Head gasket and exhaust gasket questions, and finding TDC

[BubbaFL]

The breather what the PCV valve connects to? If so, yes I removed it when I cleaned the block, then reinstalled it.

Found the leak - it's leaking around the left hydraulic tensioner. I put it back together and ran the motor to see where it was leaking.

 

[2000StreetRod]

leaking compression ring

CAUTION: McSlug has provided an excellent tip regarding the installation of the new tensioner. It is very important to ensure the washer/compression ring (if used) on the tensioner is centered when the hex head face contacts the head. If the compression ring is not centered then oil will leak profusely no matter how tight the tensioner. Applying a small amount of gasket sealer between the compression ring and the tensioner face will keep the ring in the correct position.

I'm glad you found the source of the leak and it is not the rear main seal.

 

[BubbaFL]

The jury's still out on the rear main - seems like it might be leaking. I've driven a few miles and there's still a little drip there.

It's also idling like crap, and seems to have a miss. It was throwing codes, a lean on bank 1 and rich on bank 2. I didn't write them down, but they were P11xx codes (not the p0171 and p0174 that are typical for an intake vacuum leak).

I checked for vacuum leaks using the propane method and didn't find any. I guess a compression test is next, that should give me an idea of whether or not I set the timing correctly.

 

[BubbaFL]

Compression Test

Compression test results are in:

#1 190
#2 195
#3 200
#4 185
#5 180
#6 190

Are these results good?

Are they enough to verify that I correctly timed the cams?

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Here's more detail on the miss / extreme rough idle:

- Fast / cold idle sounds great
- Warm idle is rough, with a miss, and turning on the A/C is almost enough to stall the truck. It will occasionally stall with the A/C running.
- It bogs under load up to about 2000 rpms, and then "catches" and sounds great

The plugs and wires are new, and I've triple-checked the wire order against what's stamped on the ignition box.

I've checked extensively for vacuum leaks using propane, and also disconnecting the line to the "globe", the PCV lines, and the line to the EGR, and plugging them (no change).

Five of the eight threads in the lower intake are somewhat stripped. Three are torqued to spec; I put teflon tape on the others and snugged them up as much as possible. (What idiot decided torx headed wood screws threaded into plastic was a good design?????)

The gas tank is full, and has been sitting for five months. It is premium gas, and I added two bottles of stp gas treatment to get any water out.

I took the truck to an exhaust shop, they said there are no exhaust leaks ahead of the downstream O2 sensors. (They also said that I probably didn't set the cam timing right, that they've done that job twice and refuse to do it again because its such a PITA even with the right tools).

What do I do next?

 

[2000StreetRod]

compression results

Your compression looks pretty good (a little low on some cylinders) depending on the wear/mileage on the engine. If your cam timing is off its not by much.

It's too bad you don't have the specific fault codes. Lean on one bank and rich on the other bank is rather unusual. Are you sure you don't have the pre-cat O2 sensors cross wired?

Make sure the coolant level isn't low. You might check the electrical connection to the engine coolant temperature sensor. Is there black smoke in the exhaust when the engine is warmed up? Check the electrical connections to the MAF sensor and IACV.

 

[BubbaFL]

160k on the engine.

I cleared the codes yesterday - just checked again, and there is a code, P1132

Lack of Upstream Heated Oxygen Sensor Switch - Sensor Indicates Rich - Bank No. 1

The o2 sensors may be crossed. The plugs on bank 2 (driver side) were noticably dirtier than the other side.

One of the upstream o2 sensor wire connectors has a black wire / cable shield, and the other is white. Does anybody know which goes to what side of the truck?

 

[2000StreetRod]

O2 sensor wiring

HO2S #11 (Bank 1 Pre-cat)
Gray/Light Blue (O2 voltage to PCM)
Orange (sensor return common)
Red/White (Heater output to PCM)
Light Blue/Orange (heater supply)

HO2S #21 (Bank 2 Pre-cat)
Red/Black (O2 voltage to PCM)
Orange (sensor return common)
Yellow/Light Blue (Heater output to PCM)
Light Blue/Orange (heater supply)

HO2S #12 (Bank 1 Post-cat)
Red/Light Green (O2 voltage to PCM)
Orange (sensor return common)
White/Black (Heater output to PCM)
Light Blue/Orange (heater supply)

HO2S #22 (Bank 2 Post-cat)
Purple/Light Green (O2 voltage to PCM)
Orange (sensor return common)
Tan/Yellow (Heater output to PCM)
Light Blue/Orange (heater supply)

 

[BubbaFL]

Dale, thanks for posting that. I couldn't get a good enough look at the wires to tell the colors (too dirty, and too far up there), so I just used some trial and error.

They were plugged in backwards - amazing how p***ed off the truck gets when those wires aren't right!

Two drive cycles and no codes, fingers crossed.