylinder,
do not forget to use the correct gap seen on hood sticker, 0.028" (28 thou)
this is not HE, high energy ignition until year 1999 _+
uses the narrow spark gaps, see on hood sticker under hood look up see huge 6x4" sticker with Suzuki logo and all that.

good news holding RAD pressure, one test is to make sure car idles for 1hour, and not overheat parked.
safest way to test any engine and not get stuck on the road, ..
for overheat.
I'm same why I go south from east texas. only.

yes carbon huge on spark tips sure can make it very hard to extract. (best is to jog it CCW, CW and CCW over an over to break it up gently and then exact it. (even in 1/4 turns )


good day and stay warm.

[Hoopt]

progress, and happy for that.
carb in the spark tops mostly means 2 things,  burning oil there or runs super rich on that cylinder,
do not forget to use the correct gap seen on hood sticker,  0.028" (28 thou)
this is not HE, high energy ignition until year 1999 _+
uses the narrow spark gaps,  see on hood sticker under hood look up see huge 6x4" sticker with Suzuki logo and all that.

good news holding RAD pressure,  one test is to make sure car idles for 1hour, and not overheat parked.
safest way to test any engine and not get stuck on the road, ..
for overheat.
I'm same why I go south from east texas. only. 

yes carbon huge on spark tips sure can make it very hard to extract.  (best is to jog it CCW, CW and CCW over an over to break it up gently and then exact it. (even in 1/4 turns )


good day and stay warm.


I was but now it wont turn over and I see contamination in the VC.  Oil in the dipstick is still clean.
Will try to turn engine over again in the morning!

[fixkick]

weak battery
or coolant flooding a cylinder piston top./
if batter is ok , try cranking with no spark plugs present.
VC, valve cover off? you see milk chocolate?
if you have water in the piston top, cranking will bend a rod. (can) a 5 to 10 HP starter 500 amps, CCA from battery.

I assumed turns over means starter silent or just clicks
not cranks fast and will not start.
the engine and the starter both spin and both turn over.
cranks but not start.>?
or does not crank.>?

[Hoopt]

weak battery
or coolant flooding a cylinder piston top./
if batter is ok , try cranking with no  spark plugs present. It did this once before, I will put battery on charger and charge it.  Last time it was at 25-50% charge and charged in 2 hours.   Will check alternator also.
VC, valve cover off? you see milk chocolate?  I checked in the VC cap.  A residue is on cap and just a small bit when I stuck my finger in VC cap hole.See attachment.
if you have water in the piston top, cranking will bend a rod. (can)  a 5 to 10 HP starter 500 amps, CCA  from battery. 

I assumed turns over means starter silent or just clicks
not cranks fast and will not start.
the engine and the starter both spin and both turn over.
cranks but not start.>?
or does not crank.>?

I will look at this tomorrow after battery charges and pull plugs.  This is where my coolant is going.

Thanks.

   

[Hoopt]

Charged my battery and pulled the plugs.  Carbon on #3 and #4 plugs mostly 4.  Turned engine over and #4 had water/AF shoot out. It was not as colorful as the 50/50 mixture in the radiator.  The leak is around #4 cylinder and it was immediate.
Not good?  Could it just be a valves?
Hoping for the best!!!
No indication of water on the dipstick.
I guess it needs to be torn apart to determine if gasket or cracked block.

Thanks.
I hope this warming today helps N. TX!

[fixkick]

Charged my battery and pulled the plugs.  Carbon on #3 and #4 plugs mostly 4.  Turned engine over and #4 had water/AF shoot out. It was not as colorful as the 50/50 mixture in the radiator.  The leak is around #4 cylinder and it was immediate.
Not good?  Could it just be a valves?
Hoping for the best!!!
No indication of water on the dipstick.
I guess it needs to be torn apart to determine if gasket or cracked block.

Thanks.
I hope this warming today helps N. TX!

just the head gasket is bad.not valves, water never touches any valve.
can be, just gasket.
the head is hugely water cooled.  and has water passages to it via the gasket (head)
if the head warps,. the gasket will let water to lots of wrong places. (combustion chamber, will suck it in as piston goes down)
or head is loose, or head bolts snapped, they do that at thread root first one top of first thread, snap, when old. and never good thing after.

I wish you luck in finding true causes and simple cures. (not costly) just  gaskets and or milling head/

[Hoopt]

Charged my battery and pulled the plugs.  Carbon on #3 and #4 plugs mostly 4.  Turned engine over and #4 had water/AF shoot out. It was not as colorful as the 50/50 mixture in the radiator.  The leak is around #4 cylinder and it was immediate.
Not good?  Could it just be a valves?
Hoping for the best!!!
No indication of water on the dipstick.
I guess it needs to be torn apart to determine if gasket or cracked block.

Thanks.
I hope this warming today helps N. TX!

just the head gasket is bad.not valves, water never touches any valve.
can be, just gasket.
the head is hugely water cooled.  and has water passages to it via the gasket (head)
if the head warps,. the gasket will let water to lots of wrong places. (combustion chamber, will suck it in as piston goes down)
or head is loose, or head bolts snapped, they do that at thread root first one top of first thread, snap, when old. and never good thing after.

I wish you luck in finding true causes and simple cures. (not costly) just  gaskets and or milling head/

Thanks for all the help.

[anajames]

I am facing the same issue but my friend has recommended the Many Autos as they have certified technicians. What do you think about it?

Repair Garage Near Me

[fixkick]

I am facing the same issue but my friend has recommended the Many Autos as they have certified technicians. What do you think about it?

Repair Garage Near Me

overheating, issue?
there are many.
and lots of tests.
visual leaks. outside engine and  inside, coolant leaks. even to the automatic transmission pan. (yah)
and lots of tools to find it, leak down tools on RAD on cylinder leak down, rad gas tester, chem or using 5 gas analyzer to see if it can sniff exh gasses in the RAD neck .
or fan dead,
or clutch fan dead. or belts slip or water pump bad,
air in the system not burped out.
cracked blocks
cracked head.
there tests to do for each kind of failure.
and even if the engine overheats only parked, as say stop sign or only up hill under full engine load or only pulling say a heavy boat.
steam on exhaust tip of hot engine.
explosive actions seen at the side overflow tank.
rad level drop every day (leaks or engine is eating coolant)

why say same issues, when the list is so large?  

what shops can do this, omg vast shops exist world wide, who will know this. ?

nobody drives a car with an overheating engine. far, or to a far shop. (and warp the head etc)
seems to me the closest shop wins this act.  for sure towing charges..

hope you sort it.

[fixkick]

in any event
you can only
buy the tools and do that tests
or guess.
or take it to a shop