My Explorer is finally reborn

[ExpDann0]

Yes, my kid played the drums with my pushrods....

Yes, they made a 'fort' out of my immobile Explorer, while in my garage....

Yes, the police stopped by because of the unsightly stripped engine, exposed from the removed hood, whilst parked in the street.

Yes, I threw out my back while reurning my navy-blue beast to the driveway, so my neighbors wouldn't get bent out of shape . Now, they can just get bent!!

Yes, my torn apart engine suffered through a few unseasonable rainstorms.

Yes, the #4 cylender head dome was cracked and the head gasket for #4 was blown.

But, I finally completed my task of overhauling the top end, taking all the tips for blue RTV on the manfold gaskets etc..., and the engine fired right up and purred like a kitten on the 2nd rotation of the starter, on the first try. To top it off, I had no left over parts; matter of fact I am missing three bolts (A/C compressor mounting bolt, Ignition module-to-head mounting bolt, hood-to-hinge mounting bolt). It don't get much better than that!! Has anybody seen them??

No drips or leaks. I ran it the freeway for 30 miles (at a constant 65mph), to break it in and get it warmed up. Then off to the carwash to remove 8 months of crud from the exterior and degrease the engine. I'll I have left to do is to take it to the detailer for a quality high-gloss hand waxing.

My X rocks!! It is good to have her on the road again....and off

 

[Digger196]

wow only 3 bolts missing!!! must be preaty good w/ engines? what was wrong w/ it in the first part?

 

[88vert]

Congrats

 

[JDraper]

Originally posted by Digger196
wow only 3 bolts missing!!! must be preaty good w/ engines? what was wrong w/ it in the first part?

Originally posted by ExpDannO
Yes, the #4 cylender head dome was cracked and the head gasket for #4 was blown.

Sheesh! Still in high school and already needs reading glasses (j/k)

 

[TarHeel085]

Originally posted by JDraper
Sheesh! Still in high school and already needs reading glasses (j/k)

sorry to burst your bubble but it says right here

Originally posted by ExpDann0
matter of fact I am missing three bolts (A/C compressor mounting bolt, Ignition module-to-head mounting bolt, hood-to-hinge mounting bolt).

 

[ok89]

I think Mr. Draper was referring to the part of the post that says

what was wrong w/ it in the first part?

 

[ExpDann0]

When I first got the truck 2 years ago, I went through it and changed the fluids. I noticed that the coolant was brown; chalking up to negligence from the previous owner. I would also lose about a quart of oil, every 1,000 miles; figuring it was just high mileage on the engine.

Over the next while, I noticed a gradual coolant loss and that the remaining coolant was starting to turn slightly brown. I attributed the discoloration of the coolant, to washing out the old junk in the jacket.

I later noticed that the ohhhhhhh so familiar sweet smell was starting to become apparent, from the tail pipe, when the engine was running cold. This alerted me immediately to conclude that the head gasket was on it's way out. I also supposed that the rupture could have always existed between the oil channel and coolant channel. Thus the higher operating pressure of the oil path was cross-contaminating the coolant system. Hence, the brown stuff.

The truck started to miss. So, when I changed the spark plugs, it confirmed that there was something wrong in the #4 cylender, upon examination with the rest of the plugs.

Thus, I concluded that the head gasket required replacement and while I was that far into the engine, I'd pop off the other bank and have both heads worked on, at the machine shop. When we cleaned the heads, that disheartening line between the intake and exhaust valve revealed that the head had cracked in the #4 dome.

So, $700 bought me a new set of head bolts, a factory gasket kit, one new head and machine shop services, coolant oil & filter. I did all the labor. This was my first V-block overhaul; having performed several in-line rebuilds. I am glad that I have a Haynes manual telling me about alternating the head tightening / intake manifold tightening sequence, so as to properly seat the manifold gasket. Haynes has been the only manual I have ever relied on, Chilton and others are useless junk.

 

[JDraper]

I guess that's two of ya that need reading glasses

ExpDannO, glad your rebuild went well. I'm guessing that your pushrods were ok from the Keith Moon jam session then . My daughter doesn't play with my vehicle parts, she just re-arranges my tools for me. She LOVES playing with the sockets

 

[ExpDann0]

Where is McVeytown, Pa.??:exp:

 

[mosinman]

Congrats on your functioning EX! By the way, I'm one of those people that consider automotive projects stored on public streets an eyesore as well as dangerous. Neighborhoods that look like junk yards tend to have home values that follow suite. Now, about the 3 missing bolts. A proper home repair requires you to have at least one left-over bolt. This means you are four bolts shy of established red-neck repair protocols. But the damn thing runs, so I won't argue with success.

 

[JDraper]

Originally posted by ExpDann0
Where is McVeytown, Pa.??:exp:

About 30 Miles south of State College, PA and 50 miles north of Harrisburg, PA...I.E. in the middle of absolutely NOWHERE. Equally inacessible from all points

 

[ExpDann0]

Yah Steve,
I know it is an eyesore, but it was on the street temporarily FOR LESS THAN 48 HOURS. I had to move it from the driveway for the cement mixer to pour a slab on the side of my house. I hardly consider cause for a police state! Besides, local ordinance calls for such vehicles to not remain on the street NLT 72 hours.

I think someone had an axe to grind.

 

[mosinman]

ExpDanno- I made the assumption it was in the street for a long time. No reasonable person should have a problem with less than the 72 hours your city ordinance calls for.