Chasing a coolant leak

[jd4242]

Cool. Yeah, I don't know much, but I like to try and replace sets where I can.

I was actually scrubbing the lower manifold today. The gasket surfaces are looking good, but the rest is a mess. Then I got kicked out of the kitchen. Heh. The plan is to clean lower and upper manifold good, and tidy up the valve covers.

I read about the rockers, but really don't know much about them... except they are indeed sitting right there in the open. Heh. I don't recall hearing much noise, maybe when going up a hill, or when I'm trying to punch it (this thing doesn't really punch). It is a clanking sound that goes away once I reach speed and ease off the accelerator. Is that the rockers?

I really appreciate your time. Thanks again.

Rockers would cause a tapping sound throughout the rpms, more noticeable at idle.clanking or ticking wile accelerating is normally do to detonation or spark ping.that's normally caused by low octane gas/bad gas or carbon build up in the cylinder. Throw some 90+ gas in and take it HIGH in the rpms a couple times,let it redline in first or second, keeping it floored till it shifts at last second. This will clean some of the carbon out of the cylinder. But sounds like your not getting rocker noise. If you wanna check them there is three bolts holding the shaft in and it pulls right off, check where the rockers met the valves on each one.if no wear then I wouldn't even worry about it.with the valve covers off you can pretty much guess what is what.

 

[MaioCampo]

I try to mix in a tank of higher octane here and there, but I've fallen out of the habit. I'll need to pick it up again. With this coolant leak I have spent a lot of time with the hood up, engine running... I don't remember hearing anything that caught my attention.

I'll be waiting a couple of days for the fuel injectors, so I'll give those rockers a check. One more new thing to learn about. No worries.

Thanks again.

 

[MaioCampo]

Here are some photos:

The lower manifold is off. Here is the driver's side of the bay. To the right there, below the coolant port is where I think my leak is.

Here is the passenger's side. I may have had a leak in the neighborhood of the back coolant port to the right here as well.

Here is the gasket. I had some gunky buildup in the lower-right corner there. In the right light it appears a smidge of gasket may have been worn away.

Here is what the bottom of the lower intake manifold looks like after some cleaning (mainly the gasket surface).

And the top of the lower intake manifold after some cleaning. There at the bottom left is where the heater hose attaches. There was lots of crud there.

The busted fuel injector (Bah!).

The gunky fuel injector (located in port close to where heater hose attaches).

 

[jd4242]

Just make sure that broken piece didn't fall down into the port or cylinder.good job so far

 

[MaioCampo]

It came apart largely in one piece. There was a bunch of junk on the lip there where the injectors sit and it was while cleaning that out that I found the piece. At the time I didn't know what it was, so I set it aside. This morning when I pulled the injectors out of the manifold I learned what it belonged to.

I just put the pieces back together again and I am missing a small sliver. It may have been in that junk that I cleaned out. Looking over everything that is now exposed, I don't see where any dirt, leaves, etc., etc. has fallen in. So hopefully I got it.

Boy, luck of the ignorant I guess.

 

[malohnes]

This is looking very familiar. Hehe, all too familiar!

Keep cleaning things up, it will make a difference once you get her up and running.

 

[MaioCampo]

Good Morning! Yesterday the gaskets came in and before I started up some more cleaning I figured I'd get some pictures of the lower manifold gaskets (2-piece) and see what folks thought.

Here are the gaskets. Aluminum with rubber around the ports.

On. They have tabs that go above each exhaust port (?) to hold them in place. Everything lines up good.

Driver's side.

Passenger's side.

There's a lot of surface there with no gasket. Some said this makes for better contact between the lower manifold and block (?), especially in those troublesome corners, but it makes one a little anxious. Heh.

 

[jd4242]

I'm split on if I like them or not.leaning towards liking them.the one piece is hard to fold and align. Especially in those corners, probably why they changed it.I blob the hell outa the corners and on the block so only had a issue once but can see why.my next build I may try the two piece even tho I have two sets of one piece gaskets here on the shelf

 

[MaioCampo]

Cool. I'll use 'em then. Heh.

I've been all over the gasket contact surfaces for the lower intake and valve covers. I didn't have to do much of anything. I expected to wrestle some silicon, but outside of what the shop here put on the valve covers (they put a blob on each of the top corners), I have had nothing to mess with... not even on the block, or the lower manifold.

Right now I have oil on the surface. I know that needs to be wiped off. Is there anything that should be used to clean that off, to prepare it for the gasket? I assume just wiping down with a shop rag won't do.

