$.25 freeze plug + "while you're in there" = my complete engine rebuild

[crispy21]

Perhaps it was the rear heater lines the ruptured causing the initial anti-freeze leak. One would suppose that when the "mechanic" that performed the bypass said he re-filled my coolant due to the loss in the leak, he should have said "hey, I poured lots of water in your radiator disturbing the 50/50 balance.

Alas a "polar vortex" dropped our Lancaster County temps into the single and negative digits and she popped a freeze plug. Not just any freeze plug, but the rear of the head, can't reach without taking the whole thing apart to pop in a new one freeze plug.

Well this is God's path for my Betty White Land Cruiser, a non-locked 1994 w/ 184K. There wasn't a good gasket on her and she left her mark where ever she parked so something wicked was just around the corner anyways.

So a quick phone call to Mr. Beno and all the fun parts to do a "while you're in there" job correctly.

And the tear down began with the help of a co-worker with an after-hours shop.

First attached picture is the culprit. Clearly you can see my valve cover gasket was really shot.

By the way, I am a total noob, so I may not always use the proper terms and what not so please don't judge my engine rebuild virginity too harshly.

 

[crispy21]

So being from a more "rural" county now the choices of machine shops was very slim. And here comes mistake #1. After my buddy popped off the head we sent it to the machine shop for a simple shave and a hair cut with valves etc per Beno's instructions and bag of goodies.

Called up the shop and spoke with the owner who said that job would be $300 plus parts. Well I have all my parts so I was counting on $300. Until I arrived with the beast and the son crapped his pants. In the picture attached those are his hands explaining to me how his father was wrong and with a 24 valve I6 with solid lifters it would cost $500 to do the job plus parts. Again, I had all my necessary parts for the valve job so I was understanding and counting on $500.

Until that old bastard father called me a week later saying that my job was done and it would be $740. WTF???? So I reminded him of the back story and he said well if you pay me in cash it will only be $647.25. Still pissed I said that $500 was the quote and he said, "well if you want your head it will be $647.25 and I don't take plastic."

Nice, I am getting robbed in broad daylight by what was once a very reputable machine shop. So, $647.25 was the toll and that old man had the nerve to slowly count it in front of me just to be sure.

 

[crispy21]

So with my head and valves done, I was excited to button up Betty's blouse and keep on trucking. Until dinner with several of my clients, who happen to be a dozen of the nations top wholesale car buyers. Perhaps I forgot to say in this thread that I am the marketing manager at the world's largest wholesale auto auction. I get to entertain great guys from all over the world that come to this little sleepy town called Manheim, PA every week to buy/sell the next batch of the nations used car inventories.

So over a nice Italian dinner, my buddy Joe says that you should go further down into the engine and do it right. He had an analogy that I made PG-13 for this thread. His thoughts were with your rebuild head and original bottom half it was like taking a hot 21 year old babe and having her ride on top of a 65 year old man. The old man is inevitably going to have a heart attack very soon. Naturally I agreed and wanted to do it anyways but explained that the household budget was too tight to do too much more. Well despite all that we bit the bullet and gave the nod.

So down periscope and deeper into the engine we ventured.

Following those that have come before me on this thread we pulled the bottom out of the engine bay and are going to complete this rebuild on the stand.

Let's just say the following photos are not for the faint of heart. Clearly this full rebuild is the way to go because it got ugly down under.

 

[crispy21]

So let's just say that clearly Betty held oil like a colander. The shorter list is "what didn't leak."

Here is where I would love your opinion. In this picture you will see a piston we pulled. Based on what we saw, the eye-witness opinion is to replace the pistons. I already had a set of standard Hastings Chrome Piston Rings on the way. With this fully pulled we are looking for a better and sober machine shop to hone and perhaps re-bore a bit.

What say you Brethren of the Land Cruiser?

 

[crispy21]

One more of the cylinder.

 

[Roc Doc]

That sucks, but a verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on for some folks.

Hope the rest goes better.

 

[crispy21]

Thank you Doctor!

I am 4 year new transplant into this area up from just north of Washington D.C. A lot of what goes on around here is verbal. Seems to be "the way" here due to the Amish and Mennonite heritage. A man's word is worth something here. Unfortunately there are a few that take that moral code and abuse it.

Even at my work with thousands of car dealers converging on the spot, you have plenty of verbal contracting. It is simple, if you screw someone over once then your name is ruined and they will gang up and blacklist you out of business.

Onward.

 

[crispy21]

Just hung up with Beno on the plan for the short block and potential costs on how much we need to replace and what questions I should ask the new prospective machine shop. I was very satisfied with the conversation with Krimes Machine Shop in Ephrata, PA so he gave us further instructions on how he'd like the block to arrive and how to save money by breaking it down into the individual components etc.

The Machine Shops first task will be to plasti-gauge and mic everything. From there we will call Beno for replacements.

Beno and I discussed the block cleaning process and the unobtainium oil bushing that would/could be lost if they hot tanked it.

