any top secret tips, more pictures

[post71]

First, Happy Thanksgiving,

Well my first time pulling the head, or any head for that matter. The head gasket looked pretty good, I was hoping it might look bad so I could blame it and replace it. It will be replaced with new.

The head looks pretty good, but the valves show signs of h2o. No visible cracks, it would have to be major to see them and with no pressure etc. Good luck at seeing a crack. Head looks flat with a straight edge applied, so no warpage. Is there anything else I should see? All pistons are there, duh, they look ok. Timing chain, rockers and upper end look ok.

Any top secret tips?

Thanks

Mpost

[Guest Anonymous]

If the tips were top secret, you would not likely find them posted here. Besides they are on Wiki.

It is not easy to put all of C.D (SOLD IT!)'s wisdom in one reply. My only suggestions would be to (1) take your time, (2) be careful of your back, (3) read the posts on the subject found via the archives including CD(SOLD IT!)'s advice to "squeaky clean" the threads of both the head bolts and the receiving portions of the block and (4) take a look at the reference literature including the paperwork that may have come with your gasket set.

Taking pictures is always a good practice. If all else fails, you can post top secret questions on this forum.

Good luck and post your success.

[satsuma]

Hi

Which valves are showing signs of water?

Cheers

Ben

[post71]

All the exhaust valves

[satsuma]

Any chance of a pic? If not can you explain the deposits?

Was the car blowing any white smoke?

Either way I don't think it can be the head, not for all 4 cylinders. If its a stock '02 manifold maybe corrosion or a crack inside is allowing coolant to enter the intake? You could take off the cover on the bottom of the manifold to check inside.

Cheers

Ben

[c.d.iesel]

back up - give us detailed history of the motor

over heating ?

oil consumption?

miles ?

prior disassembly?

compression test?, cylinder leak test?, cooling system pressure test results? loosing coolent ?, look of the exhaust on cold start?, exhaust on high speed de-accel?, exhaust when hot and full throttle- near red-line rpms? WHY IS THE HEAD COMING OFF NOW?.

[post71]

pictures

The History, 4th owner from Peter Pan in SF, serial is 2570364, 1971. I have owned the car since May. I don't know the true mileage of the motor.

The car is/was not consuming oil, no decel problems and no vacuum issues. the antifreeze level was dropping. I found a leak and replaced upper radiator hose. The coolant was still dropping and now I get a white fog out on start up. recent compression check last week or so showed 125 per cylinder, one was a little lower like 115. I didn't test near redline.

Cooling system found the first leak as above stated for the upper hose. I also saw moisture coming from area near head at the mechanical fuel pump, but not fuel and not that far up closer to the head gasket.

Also white milky oil filler cap.

Thanks for the help and suggestions.

Cd my father's family used to live in Darien. I have fond memories of the creek in the backyard.

[esty]

why did you do that?

[cj]

Inspect #2 real close. Look at the seal ring on the head gasket for the #2 bore.

Cris

[post71]

What should I be looking for? Would it be enlarged? The gasket was all in one piece. I have a new head gasket, would this be likely to fix the problem?

[cj]

Look for carbon trace on the ring surface. Also check for any area on the gasket that may have been seeping coolant into the cylinder bore.

Cris

[satsuma]

Yeah I think Chris might be right with #2, looks like some staining next to the intake valve, might just be the photo or my eyes though

If it was leaking coolant maybe it was boiled over by the last owner and the head warped? I would triple check in lots or directions for distortion. Unless you are 100% sure its straight it might be worth getting the head skimmed anyway to be safe.

Ben

[Mike Self]

looking at the coolant passages on the exhaust side--they can erode so that coolant will leak into the combustion chamber. But yours look OK. If you're getting coolant into all four cylinders, as as been pointed out, I'd look for evidence in the intake manifold.

Keep in mind, though, that if you were getting a significant amount of coolant into the cylinders, the valves, pistons and combustion chambers would be pretty clean, the result of having been "steam cleaned" by entering coolant. Yours seem fairly crusted with carbon. Was the "milkshake oil" only around the oil filler cap, or all in the head? That's a symptom of coolant leaking into the engine, not necessarily into the combustion chamber.

BTW, any good machine shop can use penetrating dye and a black light to find any small cracks in the head...that might be what you need to do...and have 'em check the head surface for warpage while they're at it.

cheers

mike

[c.d.iesel]

have a machine shop 'skim' the head ( with the front timing cover attached) and test for cracks - you don't want to repeat this job again.

On assembly - be REAL sure the head bolt holes (in the block) are clean and dry to their bottoms - and clean up the head bolt threads also .

Those childhood 'creeks' are now flooding at the slightest

rain storm and the town government is having fits trying

to make up for 40odd years of neglect keeping them free

of junk and the water flowing in the streems instead

of into basements and yards.

What was the family name?

C. Demarest

DHS Class of 1970

http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/dd318/cd02md/

[post71]

The milky white was only at the cap, not in the head. I haven't seen water in the oil and the oil hasn't been changed yet.

Here are some pictures, the gasket both sides, and the block. As someone mentioned it doesn't look like water in the combustion chamber. There is some carbon build up on the pistons, but less in number two.

I have the head off and all new top end gaskets, should I look into the intake and exhaust side manifolds?

Thanks all, you are a wealth of info.

Cd: Family name was Post and Odell. Long Island born, moved to Mt Vernon NY, then to Darien. They lived near the cemetery were the train tracks are. I remember Hurricane Bell hitting in the 70's and the creek went from low to full in hours, hardly a big surprise with a hurricane though. I was impressed though.