Engine problems

[Doug K]

Thought I might actually be done fixing the EB quickly this time. After working on the EB for 2 days solid this last weekend I thought I had fixed my problems... seems like I may have a warped head now though... I installed new head gaskets and seem to still have a coolant leak out the back of the intake manifold, and a possible oil leak. The water temp gauge still isn't reading correctly, and after a 45 minute drive yesterday it was running a little hot (boiling radiator...just not enough pressure to pop my cap). I am also getting HELLA knocking from it around 2200-3000 RPMs... any takers?

Anybody have a nice 302 long block they want to get rid of? I'm not exactly excited about dumping MORE money into this already tired 302.

On the plus side... after replacing the head gasket I seem to have solved several of the problems I had wheeling in llano... no serious oil leaks... doesn't start stuttering and backfiring under load in 4th gear. It actually seems to run well except for the temperature thing, the frothy coolant/oil mixture on my oil cap, and a lot of valve noise.

Any ideas if this is an easily fixable set of problems?

Doug

[TTURokToy]

Thought you said it wasn't leaking oil? Call me later tonight.

[Doug K]

It's really hard to tell... I was going to pull the intake manifold and reseal it on Wednesday night.

Doug

[EBSTEVE]

if it is leaking then it's probably the intake manifold as you said they are crap. I think if my temp gague was giving me as much trouble as yours is I would throw the thing away. Can you take a picture of the sending unit and show us/me what it looks like? sound stupid but I am curious. How hot was it outside, what radidtor do you haveand what do you have for fans? Sorry I don't have any answers.
Steve

[Doug K]

The sending unit is an autometer unit...brand new... the radiator is a jeep conversion radiator for a 350 swap... the fans are three properly installed Hayden 3190's, One pusher and two pullers... temperature was somewhere around 90*... speeds around 45-50 in stop and go traffic.

Doug

[EBSTEVE]

From the post before about the heat I say the sending unit is bad, new part or not. How big is the radiaor and how many cores, when did this all start? I have a smaller radiator (than stock EB) it is a 4 core and when I put it in my Bronco stays under 195* no matter what (in WA state), before with the stock V8 one it was always flirting with 210-225 in the summer so now I only have the flex fan I took off the electric extra since I did not need it.

[Oatmeal]

Do you have the right intake manifold gaskets? There are two different kinds; early and late. Later model heads have a larger coolant passage and if you use the later gaskets with the early heads and vice versa you're guaranteed to have a coolant leak! I'm not certain but, I believe the breaking point is 77' or 78. About the valve noise, what year 302 do you have? Do you have an adjustable valve train? Maybe you just need to adjust your lifter preload. The way I like to do it is: with the rocker screw loose, set the cylinder you're adjusting on the heal of that cam lobe, and tighten the rocker screw just enough that you can't easily roll the pushrod between your thumb and finger (you can feel the difference) and then go 3/4 of a turn tighter and do all eight cylinders that way. Hope that helps. Good wheelin!