New engine, first startup problems.

[AGodlyCanuck]

So I finally got the engine installed and hooked up in my 1992 ford explorer. After swapping some plug wires I let it run with the heater on full blast and rad cap off...

It seemed to Idle fine, however the oil pressure was maxed, I put 4.8L of 10w30 in it. Also, the temp gauge wavered between middle and high. Then it began rising to past the H... I shut it off so as to not damage anything.

Thats when the started failed... Lol

But any ideas what I should look for when I get to it on the weekend? I got another starter I'll pop in it, however I am worried about the temp and oil pressure... I replaced the oil pressure switch.. But maybe I got the wrong one... It did seem a bit bigger?

I'm Thinking I'll run some seafoam through it before I begin to daily it. Hopefully it will help the lifter tick.

Anyway, any ideas?
Thanks.

 

[shucker1]

Perhaps some more details are in order?

Engine type?

Junkyard engine or Reman?

Why did the first engine go out?

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

Perhaps some more details are in order?

Engine type?

Junkyard engine or Reman?

Why did the first engine go out?

Oops, ill have to add them lol

1992 4.0L OHV Engine

The engine was "junkyard" i suppose, it was pulled from a rolled explorer with 106,000kms on it and it had sat under a tree and tarp for 15 years. I had taken it all apart and made sure the coolant ports and stuff werent clogged and replaced all the seals and gaskets.

The first engine came out because the cylinders were totally worn down 70ish psi in 5 and 0 in one. and i decided to go with a low KM engine than completely tear apart the old worn one.

Hope that answered the questions?

 

[shucker1]

12:30 A.M. down here in New Orleans, LA.

Going to catch some down time before 0500 comes along and I have to go to work.

I'll try and think up a few suggestions for you tomorrow at work while I wait for the the bad gas (Hydrogen Sulfide) to clear out of the machine we are scheduled to work on.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Did you replace the thermostat?

I’d hook up an external mechanical oil pressure gauge to verify it’s correct.

If it rose past the H you’ve considerably overheated it, I wouldn’t do that again.

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

Did you replace the thermostat?

I’d hook up an external mechanical oil pressure gauge to verify it’s correct.

If it rose past the H you’ve considerably overheated it, I wouldn’t do that again.

I did replace the thermostat. I was running with the heat on full blast and the radiator cap off. However i was watching the guages and it really could have been low coolant.

but ive heard there are other ways to get air out of the coolant system?

 

[shucker1]

How about the water pump?

New or used? Could the impeller be rotten and now moving water?

It can happen on the Taurus with the V-6 Vulcan Engine.

 

[jmdirk]

I wouldn't worry about the oil pressure, that thing's essentially an idiot light in gauge form.

Dumb question, did you put the thermostat in the right way? If you install it backwards, the heat and pressure just forces it closed and it won't circulate coolant.

These things are notoriously hard to bleed the cooling system. The Ford procedure is to fill up the rad as much as possible and install the rad cap then back off to the first stop. Turn on the heater and then run the engine at 2000 rpm for 3-4 minutes. Shut it off, carefully remove the rad cap, top up the rad. Reinstall the cap backing off to the first stop again. Run the engine again at 2000 rpm until the upper rad hose is warm. Shut it down, remove the rad cap again (carefully) and top up the rad and coolant resevoir and you're done.

A few guys here have also had increased success elevating the front end a bit while trying to bleed the system.

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

The water pump is fine, I took it off and cleaned it when I had the engine out. And I put thermostat in with the little hole at the top and the rounded part facing outwards.

I think it's just air in the system.. I also didn't have the fan shroud on which i read on another post, is quite neccesaryfor our engines

My brother had an interesting idea about the oil pressure... there may be an air bubble between the sensor and the block.

 

[Mbrooks420]

An air bubble would be compressible and I would think would show a low pressure.

 

[RustyMacintosh]

So I finally got the engine installed and hooked up in my 1992 ford explorer. After swapping some plug wires I let it run with the heater on full blast and rad cap off...

It seemed to Idle fine, however the oil pressure was maxed, I put 4.8L of 10w30 in it. Also, the temp gauge wavered between middle and high. Then it began rising to past the H... I shut it off so as to not damage anything.

Thats when the started failed... Lol

But any ideas what I should look for when I get to it on the weekend? I got another starter I'll pop in it, however I am worried about the temp and oil pressure... I replaced the oil pressure switch.. But maybe I got the wrong one... It did seem a bit bigger?

I'm Thinking I'll run some seafoam through it before I begin to daily it. Hopefully it will help the lifter tick.

Anyway, any ideas?
Thanks.

View attachment 163270

get some gas in that baby stat! Burn your fuel pump up running it so low

 

[Mbrooks420]

I run my tank to the light everytime. 200k out of the first fuel pump, this truck is at 160k and it’s still working fine. I don’t really think there’s any evidence that the pumps have a much longer life if kept more full.

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

get some gas in that baby stat! Burn your fuel pump up running it so low

It went up after some idling... not sure why...

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

So I'm running it now. Things seem a little bit normal maybe.
I think I got all the air out of the coolant system..
Still need to get gas though lol

At idle the temp gauge is steady.
At 3000rpm it does up to about 80% of the gauge and stays there. Only thing out of the ordinary is that the tachometer idles at 1100 but I know it reads 300isp rpms higher than the computer reads.

First pic is at startup
Second pic is an hour of idle later.

 

[Mbrooks420]

It’s possibly the tach needle is just inaccurately pointed. Typically your temp shouldn’t really vary under load or RPM. The thermostat and cooling system should regulate amount of coooing needed to maintain a near steady temperature.

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

Hmmm okay...
Well another issue...

When I turn the key, I've got power and the battery is good. When I go to crank it over all I get is one single click.

Why would that be? Bad connection somewhere?

 

[Mbrooks420]

If the battery is charged I’d check the cables first. If that all checks out, I’d jump the solenoid.

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

I discovered it was a ground.
I used some Jumper cables directly from the battery to the starter.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Good troubleshooting. Bad grounds can make gauges erratic. Could also explain the voltage issues.

 

[AGodlyCanuck]

I also did discover what I think it could be... And it's embarrassing lol

The wires that go to the starter do have a ground wire on them... Right now that wire is loose... And I csn find the proper place for it to be plugged into lol