Should I have my block tested?

[lcplgolden]

After a while of diagnosing why my 99 Explorer OHV was overheating, we finally confirmed head gasket. Ripped out cylinder heads and sent them to a machine shop to get pressure tested(won't find anything out until tomorrow or Tuesday).
I cleaned the mating surfaces on my block and visually inspected them and they look pretty good. I debated ripping it out and having them checked at the shop where my heads are, but decided I can't really afford it right now because the heads and gaskets and head bolts will pretty much drain me out. If I had more money I would definitely rip it out and have it checked to avoid putting it back together and then having to tear it apart again. Any advice? Do blocks tend to crack or is that pretty rare? Thanks ahead for any advice.

 

[ranger7ltr]

Unless your engine was seriously overheated then cold water added...

I wouldn't be too concerned about the block being cracked.. Is it possible? Sure but unlikely on this engine...

The heads crack and the head gaskets leak but that is usually the extent of it...You gotta do something really bad to crack the block from the ones I have seen...

BTW what did the heads look like especially the one with the wet valve cover? Did it seem to be darker in an area around one of the bolt holes or near one of the valve spring sets? This is typical of where they crack and what they look like...I was just wondering...Pics would work too if you have them...

 

[lcplgolden]

I have pics but my little sister has my camera so I have to wrestle it away from her when I see her. Actually, both valve covers looked identical with the moisture, on my last post under the pic is a link to a picture of the other valve cover. As soon as I get my camera back, I will post the pics. Here is a few that I uploaded on computer before she took it though.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...ID=210885714&albumID=2040778&imageID=35435231
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...ID=210885714&albumID=2040778&imageID=35435232
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/ind...ID=210885714&albumID=2040778&imageID=35435235

 

[lcplgolden]

Well, got the news back on my heads today. Both have internal cracks. A set of rebuilt heads will be $259 each, and new would be $299 each fully assembled.Definitely going with new with only a $80 difference for the set, plus the new cast mold used for heads is a huge improvement on the originals. Unfortunately, it will be a slow process putting my explorer back together. The heads this week, gasket set and bolts next week, and everything else need the following week. Maybe if I put some of my money towards the Mega Millions this week...

 

[ranger7ltr]

Damn that sucks...

While you got the time, you could oil down the lifters since I would bet they have water in them as well...And the heads are off so you could pull them and soak them in a container of fresh oil...

Make certain you keep straight which lifter comes out of which bore... That way you can put the same lifter back if you replace them...

I had to order some parts from Ford for the valve covers and the exhaust manifolds so i will not open mine up for a couple of days yet...Hell I am still resting from Vegas last week...

At least now you have information on what the engine is doing and why right...

 

[lcplgolden]

Thanks for the advice Ranger. I'm starting to look at this as a learning experience. A costly one though. But I do love my exploder. And after all the work put into it in the last year or so, I'm looking forward to keeping her for a while.This is my first ford, and there is one thing I learned about fords is this. A ford is like a woman. When you take care of them, they're great. The second you neglect them, you wanna drive them off a cliff.

 

[ranger7ltr]

Any update on your engine?

Have you gotten your heads back on and gotten the engine running yet? Did you find any more damage inside?

I finally pulled mine apart to replace the head gaskets and sometimes it is best to leave things alone I guess...

No, I don't believe that or I would have continued to add coolant back to the reservoir as it leaked out... Went to install the new heads and head gaskets and found some interesting cylinder bores...And this is on an engine that didn't burn oil and had at least 120 psi on all cylinders...







So now I have installed a new shortblock to deal with the bad cylinder bores...More to follow...

 

[lcplgolden]

Good luck on yours. I put mine back together last Sunday. Not too bad of a job, only problem during reassembly was dropping bolts and taking forever to find them and having to chisel off the bottom of my oil filter so I could break the seal. Now I have a rough idle and pulling code p0171. But drives better and no more coolant issues. Now I have to work this out.

 

[lcplgolden]

Fixed my problem. Turns out the vacuum hose that goes under the throttle wasn't connected. Stupid for me to miss that while putting it together, but at least it's fixed and was something so simple. Thanks for all the tips ranger.