Head gasket issues... hopefully.

[hairy_apple]

Spent my day helping my brother tear into his 84 pickup today to replace the head gasket.

A few weeks ago he was driving home and it started smoking a lot, and within a few days water was spitting out the tailpipe.

So we thought the head gasket was popped. OK, that sucks, but it's not that big of a deal.

Only thing is the head gasket looked OK... mostly. It wasn't blown... but you can clearly see that the #1 cylinder has been steam cleaned, it's not sooty like the other three.

Steam cleaned #1 cylinder.

However, on closer inspection we noticed the head gasket was discolored on one side of the "ring" around the cylinders. All 4 are the same. See in the picture the top is shiny and the bottom is sooty. Checked against the 2F head gasket I just took off and it was shiny all the way around.

Strange discoloration. Can see it a little better on the #2 cylinder.

All the rockers and timing chain and pretty much everything in the head look brand new. He just bought the truck about 2 months ago and the guy said he had rebuilt the engine. Is it possible that this discoloration is caused by incorrect torqueing of the head bolts?

 

[flash02]

If you haven't do your self a favor and check the head for trueness

 

[dkdnt232]

I agree with flash02 ^^^^

Maybe there's a low spot on the head.

 

[hairy_apple]

Thanks, I'm going to be going over tonight to continue working on it. Just barely had time last night to get it out, so I didn't get a chance to clean it up and check it at all other then just look it over and look for anything screaming at me.

 

[hairy_apple]

Found this while taking the cam out of my brother's 22r... doesn't look good at all! It looks like no oil was making it up into the oilers for the cam. Any idea why this would happen? I'm not by any means an expert on motors.... I am thinking maybe it's time to find a new head for it. It's going to cost $150 to have the head checked for cracks and warping but after seeing this.. plus the fact the head gasket was intact, I'm thinking more and more the head is toast. What do you guys think?

 

[KLF]

Insufficient oil changes can also cause that. I see a lot of crusty stuff in those valleys. Can you feel those ridges if you drag a fingernail across them?

You could plastigage the journals to see how they spec out. Or, just phone up engnbldr and order a new loaded head and drop it on, done.

 

[hairy_apple]

Don't really know the history on this truck... he's only had a it a short time. I can feel them with my fingers... no need to use the fingernail. They are deep.

I think we're going to toss this and get a new (to us) head. I think this thing is full of issues.

Sucks.. my wife's 82 is a tank, nothing ever breaks on it. It's just super reliable, I would hop in it and drive across the country tomorrow without a second thought about it. That's what convinced my brother to get a Toyota pickup.. and this thing has been one issue after another for him. I hope we can get it all sorted out and get it running good... he's getting frustrated and wants to sell it after we fix it.

 

[KLF]

I feel your pain, I've been there. I've owned several 22R-series, a few minor things here and there, but generally they've been extremely reliable. Several years ago I convinced a friend to buy a 2WD pickup, and it was hard to keep it on the road. Hit or miss, I guess.