After the new water pump, starter, alternator, serpentin belt, dogbone, spark plugs, transmission fluid, thermostat, temperature sensor, air filter, swaybar endlink bushings, valve cover gasket (and a partridge in a pear tree....LOL), I thought that I was going to be driving "The Hottie" on Friday night. Well, I was wrong. I'm not afraid to say it. And as a Fiero owner and recovering "fiero addict", I can accept it.
All of you recovering addicts out there repeat after me: "You can never predict what the Fiero will do because the Fiero has a mind of its own and dark, dark secrets as well." LOL
I've accepted the fact that my little car looks really great sitting in the yard. I've accepted the fact that the little spin that I took around the neighborhood was just enough to keep me hooked. Just enough of a taste that the Fiero gods allowed me to experience in order to keep me hooked. To give me hope.
Hope, dear friends, is the bane of a Fiero-owner's existence. It is what keeps us going through all the trials and tribulations with our little cars. It is what allows us to smile in the face of adversity and open our wallets to purchase yet another replacement part, acquire another upgrade, plan and pay for another mod.
And it is that hope, which has compelled me to undertake the task of replacing a blown head gasket on "The Hottie". She was not named for the pesky overheating problem that plagued her from the moment she was mine, but she will be transformed into an enviable display of Fiero magnificance in all her brillance when I'm done!
So, it's official. I'm hooked. Addicted. Obsessed. Determined--to get my baby running and racing along the roads. Taking the curves low and using all 4 cylinders to speed along the freeway. hehehe
Since my throbbing thumb had healed enough to allow me to weild a wrench comfortably, I decided that it was time to begin the next phase in "The Hottie's" rejuvenation project. I'll admit that the water pump incident that I described in the last entry of "The Hottie" Diaries, did dampen my spirits a bit. May have even frustrated me to a point. But that was not going to keep me from achieving my goal of actually being able to drive my car.
So, after posting questions in the Tech section asking for instructions and guidance on how to replace a blown head gasket, and doing my research by reading up in the Haynes and Chilton's manuals, I got all of my tools together, printed out my instructions and got started.
Here are the new head bolts, head gasket and K&W Head Gasket Repair (just in case) that I'd gotten from (yup, you guessed it) AutoZone:
The instructions that Maryjane provided: (Thanks again! It was a big help.)
The first part was relatively easy. After all, I'd already installed a new alternator, belt and dogbone myself, so undoing all of the initial stuff was no problem. I removed the air filter, disconnected the EGR valve, removed the dogbone, battery and valve cover.
Then I soaked the exhaust manifold and intake manifold bolts in WD40 (again--I'd sprayed them liberally the night before) and allowed them to soak for the second time--just in case--and labeled the spark plug wires before removing them.
I then tried to loosen the head bolts--no dice. Not budging. My tool set was definitely not up to the job, so I had to call in reinforcements. My PFF buddy 4.9 PFI FIERO had a set of breaker bolts that he agreed to bring over for me to borrow, so I postponed attacking the big screws until the big guns arrived.
In the meantime, I called JazzMan and had him talk me through the instructions that MaryJane had provided in my Tech thread. I asked a couple of questions and reviewed everything to make sure that I had all the parts straight in my head, and received a little confidence boosting in the process. (Thanks again dude--you really helped calm my nerves! )
--cont--
------------------ I may not know alot about cars...but I make a Fiero look good! "The Hottie" Coming Soon!
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09:16 PM
PFF
System Bot
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
---cont--- While I was disconnecting the spark plug wires, I noticed that one of them had a burned area. (Mental note to replace that too)
That's probably where the extra clip came from the last time we were putting everything back together. (Another mental note, there really are no extra parts once you get through putting everything back together. LOL)
Things were going smoothly until I realized that my greasy gloved fingers were rubbing off the markings on the spark plug wires. Not a problem--duct tape sticks to everything (including my gloves hehe) and sharpie markers write on duct tape very well. So I relabeled everything with the duct tape:
Here's the engine with all of the "easy" stuff removed:
After taking the spark plug wires out, we really couldn't do much else until the backup tools arrived. So back into the house we went for a break. I took the extra time to do some additional research on the forum and make sure that I had everything that I needed.
I actually did not have to make a return trip to AutoZone--surprise, surprise!
By the time my buddy arrived with the tools, it was getting cloudy and dark, so we decided to wrap everything up and call it a night. So we placed a plastic bag over the engine (I made sure to tape down the sides), put everything else inside the car and said goodnight to Day 1 of the Head Gasket Project. --cont--
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09:18 PM
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
--cont-- Day 2 of the Head Gasket Project was sunny and nice weather. So, armed with our jumbo tool set and torque wrench, we started at it again. We jacked up "The Hottie"--this was becoming a familiar sight unfortunately LOL, and proceeded to prep her for the next step in the "surgical procedure". hehehe
My next step was to remove all of the other smaller bolts and screws that were connected to the head. I started by removing the ground screw on the right:
then removed the gold-colored ground attached to the trunk
and the negative battery connection ground (I never knew that's where that was connected---learning more new things about this car everyday LOL)
and the left side:
This bolt also held the bracket in place for the pipe/wire running across to the intake manifold. (I have to look that one up to see what it is.)
