Runs Like Crap after rebuild

[acschilling]

Didn't you see exhaust coming out of the manifold to pipe connection? Have you fixed that yet?

Read the post above. I'm stumped. Feeling like the lower intake gasket may be the problem. Kinda felt like a thick piece of card board(one piece) and didn't match too well in certain places. Plus had cork pieces that fit those S or Z shapes on the heads. It was weird. Felt suspicious to me when I was installing. Had to modify a bit. Think they may have been Chinese..from eBay

 

[shucker1]

Have you tried spraying a little brake clean around the lower intake manifold base while the engine is running to see if you have a leak?

Idle should increase a little bit if you have a leak in that area.

 

[Number4]

The stock one piece intake gasket is complete garbage. If it's off by 1/16 of an inch, you can have ports that aren't sealed. That's how I ended up finding and going with the '97 Explorer lower intake gasket.

My question about the exhaust, was directed at the "donut" gasket between the manifold and the pipe. You said you removed the manifold to head gaskets, but I wasn't clear on the other connection. If your getting a whitish smoke from down there and the "motor cycle" sound, then you have an exhaust leak. The man. to pipe didn't come with a gasket, you may however want to add one if you broke that connection loose.

 

[acschilling]

The stock one piece intake gasket is complete garbage. If it's off by 1/16 of an inch, you can have ports that aren't sealed. That's how I ended up finding and going with the '97 Explorer lower intake gasket.

My question about the exhaust, was directed at the "donut" gasket between the manifold and the pipe. You said you removed the manifold to head gaskets, but I wasn't clear on the other connection. If your getting a whitish smoke from down there and the "motor cycle" sound, then you have an exhaust leak. The man. to pipe didn't come with a gasket, you may however want to add one if you broke that connection loose.

I replaced the driver side exhaust manifold with a JY one - left the passenger connected at the y pipe when I took out the old heads. But the Passenger side is the one leaking most visibly. Both sides send smoke out from somewhere.

I'll give the break clean a squirt!

 

[acschilling]

Have you tried spraying a little brake clean around the lower intake manifold base while the engine is running to see if you have a leak?

Idle should increase a little bit if you have a leak in that area.

This is similar to what I'm seeing it looks like. This is an 04, but the color of smoke and general location where it's originating are similar.

https://youtu.be/ZXJgB5KhnhI

 

[natenkiki2004]

I wouldn't put a ton of value in the smoke for now, get it running right. It sounds like you're down a cylinder or two. Find out why, check the spark plug wires & injector plugs.

 

[acschilling]

So I tore it down to the lower intake after work. Only took about two hours by hand. Getting good at typing it apart. I did not like what I saw with Any of the gaskets so far. Do not buy the least expensive gasket kit on eBay. APB - AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE! The end seals that go on the head next to the water ports were crunched already and deteriorating. I picked up a one piece FELPRO from Advance and will use RTV on the front and back of the heads.

 

[shucker1]

OK we are getting somewhere.

Like I always say

"If you pay peanuts you are going to get Monkeys"

 

[acschilling]

OK we are getting somewhere.

Like I always say

"If you pay peanuts you are going to get Monkeys"

No doubt. Quite a powerful lesson learned. Will begin reassembling this PM. So RTV should be a THICK bead on the front and back of the heads??

 

[shucker1]

I would not go with a thick bead. That stuff will squish out and go where you do not want it. A light coat should do.

The end result looks like crap.

The big key is to make sure all faces are very clean and flat.

You mentioned that the ends were crunched? Most manifolds are torqued from the inside bolts outward, Think of it like trying to spread out a piece of rolled paper.

Try not to shift stuff around lining up bolt holes once everything is in place. This makes gaskets try to slip out.

I usually torque in stages (1\3rd value, 2\3 value, final)

 

[acschilling]

I went to test fit the fel pro gasket with lower intake sitting on top and can fit a zip tie under the manifold into the lifter valley. That's the gap (front and back) the RTV is supposed to fill up?

The threads that crunched were in the exhaust manifold but miraculously has two extras from Ace that one I got to thread tight. That was like 4 or 5 days ago in this saga I think.

I'm now about to put it all baaaack together again from the LIM up and see what happens. I think was leaking water through one or more of the intake ports thus the reason for so much smoke. That's my new theory!

 

[Number4]

The lower intake should fit tight to the block and heads. The gasket just acts as a seal. There should be no gap at all with the gasket in place.

When you put the heads back on originally, did you tighten the head and intake bolts in sequence? Or did you do the heads first followed by the intake?

 

[acschilling]

The lower intake should fit tight to the block and heads. The gasket just acts as a seal. There should be no gap at all with the gasket in place.

When you put the heads back on originally, did you tighten the head and intake bolts in sequence? Or did you do the heads first followed by the intake?

First time I tightened them together. When tore it back down I left the heads in with the gasket. There is less smoke this time. Oil looks to be clean. Upper radiator hose hot; wasn't overheating; idling steady at 650ish and not bouncing. Still looks to be coming from lower down. I'm letting it cool to see if it's going thru coolant.

Still feels rumbly.

What are symptoms of a brand new head gasket that's blown I guess?

 

[acschilling]

Any chance that it is running far too rich?

 

[Rhett]

Any chance that it is running far too rich?

It could if the O2 sensor(s) are bad. Also a bad fuel pressure regulator can do that.

Your idle at 650 is good, and I assume it's steady? No vac leaks?

How's the timing on the engine? Did you have to remove the cam synchronizer?

 

[acschilling]

It's a 92 so it only has crank sensor. They only thing I did was unplug it.

Has been started up with the wires in the wrong order. And ran long ago that way. Not for long tho. Just thinking it may have jumped timing slightly and could move it closer to normal.

Would unplugging the O2 sensor be a check for anything?

 

[Number4]

Did you touch the O2, could that be where your smoke is coming from? If it was loose, it'd also cause the car to run crappy.

 

[acschilling]

Did not touch the O2 sensor. It's always passed emissions no problem.

I'm thinking about checking the location of the crank sensor in relation to where it is currently line up with the pulley - should I expect it to be lined up with a certain tooth on the pulley? I've heard OHVs are supposed to deal with the timing themselves to an extent so does that mean all our first gens are lined up in the same place no matter the age or history of the car?

I checked all the fluids and they are full and clean. Idle steady, upper hose hot, radiator full. I'm thinking the timing could be out of whack, sending in too much gas causing it rumble/shake. Should the sensor always be at our near the gap in the pulley? I'm just staring at the Haynes manual picture...

 

[acschilling]

This is a good video of what I'm seeing. Mine is less intense but nearly identical location. He unplugs something and it just stops smoking..?

https://youtu.be/EPUcN-SbBtQ

 

[natenkiki2004]

It looks like the guy unplugs the injectors for that bank, you can hear the idle change. When he plugs it back in, you can hear the injectors clicking again.

I have no idea on the smoke, I've never messed with exhaust manifolds. I'd wonder if over time the cast iron warped and when you assembled it, you were fighting that warp?

As far as the crank sensor, here's some pictures that might help:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u...Explorer/Pictures/Engine Removal/P1020128.JPG
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u...Explorer/Pictures/Engine Removal/P1020149.JPG

I'm pretty sure it only goes on in 1 spot and that unless the harmonic balancer key is sheared, there's no way for it to be wrong.