What happened to this engine?

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Mar 7, 2009 | 08:33 AM

jdraughn

Thread Starter

Instructor

Joined: Jul 2008

Posts: 218

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From: Utah County Utah

What happened to this engine?

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/904...riversside.jpg
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/179...sengerside.jpg

Mar 7, 2009 | 09:29 AM

mr.beachcomber

Burning Brakes

Joined: Jan 2003

Posts: 755

Likes: 32

From: Roswell Georgia

More Info Would Help!

Just judging from the two pictures and the amount of sludge/rust around all the coolant holes, I'd say that the coolant was run well past it's recommended change interval. Also, #3 cylinder appears to be washed down by unburned gas so I would suspect that the spark plug for that cylinder wasn't firing for a long time. You may have a blocked CAT if the unburned gas collected and burned there for any period of time.

More info on the engine would help. What did the cylinder heads look like when removed (for example)?

Mar 7, 2009 | 10:23 AM

Midnight 85

Le Mans Master

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 5,866

Likes: 60

From: Hellinois

Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified

#3 may be so clean from water, cracked head? In general it looks like a major lack of maintenance. Both pics were of the drivers side so I don't know what the other side looks like.

Mar 7, 2009 | 10:30 AM

engle1147

Le Mans Master

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 5,043

Likes: 8

From: Tampa Florida

To me, it looks like there was a lack of coolant or low to no flow of coolant into the heads on the back half of the engine. The rings burnt up and oil caked up.

Mar 7, 2009 | 11:17 AM

redrose

Melting Slicks

Joined: Feb 2006

Posts: 2,753

Likes: 15

From: backwoods upstate ny

need more info...first i wanna see the heads, look into ports for 'cones' of oil baked onto the backsides of intake and exhaust valves, indicative of high miles/valve guides worn/ seals shot...whoever pulled the head left water in #7 hole, rust shows in pic, may have already eaten cyl wall far enuf to need new piston/boring oversize (get some oil in there, stat)

Mar 7, 2009 | 11:33 AM

MikeC4

Melting Slicks

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 2,510

Likes: 4

From: Austin Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by engle1147

To me, it looks like there was a lack of coolant or low to no flow of coolant into the heads on the back half of the engine. The rings burnt up and oil caked up.

What happened to this engine?....someone killed it....Burning oil.... piston rings are shot on #5 and #7. Compare these two cylinder heads to #1, which is the most normal looking.

How bad was the exhaust smoke prior to removing the heads ??

Man, you got the intake off and a bunch of leaves all over the place.....what's up wit dat ???

Last edited by MikeC4; Mar 7, 2009 at 11:36 AM.

Mar 7, 2009 | 12:19 PM

tachout

Racer

Joined: Jun 2007

Posts: 486

Likes: 0

From: Sandy Ut

Just my opinion but with the leaves in there and the wiring all over, you had to leave this outside for quite some time while working on it. Without a closer look I have to agree that the bottom end is in need of rings, and would really like to see the heads now that they are back from the machine shop with a No Crack report. Would also like to see the old head gaskets..... Just me, but would want to know if they failed around the #3 hole.

Hope to run into you Sunday, and we can discuss. If it is going to need a bottom end, and you do not want to put a ton into it, I might have a sugestion or two for you on time saver sugestions too.

Mar 7, 2009 | 01:25 PM

MikeC4

Melting Slicks

Joined: Oct 2004

Posts: 2,510

Likes: 4

From: Austin Texas

you may want to inspect your PCV valve. See if it is all gunked up or oil soaked. A nasty looking PCV valve would be further proof of "blow by" caused by worn rings.

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Mar 7, 2009 | 05:25 PM

ChrisWhewell

Pro

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 686

Likes: 4

From: Austin Texas

my guess would be head gasket corrosion that permitted coolant into #3 cyl.

Mar 7, 2009 | 09:22 PM

#10

Geeorge

Intermediate

Joined: Sep 2008

Posts: 36

Likes: 0

From: IndyNoPlace Indiana

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisWhewell

my guess would be head gasket corrosion that permitted coolant into #3 cyl.

Looks like a blown head gasket to me too.

Notice how much carbon is on the other pistons,and that one is clean from the coolant breaking it loose.

May have been a simple valve job with milling the head and new gaskets.But now after letting it sit and collect debris and dirt it probably needs to be pulled and torn apart for a rebuild

Mar 8, 2009 | 06:52 AM

#11

"swamp rat"

Instructor

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 151

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Geeorge

Yup ! I agree with that ! It's gonna have to come apart ! Complete rebuild or a crate engine ! I would go with the crate engine!!! Less time & Less hassle !!! It's your call !!!!!!