--cont--
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09:19 PM
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
---cont--- Just to be on the safe side, I labeled these two as well, just to make sure I knew which went on top and which was on the bottom:
This little baby next to the bracket looked like a burnt out sensor of some sort. It took a bit of prying to get it loose, and most of the parts fell off as we were trying to work it out.
I was thinking this might be the sensor for the oil pressure. My oil gauge doesn't work, and this would definitely be a good reason why. LOL
(Yup, another possible AutoZone part. hehe)
By this time, I'm feeling pretty confident and am, of course, starting to grin like a goober again. LOL I'm perched inside of the trunk, leaning over to examine the parts closely as I systematically dismantle the engine and lovin' every minute of it. After all, I'm working on my car ('cause I have the title inside that says "The Hottie" officially belongs to me) and doing my own engine work. I don't have to say that a babe sitting in the back of a jacked up Fiero tends to draw some looks from passersby and a couple of comments here and there. LOL
I got some encouraging words, some shakes of the head in disbelief, but all in all, everyone came to the unanimous conclusion that my little baby was pretty cool-looking (even if she was jacked up at the moment) and that it was pretty commendable for me to be working on the engine. hehehe
I didn't let all of the attention distract me, however. I'd smile, exchange a few pleasantries and keep plugging right along. My next door neighbor's brother took to calling me "Mrs. Goodwrench" and he'd chime in with my new moniker whenever I got another audience member.
Next came the dogbone bracket:
This was really filthy and you could tell where the oil from the busted valve cover gasket had leaked behind it and down the side of the engine block.
By this time, I'm really gaining confidence, so the next thing to tackle are the manifolds. After my marido (LOL) got the bolts started for me (I didn't have enough elbow grease to move them), I removed the bolts from the exhaust manifold, then take out the ones from the intake manifold. I thought I had it all taken out, then there was this one bolt left on the bottom----of course, it wanted to be difficult---but I got it anyway with a bit of twisting and creative maneuvering!
Flexibility--another necessary skill to work on Fiero engines! LOL
--cont---
[This message has been edited by Miss-Tress007 (edited 04-12-2005).]
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09:23 PM
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
--cont-- Now that the manifolds are disconnected. I'm ready to tackle the head bolts. I pull out my trace of the gasket so I can put the screws in as I remove them (just like the book says) hehe:
and start inserting the screws as I pull them out. (I'd loosened them all at once, so all I had to do was to twist them a couple of times and pull them out.) There were a couple of really dirty ones:
Then I remove the thermostat housing bolts and separate the housing from the block.
Now, I realize that there's alot of heat in an engine, but is this supposed to look like this?! The more I pull things out, the more signs I see that the engine was definitely running hot for awhile and had not been cooled as it should to function properly. I'm also feeling more and more sympathy for my little "Hottie". Poor baby had to go through so much neglect before she got to me. I'm happy to have come along to provide a good home and the right care to get her back on the road.
(In case you can't tell, I'm the type that tends to "rescue" animals from the shelter. I've got a cat and four dogs and have already had a series of cats, dogs, rabbits, finches and fish. What can I say, I'm the nurturing type. hehehe)
This is a pic from the side. (The red thing is the gasket.) Of course I now have to get another one--from my favorite place--AutoZone. LOL
I remove another clip from the opposite side:
in order to finish disconnecting the wires and connections all around the head, then try to pry up the head:
Nice work, this is why I am upgrading my duke with a 3.4 What I don't understand are the gloves.. Why!? Just go for it.. Grease is like lotion to your hands. It just makes them sexier! Ohh and I must say, a girl working on a fiero.. Coolest thing since I saw tina on here.. thumbs up!
------------------ Fiero 2MCUSTOM - 3.4 Pushrod swap in progress....
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09:24 PM
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
---cont-- So, I try another angle. Still nothing. I feel around the sides of the head, just to make sure I have everything disconnected.
Wouldn't you know it? Found another bolt on the side.
I didn't think it had anything to do with the head not moving, but I removed it anyway. (Can't be too safe, after all.)
Still nothing.
Now I'm scratching my head and trying to figure out where I went wrong. My neighbor Mike (the one from the Popeyes chicken episode I described in my last entry) is over and he's trying to help me find the problem. We still can't figure it out.
Then Dave, my neighbor from the other side, comes over and asks if we removed the retaining bolts. What retaining bolts? Sure enough, the two nuts that I'd removed to disconnect the ground wires and the bracket on each side of the head also had two long bolts connected to them that held the head in place.