So my question to you experts would be does anyone have experience with LandTank's replacement oil bushing that solves this issue? Or do I tell the ms to take care to NOT hot tank the block and use a separate cleaning method?

 

[crispy21]

While everything is out there are some obvious things to do in the engine bay. What would you do with it? Take a look at mine and offer thoughts.

Thank you for your opinions.

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

The great thing about being a mechanic is that even if you have a receipt showing you wre billed for a couple gallons of coolant, he would just say that he did it right and you must have done something after he gave it back.

 

[half k cruiser]

Wait.. there's a freeze plug in the back of the head. Son of a %$^&^ ! Beno, why didn't you tell me this when I ordered that seal kit from you last week ?

I think you got hosed pretty good on that head. Our local NAPA machine shop will clean a head for $30 and cut it down a few thousandths for another $50. Not sure what it costs to have them do the valves but I bet its way cheaper than that outfit you went to. Surely you have a NAPA nearby.

 

[crispy21]

So went by the shop to pick up my injectors to mail out for cleaning.

One thing that scared me was that Beno said a new oil sending unit would be $500. The trouble is that the wire attachment thingy rusted off. Yes, I just wrote that. Remember I am a total noob.

Take a look at the pictures attached to this post for some insight.

 

[crispy21]

So while the engine is out my oldest son, Logan and I are adding some lipstick to some of the parts.

Valve cover, heat shields etc getting a make-over. We used VHT Flame Proof Primer and Flame Proof Ceramic Paint.

 

[crispy21]

Here is the valve cover wet sanded, primed and painted with 4 coats of VHT Wrinkle Plus Black. I used a hair dryer between coats per a youtube video I saw. Turned out nice. Plug wire covers done in VHT Black Gloss Engine enamel. Contemplating sanding the paint off the raised letters of the cover. Thoughts?

The cover is missing something.

 

[crispy21]

Wait.. there's a freeze plug in the back of the head. Son of a %$^&^ ! Beno, why didn't you tell me this when I ordered that seal kit from you last week ?

I think you got hosed pretty good on that head. Our local NAPA machine shop will clean a head for $30 and cut it down a few thousandths for another $50. Not sure what it costs to have them do the valves but I bet its way cheaper than that outfit you went to. Surely you have a NAPA nearby.

You maybe correct. I was told that our NAPA's here in BFE sublet their machine work. Remember they did do all the valves over with new parts from Beno etc. Attached is the before and after pics.

 

[blkprj80]

It cost me $515 to get a head back that was ready to install. I supplied the seals. I'm not sure if they did my welch plugs though. I don't think they did. It was a reputable shop locally. And they do lots of 1FZs. I was pleased, and never once worried if it was done right. I'd say you overpaid for what you got.

The thing that I would worry about is what else may have been damaged from freezing. They aren't freeze plugs, but they are usually a first indication that a block froze. My buddy had a car where the block froze with probably 10% AF. It pushed out several plugs, and he spent many hours replacing them. Only to find out the whole back end of the block (inside the bell housing) was split wide open! That block looked like swiss cheese after a day at the shooting range, trust me!

How are the welch plugs on both sides of the block? Inside the bell housing?

Also, on mine they pulled oil pump bushing, hot tanked the block, inspected the bushing, and reinstalled it. I hope it lasts another 100K miles, ha. I can't afford to drive it much further than that.

Good luck with your build, while you're in there...


Wait! Did they tighten down the camshaft clamps? DON'T LOOSEN THEM unless you follow the procedure or you may break or chip something. My shop gave it back to me with the clamps finger tight. "cams left loose for head bolt installation"

 

[OGBeno]

So went by the shop to pick up my injectors to mail out for cleaning.

One thing that scared me was that Beno said a new oil sending unit would be $500. The trouble is that the wire attachment thingy rusted off. Yes, I just wrote that. Remember I am a total noob.

Take a look at the pictures attached to this post for some insight. View attachment 878665 View attachment 878666

Looking over this, my bad. That part is about $60 and the harness for it is about another $40.

I was thinking about the oil level gauge in the block (since we were talking about the block).

My bad. Sorry for the wrong info.

 

[OGBeno]

Wait.. there's a freeze plug in the back of the head. Son of a %$^&^ ! Beno, why didn't you tell me this when I ordered that seal kit from you last week ?

I think you got hosed pretty good on that head. Our local NAPA machine shop will clean a head for $30 and cut it down a few thousandths for another $50. Not sure what it costs to have them do the valves but I bet its way cheaper than that outfit you went to. Surely you have a NAPA nearby.

Definitely not a normal change or wear item. I have seen them leak there but most don't show these symptoms.

Don't fret.

 

[crispy21]

Looking over this, my bad. That part is about $60 and the harness for it is about another $40.

I was thinking about the oil level gauge in the block (since we were talking about the block).

My bad. Sorry for the wrong info.

Beno,

Please add both to the list. The harness has the rusted bits stuck in the connector. Thx.

 

[half k cruiser]

Might be a good time to just upgrade to aftermarket oil pressure !