I'm done - gonna scrap this 22RE truck

[Trevor]

Background: my timing chain broke last year for the second time (120,000 miles on truck). So, I replaced the head and timing cover. After I completed the job, I noticed a slight coolant leak at the intake manifold / head area. I ignored it for a few months. This week, I decided to pull the manifold and fix the leak. I replaced the gasket and smeared a TINY bit of silicone around the coolant passages. Coolant leak is gone. BUT....

The truck BARELY idles now. It runs like mad at start-up then settles-down to an awful idle. Adjusting the idle screw does nothing. In addition, the BRAKE dummy-light is on (could be unrelated, I dunno). No CEL.

To add to my frustration, it has developed a wicked-bad exhaust leak in front of the cat. Brand-new exhaust system. I can't fix it because the cat flange is rusted to crap. I'm not willing to replace the cat because of a rusted flange...

I am SO F-ing tired of fixing this truck. Sounds like a vacuum leak, but I've spent the past two days looking for it and come up empty. Anyone want to talk me out of scrapping this POS truck? 1993 22RE / A340F pickup.

 

[Hilux]

The truck BARELY idles now. It runs like mad at start-up then settles-down to an awful idle. Adjusting the idle screw does nothing. In addition, the BRAKE dummy-light is on (could be unrelated, I dunno). No CEL.

To add to my frustration, it has developed a wicked-bad exhaust leak in front of the cat. Brand-new exhaust system. I can't fix it because the cat flange is rusted to ****. I'm not willing to replace the cat because of a rusted flange...

My money's on a vac leak or two lines crossed...

cut the bolts off the flange...

PS, I know how ya feel...

PPS... somebody might key up and offer to help you ya know... But you gotta fill in your location 1st... I know I'm not gonna beg...

 

[toy4xfun]

yea a location would help!
should not of put silicon on it!

 

[Trevor]

yea a location would help!
should not of put silicon on it!

Location? I'm close to the big chicken...

I don't like silicone either. But the first gasket was dry, and it leaked. Timing cover gasket was dry (around the water pipe), and it leaked. Water pump gasket was dry, and it leaked.... you get the picture. This truck is cursed.

 

[Hilux]

In a house... Close to the big chicken... !


Phoenix?

 

[toy4xfun]

so where is the big chicken?
did you make sure the silicone was resistant to gas?
not cursed just being a pain!
and i have been through it with my 84, so all it takes is patience.

 

[Trevor]

Perhaps this would help?

 

[Trevor]

so where is the big chicken?
did you make sure the silicone was resistant to gas?
not cursed just being a pain!
and i have been through it with my 84, so all it takes is patience.

silicone was just put around the water passages (2 of them). Not around the ports.

 

[Downey]

If the truck has a great body & interior, sounds to me like it's Chevy 4.3 V6 time

 

[Wayneraintree]

or find ya another 20R, 22R, 22RE, whatever.... I once bought a running 22R off the pizza guy for 100$, no kidding. I drove it for years after swapping it in a day for my blown engine.

Order a pizza? ... meh, search on craigslist if your thinking the head/engine is cursed.



OTOH, you can find 4.3L's for just as cheap! My dad ran one to 300K miles+ in an astro van.

 

[missouriman]

a lot of vacuum lines under that intake.

 

[TeddyBoy]

It's time to pull up your boot straps and quit wining like a girl , just fix the thing. I haven't seen that POS since Durhamtown last year and I think the truck is tellin' ya it needs more trail time. Besides, my 92 DD has been down for 3 weeks with a stupid code 52 that I don't think is the sensor. trade jobs with ya!

 

[Offroads4x4]

Vacume lines come to mind first. For you cat problem a simple fix is liquid steel. Just force it around the area and let it set up. Problem solved.
You head may need to be sufaced to evan it out from the leak going on so long.
Brake dummy switch could be from a vacume leak, broken vac line, low brake fluid or your park brake is not hitting the switch to turn off the indicator light. Seems odd so many new problems from a simple fix.
Just an idea or two.

 

[Trevor]

I have a spare 20R with weber sidedrafts.... I'm an FI fan, but the 20R ran WAY better than this 22RE ever has....

The cylinder head is brand new from ENGNBLDR. So, I don't think the surface is the problem. I didn't drive it much while it was leaking, maybe 50 miles total.

Liquid steel? Is that like JB Weld? In my frustration, I was honestly thinking about just welding the cat to the downpipe.

Ted, I was trying to get the thing running before Ralph's. Probably not going to happen, as I'll be out of town this weekend. Looks like I'll be driving the '07 to Ralph's.

 

[TeddyBoy]

thinking about just welding the cat to the downpipe.

Ted, I was trying to get the thing running before Ralph's. Probably not going to happen, as I'll be out of town this weekend. Looks like I'll be driving the '07 to Ralph's.

Cool, let's wheel the new one. Maybe we can make some proper "mods" to it at Ralph's

At least you will have something to drive, both of mine are down right now.

 

[Trevor]

I got home before dark today.

Checked all the vacuum lines. They all seem to go to the correct spots. My only doubt is the vacuum modulator lines. The diagram refers to P,Q, & R. I assume Q is the single line on the back. But, which one is P and R?

The one on the left of the modulator is routed to the second-from-top on the throttle body. The line on the right is routed to the third-from-top on the throttle body.

Oh, and the BRAKE light was on because the master cylinder was low. Another new headache... truck springs a brake fluid leak while sitting still...

 

[cavemancaleb]

If the truck has a great body & interior, sounds to me like it's Chevy 4.3 V6 time

Why? So he can have three times the issues he is having now?

 

[toy4xfun]

you have a new head but your intake could be warped or what ever!
to find a vacuum leak, you need to use a propane torch do not light it just turn the propane one and pass it along the intake area until the engine revs then you have an area to look at. also check the air intake make sure the plastic pipe does not have a crack in it, this will make it run like s***.

 

[pappy]

Why? So he can have three times the issues he is having now?

The 4.3 Chevy swap is a tried and true conversion that has been done for many years.

 

[LukeZero]

The 4.3 Chevy swap is a tried and true conversion that has been done for many years.

x2.

A 4.3 is a small block Chevy with the back two cylinders cut off. If this is such a bad choice- why do so many people use the bigger brother for a swap-in engine?