New thread...

So, now that I've got the LWB home I'm going to start tearing into the engine. I'm wondering just what kind of damage I can expect to find in there. It's pretty much confirmed that there's at least one head gasket blown and that there's coolant leaking into the engine oil (combustion chamber presumably).

Is this a simple case of just changing the gaskets out? Or am I looking at more substantial damage.

FWIW the engine temps haven't gotten hot with the head gasket blown, but the truck was running hot last summer before I rodded out the radiator.

Skool me on potential damage!

Potential problems:

warped heads, warped deck, erosion on the deck or heads around the coolant port/cylinder where coolant was leaking, cooked bearings (if much coolant got into the oil and was run for a long time) and/or journals.

Obviously, the severity of the overheating (from last summer) and time in which the engine was run with the advanced coolant leak will lead to these problems/worsen these problems. You might as well swap in your spare 4.2 and prepare to deal with this engine properly.

New thread...

So, now that I've got the LWB home I'm going to start tearing into the engine. I'm wondering just what kind of damage I can expect to find in there. It's pretty much confirmed that there's at least one head gasket blown and that there's coolant leaking into the engine oil (combustion chamber presumably).

Is this a simple case of just changing the gaskets out? Or am I looking at more substantial damage.

FWIW the engine temps haven't gotten hot with the head gasket blown, but the truck was running hot last summer before I rodded out the radiator.

Skool me on potential damage!

What happened to you saying you were just going to swap the motor for another one?

Possible damage:
Erosion of head/block where gasket was blown
Warping/cracks in head/block

As long as you didn't let too much water get into the oil then the bearings should be OK.

What happened to you saying you were just going to swap the motor for another one?

Possible damage:
Erosion of head/block where gasket was blown
Warping/cracks in head/block

As long as you didn't let too much water get into the oil then the bearings should be OK.

I went to the storage unit and realized it's still in Vegas. Doh!

How do I know if the head has eroded? Warping/cracks in head/block? Bearings still good?

New-b tryin' to learn.

:D

Dam, how did Dielucas beat me to it???

Erosion will be visible where the leak in the head gasket is (Hopefully the location will be obvious once you pull the head) - the erosion usually looks like lines/pitting where fluid or hot gases have been passing from where they are to where they shouldn't be. The block/head can be decked to remove it if it is only really minor and there isn't any cracking.

To check for cracks just look the whole head over very closely, especially around the valves and where the leak was. To check for warpage use a straight edge and feeler gages.

How do I know if the head has eroded? Warping/cracks in head/block? Bearings still good?


Head/block eroded: there will be extensive pitting on the surface. Around the coolant ports is somewhat typical, but if the pitting leads between the port and the cylinder/combustion chamber, then you have a problem. Both the heads and block can be heli-arc'd, then milled flat if erosion is the worst that has happened (cracks, you might as well toss 'em).

As for bearings, bearing shells may show pitting, and journals may show discoloration...maybe even rust/pitting if oil contamination was extensive.

Dam, how did Dielucas beat me to it???


I'm good.

I'm good.

Yes but isn't it a tad early for an academic to be at work???
:flipoff2:

Yes but isn't it a tad early for an academic to be at work???
:flipoff2:

I had to teach at 8:30 this morning. The lecture hall has bloody hot...they said it wouldn't cool down until winter when the boiler quits working.

Not sure how coolent gets into the oil on a rover as I have never seen it but I would guess it is more than a head gasket :evil:

Not sure how coolent gets into the oil on a rover as I have never seen it but I would guess it is more than a head gasket :evil:

I would take a flying faking guess as to coolant that's already leaking into the combustion chamber continuing to do so well after the engine has cooled down. Since the engine is not hot enough (no combustion) to burn off the coolant, it slowly leaks down the cylinder wall, past rings, and into the pan. Additionally, since the engine has cooled off and the block and heads have "constricted" whatever gap is present for coolant to seep into the combustion chamber in a hot engine is further opened up, exacerbating the run-off of coolant from the manifold into the (now cool) combustion chamber.

But, hey, this is all conjecture. For all I know Slade topped off his expansion tank with oil and poured half a bottle of Prestone into the crankcase. I've always suspected him of being capable of doing something like that.

Not sure how coolent gets into the oil on a rover as I have never seen it but I would guess it is more than a head gasket :evil:

Gee, doesn't oil flow through passages of the head to the rocker shafts?

Seems to me that both combustion gases and lubricant could commingle in the coolant given sufficient damage to the head gasket and mating surfaces.

Be sure to inspect the camshaft and cam bearings for damage from water ingress. Often overlooked damage from headgasket faliures on high mileage engines.

How much for the vehicle as is?

JP

How much for the vehicle as is?

JP

And make sure he throws in your Defender binacle!

Yo Slade,
We used one of these on Brooksy's hulk. The idea is you hold a straight edge across the heads and the deck in a dozen or so different ways (laterally, diagonally, across, and even along where you find your broken gasket piece. If you can get a feeler gague underneath it, you know just how much warpage or erosion you have.


Straight Edge (http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=56057&group_ID=17363&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog)

Yo Slade,
We used one of these on Brooksy's hulk. The idea is you hold a straight edge across the heads and the deck in a dozen or so different ways (laterally, diagonally, across, and even along where you find your broken gasket piece. If you can get a feeler gague underneath it, you know just how much warpage or erosion you have.


Straight Edge (http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro_det.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=56057&group_ID=17363&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog)

LOL-my machinst laughs at me when I suggest doing this. Unless the surface is absolutely pristine with no gasket residue, etc, it won't work well, if at all.

When I take my heads in to be worked, they get cleaned up and put on a CMM for measuring, far more better than I can do with a feeler gauge, but it was a question on my NIASE test back in 1981.

Peace,
PT

Now...if I recall, it was Puffdragon who said you don't need to worry about warpage. Said it wasn't an issue, that torquing down the head bolts will straighten out any warpage (if it even exists).

Also said the head gaskets will take care of any gaps too.

I'll search for my original post way back when. I think we've been through this before.

Pendy - 8K for you. Has an ARB w/series 12 winch, Warn 160 SDB lights, ARB lockers (both), sewercapped axle housings, BFG MT's (235's), ARB rack, XM radio, etc.... Axles are stock except for the lockers.

I'll even throw in the binnacle.

:D

I think I'll start tearing into it tonight.

Now...if I recall, it was Puffdragon who said you don't need to worry about warpage. Said it wasn't an issue, that torquing down the head bolts will straighten out any warpage (if it even exists).

Also said the head gaskets will take care of any gaps too.

I'll search for my original post way back when. I think we've been through this before.

Pendy - 8K for you. Has an ARB w/series 12 winch, Warn 160 SDB lights, ARB lockers (both), sewercapped axle housings, BFG MT's (235's), ARB rack, XM radio, etc.... Axles are stock except for the lockers.

I'll even throw in the binnacle.

:D

I think I'll start tearing into it tonight.

Wow, my minion helped to give the Gems block a bad rap with his flat rate approach. But I do not want to start that up again.

The binnacle, oh the binnacle.

Jim Pendleton