Got Bessie all together except a few heater hoses and the battery box. I noted that I had cut a scratch in one of the water valve metal heater hoses years ago when I put all new hoses on, so I'm using a trick that I may have learned here. You sand it down, then spray paint on it and sand it again and essentially fill the scratch with paint. Won't work on a deep cut, though.
Anyhow, there was no sign of head gasket distress except that it peeled off the block near #6 notably easier than the rest of the block. Compared to the 97, this gasket looked quite good and was adhered down much better. The plastic sealing skin came off easily with the gasket on the 97 but was well attached and largely remained on the block with the 93. Also, there was much less cylinder sealing ring denting into the block, and the places where the 97's gasket were swollen and disintegrating into the cooling jacket were solid - looked great. For whatever reason, it appeared the gasket on the 97 moved around a lot more during its life - making wear lines and such on the block and head. Overall, with mileage very close (156k - 93/131k - 97) the 93 gasket was in far better shape. Even feels stiffer when you're holding it in your hands vs the 97's "I'm so beat up, coolant soaked, delaminated" floppy feeling. I'll post photos now that my wife and camera are home.
The block sealing surface was in much better shape and required half the time to clean up. The junk on the piston tops was also much easier to clean off for some reason - almost wiped off. But #6 literally DID simply wipe off all the way to a bare metal surface from the leak starting the steam cleaning process. No question I had a leak and I am very pleased it was me driving it when it happened.
Random comments:
-The heater valve has a valve design that doesn't allow you to stop all flow to the rear heater. Only about half of it is stopped, which probably avoids stagnation. I could see no way to easily modify it to shut off all the way which is why I was looking at it - my trucks both seem to 'heat' fresh air slightly in the summer and it irritates me.
-This engine and its systems are really well engineered. Everything is designed to last forever and be serviced. The alternator bracket is cast iron and weighs about 3 lbs, the throttle body is a work of art and simplicity, the head is massively constructed and the exhaust manifolds are unbelievably high end metal and fit. Not a single fastener was rusted in place or broke, and other than my intake manifold-in-place trick there's plenty of room to swing wrenches and see what you're doing. The only source of irritation in the three times I've done this is the EGR valve.
-Got the fuel injectors pretested, cleaned, then post tested. No huge discrepancies, but they're all flowing exactly the same now and an overall higher flow. Cost me $15 each and got paper graphs, etc. He even checked the internal screen filters - all OK.
-Because this is my baby, EVERY fastener went together with antisieze, EVERY connector went together with dielectric grease, and EVERY ground got a light sanding.
-I put new alternator brushes on the 97 ($15? from Dan) and they were 2/3 used up at 131k. On the 93 they were more like 3/4 used up at 156k and I suspect this is because since new we've run it with the lights on - 100%.
-On the 97, there is a black metal strut from the intake manifold's left most point (between runners #3/#4) down to the block. My 93 does not have this. Do any of you have one on a 93/94?? It's easily seen standing at the LF tire.
Can't wait to start it up Sunday.
DougM
Anyhow, there was no sign of head gasket distress except that it peeled off the block near #6 notably easier than the rest of the block. Compared to the 97, this gasket looked quite good and was adhered down much better. The plastic sealing skin came off easily with the gasket on the 97 but was well attached and largely remained on the block with the 93. Also, there was much less cylinder sealing ring denting into the block, and the places where the 97's gasket were swollen and disintegrating into the cooling jacket were solid - looked great. For whatever reason, it appeared the gasket on the 97 moved around a lot more during its life - making wear lines and such on the block and head. Overall, with mileage very close (156k - 93/131k - 97) the 93 gasket was in far better shape. Even feels stiffer when you're holding it in your hands vs the 97's "I'm so beat up, coolant soaked, delaminated" floppy feeling. I'll post photos now that my wife and camera are home.
The block sealing surface was in much better shape and required half the time to clean up. The junk on the piston tops was also much easier to clean off for some reason - almost wiped off. But #6 literally DID simply wipe off all the way to a bare metal surface from the leak starting the steam cleaning process. No question I had a leak and I am very pleased it was me driving it when it happened.
Random comments:
-The heater valve has a valve design that doesn't allow you to stop all flow to the rear heater. Only about half of it is stopped, which probably avoids stagnation. I could see no way to easily modify it to shut off all the way which is why I was looking at it - my trucks both seem to 'heat' fresh air slightly in the summer and it irritates me.
-This engine and its systems are really well engineered. Everything is designed to last forever and be serviced. The alternator bracket is cast iron and weighs about 3 lbs, the throttle body is a work of art and simplicity, the head is massively constructed and the exhaust manifolds are unbelievably high end metal and fit. Not a single fastener was rusted in place or broke, and other than my intake manifold-in-place trick there's plenty of room to swing wrenches and see what you're doing. The only source of irritation in the three times I've done this is the EGR valve.
-Got the fuel injectors pretested, cleaned, then post tested. No huge discrepancies, but they're all flowing exactly the same now and an overall higher flow. Cost me $15 each and got paper graphs, etc. He even checked the internal screen filters - all OK.
-Because this is my baby, EVERY fastener went together with antisieze, EVERY connector went together with dielectric grease, and EVERY ground got a light sanding.
-I put new alternator brushes on the 97 ($15? from Dan) and they were 2/3 used up at 131k. On the 93 they were more like 3/4 used up at 156k and I suspect this is because since new we've run it with the lights on - 100%.
-On the 97, there is a black metal strut from the intake manifold's left most point (between runners #3/#4) down to the block. My 93 does not have this. Do any of you have one on a 93/94?? It's easily seen standing at the LF tire.
Can't wait to start it up Sunday.
DougM