Looks like I'll be ready to put the lower manifold back on tomorrow (12/11). I can do that while I wait for the injectors to arrive, correct?

Thanks again!

 

[jd4242]

Cool. I'll use 'em then. Heh.

I've been all over the gasket contact surfaces for the lower intake and valve covers. I didn't have to do much of anything. I expected to wrestle some silicon, but outside of what the shop here put on the valve covers (they put a blob on each of the top corners), I have had nothing to mess with... not even on the block, or the lower manifold.

Right now I have oil on the surface. I know that needs to be wiped off. Is there anything that should be used to clean that off, to prepare it for the gasket? I assume just wiping down with a shop rag won't do.

Looks like I'll be ready to put the lower manifold back on tomorrow (12/11). I can do that while I wait for the injectors to arrive, correct?

Thanks again!

I use acetone,but any kind of cleaner should work.yea you can the lower on as long as you obviously don't put the fuel rail on.

 

[MaioCampo]

Okay, dancin' the newb jig here. I finally figured out how to get that passenger side plug undone that is way in the back near the transmission. I never could get it pulled out far enough, and my neck craned just right to notice the tab... but eureka! Ha! That wire harness is now out of the way. At least one or two things will go back in a little easier with that thing moved a bit more to the left.

 

[MaioCampo]

Going to put the lower manifold back on today, but before I did that I took the rocker assemblies off to take a look at the rockers (just because I'm there).

Here is the engine after some more cleaning, and with the assemblies off.

Here is a pair of rockers. This is pretty much how they all looked. Looks pretty good to me.

 

[jd4242]

Going to put the lower manifold back on today, but before I did that I took the rocker assemblies off to take a look at the rockers (just because I'm there).

Here is the engine after some more cleaning, and with the assemblies off.

Here is a pair of rockers. This is pretty much how they all looked. Looks pretty good to me.

Idk there is pretty heavy wear on the tip, bad pic but look at the flat little square part that sits on the valve.you see the little round wear mark? Can't tell from the picture but looks pretty deep.also can see wear marks in the cup from the pushrod.

 

[MaioCampo]

Here is another picture. I wiped off the tips and thought those spots were some sort of insert. I felt several of them and they felt flat, or even with the rest of the surrounding tip. But I can double-check.

 

[jd4242]

Here and here.top circle is normally where the most shows up

 

[jd4242]

Here is another picture. I wiped off the tips and thought those spots were some sort of insert. I felt several of them and they felt flat, or even with the rest of the surrounding tip. But I can double-check.

Yea hard to tell but if they are smooth then should be fine.

 

[MaioCampo]

Okay, I went over them again, and then had my son go over them as well, and we agree, they are worn. There is a definite difference between the silver portion and the rest of the tip on 4 or 5 of them, and two more are pitted.

I really didn't budget for their replacement. For educational purposes, to weigh pros and cons, can you explain real quick the impact of leaving these rockers in, and replacing with new ones?

 

[jd4242]

Okay, I went over them again, and then had my son go over them as well, and we agree, they are worn. There is a definite difference between the silver portion and the rest of the tip on 4 or 5 of them, and two more are pitted.

I really didn't budget for their replacement. For educational purposes, to weigh pros and cons, can you explain real quick the impact of leaving these rockers in, and replacing with new ones?

Just depends on how bad they are.if you wasn't getting a lot of ticking then you should be fine.some wear is normal, the lifters have little plungers in them that can make up for it to a certain degree. Once the lifter can't make up for it is when you start getting noise.if its not in the budget then I wouldn't worry, just now would be an easy time to replace.worse case if or when they do start making noise you know how and where they are and all needs to be removed is upper intake and valve covers.how many miles are on it?

 

[MaioCampo]

Cool. I'll have to think about it. I totally agree that it would be nice to do while I have everything open. Do you recommend any seller?

It has just about 250K on it.

 

[jd4242]

Cool. I'll have to think about it. I totally agree that it would be nice to do while I have everything open. Do you recommend any seller?

It has just about 250K on it.

Sealed power.if you got a advance auto near by you can order them online and use a coupon for them, think I used like a $50 off or something. But if they aren't that bad they won't hurt anything, just a annoying tick.hell that motor and parts look GOOD for 250k!! I had 180 on mine and swear I had about a 1/4" wear marks on my rockers, sounded like a diesel motor!! Lol