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Joining the bandwagon, my 4L OHV build

im far enough in this to not turn back, so ill start this thread now.

starting with a truck that hasent been driven in 2 years before i got it. so its really dirty, ticks, needs some help.
im going for a mild top end rebuild. just a nice cleaning and new parts, upgraded performance parts. with a nice coat of paint to finish it up.
update: turned into full rebuild


parts list:
  • 2643 ANCHOR - drivers motor mount (rockauto)
  • 2641 ANCHOR - passenger motor mount (rockauto)
  • SP432 MOTORCRAFT - spark plugs (autozone)
  • WR4062 MOTORCRAFT - plug wire set (rockauto)
  • KS2358 FELPRO - full gasket set (autozone)
  • PR422 DNJ/ROCK ENGINE - pistion ring set (rockauto)
  • m328 MELLING - high flow oil pump (summitracing)
  • 432217 VISTA-PRO - ready rad radiator (summitracing)
  • E71531 DAYCO - upper radiator hose (autozone)
  • B71532 DAYCO - lower radiator hose (autozone)
  • 200-87684 DAYCO - heater-to-thermostat hose (autozone)
  • 200-87715 DAYCO - heater-to-water pump hose (autozone)
  • 58390 A-1 CARDONE - reman waterpump, they sent a 97tm (rockauto)
  • 300-942 DORMAN - water pump pulley (rockauto)
  • 300-004 DORMAN - power steering pulley (autozone)
  • 49237 GOODYEAR - belt tensioner (rockauto)
  • 5968 HAYDEN AUTOMOTIVE - idler pulley (rockauto)
  • 49-410-8 COMP CAMS - camshaft (summitracing)
  • R1092 SEALED POWER - rocker arms (rockauto)
  • VS1630 SEALED POWER - valve springs (rockauto)
  • sev-2027 SI VALVES - exhaust valves (sivalves.com)
  • sev-2028 SI VALVES - intake valves (sivalves.com)
  • UP94172S ULTRAPOWER - timing chain kit (rockauto)
  • 25053 CRANKSHAFT SUPPLY - reman crankshaft with bearings (rockauto)
  • 70mm 94/95 Mustang GT Cobra 19/24lb MAF (ebay)
  • ebay link - 90tm/93tm cylinder heads
  • ebay link - matched set of injectors
  • EF link - modded stock throttle body
  • GM3115200 chevrolet HHR electric fan from EF member
  • FAN-PWN-V3 SPAL fan controller from EF member
  • 1633S-1 JBA - headers and y-pipe used from EF member

later upgrades: 200amp alternator, underdrive/overdrive pulleys. maybe other stuff as i get ideas
 
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well. drivers side doesnt look as bad, but its all on that to.
jd remember i dropped the bolt for the coil pack and the bolt gremlin got it? he strikes again, same bolt! i never heard it hit the ground tho, it hit the tranny. so i went under and didnt find it but i saw some green tape so i pulled at it and out came a plastic vacuum hose. mocked it up and its the FPR line! lol
 



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That sludge definitely looks like some sort of water in the oil. However, I wonder if the fact it hasn't been run very long up until this point has caused a lot of condensation resulting in what you see. I have seen the same thing on oil caps before, and it was all because of condensation. I'm guessing it hasn't been run hard enough to burn that crap off.

My thoughts are that if water is in the oil it would be obvious everywhere, including from what's in the pan.
 






that makes some sense. run very long as in what? the miles i have on the rebuild? or right before opening it? i think i had driven it maybe 5miles, fully warmed up before parking it.

also the oil on the rockers and on the plugs on the heads looks like normal oil but brown anyway. the oil i drained from my oil pan resembled the color of this stuff, just not as thick as this, but was a little more green.
oil pan:
DSC_2247.jpg
 






What I meant is the motor hadn't been ran long enough at one point to get good and hot. Something like after driving it 10 miles or so and actually working it good.

On the other hand, since the oil you drained looks like that, something else may be up. Unless you got so much fuel in it that it changed colors, but I don't even think that happens.

Can you smell coolant at all? I think the smell would be pretty obvious if that's what it is in the oil.
 






yea just making sure on the miles thing.

well the valve stem seals are why i opened it up, installed wrong. putting oil on my plugs and giving me a bad idle. im thinking fuel is hitching a ride on the valves up into the head and into the rocker area making it seem like coolant mixing but its really fuel.

i do not smell coolant, it really does smell like fuel to me


you can see in the last picture of the rockers, the rockers and the hole in the head plugs have brown oil on them, but covers and pan gives me this crap. its confusing me why theres 2 different looking oils
 






ok so i looked at the springs. all of the seals seemed to have seated themselfs on the ring thing they go on. except the front one on the passenger side, which is still stuck up at the retainer.
i cant say theyre seated fully like i pressed them on correctly, but 11 of them are down in the proper spot atleast.
 






I don't know if the combination of blow by gas (via the leaky valve seals), assembly lube, condensation, and unburned fuel could cause oil thickening like that, but it might. Unless you have a good reason to suspect that it's coolant (by seeing if the coolant level has decreased or if there's oil in your radiator) then I'd say fix the pushrods, valve seals, change the oil, and drive it a while to see if it goes away over the course of a few days. That should give you an idea if its coolant or not and if it is then you'll know what to fix instead of having to guess.
 






Pure the oil in something clear and let it sit for a couple days,if its water it wil separate fast and sit at the bottom.to me it looks weird. You check the water plugs in the heads yet.is it on both sides of the cover and motor.those seals are no good now,just hope it didnt damage the seats or cracked the guides.
 






The pattern of the sludge is whats bothering me.its looks like in three groups and only on one side,like it was blown out the valves.idk looks weird! !! We'll check it out sunday,hopefully nothing is damaged!!
 






both of them have just about the same amount really. its shooting from the rocker side. not from the spring side.

and guess what
















i checked those plugs in the heads, WE FORGOT TO TIGHTEN THE PASSENGER SIDE ONES! I UNSCREWED THEM BY HAND!!!! :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(
didnt take any effort to turn them either, completely loose but still enough to stay on this whole time
 






Then thats great news!!!i said that!!i said that should check them!!

ILL TAKE PART BLAME FOR THAT!!! But i said we should check them.so we are back to just the seals and pushrods!!:rolleyes:
 












yea you said we should check them, but neither of us wanted to take it all back apart to check! lol
i was loosing coolant... but it was very little at a time. just so happened i reconnected the heater lines and it dropped, used the heater and it dropped, then filled it once more after that time. last few were overflow tank only. so i never thought of it being this, i jsut thought it was from using the heat

my coolant seems fine, but my oil is shot judging by the crap on the valve covers. so seals, pushrods, tighten the plugs!!, and change oil is on the list.
 






jd4242 said:
i hit the one next to my house! Just keep an eye on your oil,like i said im not a 100% sure i tightened the other plugs on the second head!!!! Pretty sure but not 100%errrr
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#799
 


















Totally agree!! I just should have checked them,if it was just me and i doubted myself i would have checked them;( just glad you remember about the seals and didnt put any more miles on it!!WE ARE GOING TO TRIPPLE CHECK EVERYTHING THIS TIME!!!
 












Told you its the bible and ahould read it front to back many times!!;)
 



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Holy crap.. I've missed a lot. I've been having some troubles that I've had to straighten out with my motor as well. This makes me want to check my plugs, I hope the machine shop tightened or checked them..

And stop raggin on my super strength!! I'm sorry I can destroy valve covers in a single twist!...
 






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