Duh!
So we take those off and then push and the head is moving! Now, this thing weighs a good 50 pounds, so I'm asking for some help to get it out of the car. My (marido) takes it and transports it to the porch and this is what we find underneath:
I soaked up the water with a shop towel, but you can still see the water next to the push rods.
---cont-- So after getting the head off, I just kind of stare at my engine. There's water in it and I'm not exactly sure of the extent of the damage, so I'm experiencing some mixed emotions right now.
I'm proud of myself for having taken it off and doing everything right, but I'm also kind of bummed that there's water in the pistons/cam shaft--whatever you call that place--where there's not supposed to be any.
So I go over to the head that's sitting on the porch and start checking that out. The exhaust manifold area is pretty grimy and looks like someone started a small fire inside:
I clean out the gunk that's kind of blocking the holes. It's a wonder that the car ran as smoothly as it did with all this stuff inside. Just goes to prove that my baby is a trooper! LOL It's amazing the amount of abuse an engine can take and still function.
Well, I'm feeling even more protective of my "Hottie" now. I definitely don't want to have anything happen to her, so I arrange for some "protection" while I go find the phone number for a machinist:
I find this guy's number in the book that my PFF buddy recommends, and calls him to see what he'll charge to take a look at the head. He says to bring it over and he'll check it out for $30, then let me know the exact cost if there's anything else that needs to be done.
Cool. I wait for my neighbor to come back so he can drop me and "The Hottie" head over at the shop.
In the meantime, I stuff the open areas with shop towels to soak up the rest of the water and keep debris from falling into the engine:
I leave the rods in place, but take them out, one at a time and wipe them down and replace them.
Then, we gather up my collection of labeled parts, nuts and bolts: and put them into a box top for safe keeping.
The next thing to tackle is to get the old oil out. So, armed with my set of "enforcer" tools, I loosen the bolt for the oil cap and as soon as I make the first couple of turns, water starts coming out.
A few more turns, and Got Chocolate Milk, anyone? LOL
--cont--
[This message has been edited by Miss-Tress007 (edited 04-12-2005).]
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09:27 PM
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
---cont-- The bottom of the oil filter isn't looking much better: and after some coaxing and prying, we finally manage to remove the old filter and leave the pan underneath the car so it can continue to drain.
While that's oozing out of my car, I take the head over to the machinist's shop. By the time we arrive, it's about 4:30pm and he's about to close. Turns out my neighbor, Mike, knows the guy, and he proceeds to tell him about how I removed the head myself and have already changed out the starter, alternator, etc, etc. So I ask the guy when he can let me know what's up with the head and he says he'll check it out and give me a call in the morning.
Bummer. I have to wait another day before I even find out what's up. The suspense is going to kill me overnight. Particularly because I found the water in the oil and located the busted area of the gasket.
Back to the house we go, and I clean up the rest of the engine as much as possible and make a list of the parts that I'll need to pick up from--yes, say it all together now--AutoZone in the morning. LOL
Like I said, I didn't know about the head gasket kit that would have everything included before I bought this one and opened it, so I have to get another exhaust and intake manifold gasket, along with one for the thermostat housing. I price them online and it's only another $10 bucks, so I'm not sweatin' it too much.
So I pack everything up in "The Hottie", lower her off of the jacks and store everything in the trunk. I covered the engine with a plastic bag like the night before, then tucked her in and locked her up for the night.
The next morning, I'm up at 7:30am, waiting for the call from the shop (they open at 8am, and I wanted to be sure I didn't miss the call).
I hear from him around 9:30 or so--good news--the head is not cracked (yes!)
bad news--the head is warped and needs to be reconditioned--(damn!).
He can do the whole thing for $145 bucks, plus the cost of the valve seal (which I didn't buy). Once he's done, it'll be as good as new and I just reinstall it myself.
So now here are my options: 1) have the original head reworked and reinstall it or 2) get another head from another car (which I won't know the history of) and install that one instead? I'm kind of leaning towards option 1, because then I'll know for sure what I have, but others have suggested that I just get a replacement from a donor car and install that instead.
I've got to sleep on it either way. I told the guy I'd call him back tomorrow and let him know whether or not to start the job.
So either way, it looks like "The Hottie" will be sitting in my yard for at least a couple more days. She's lookin' sporty, but just not quite road-ready yet. One thing is for sure--I'm definitely going to appreciate the driving experience in this baby alot more since I put so much blood, sweat and tears into her.
Stay tuned for the next entry in "The Hottie" Diaries...
--Tress
[This message has been edited by Miss-Tress007 (edited 04-12-2005).]
Thanks to all of the people who've offered their assistance in so many different ways: PM'ing me offering encouragement, direction and advice; offering to give and ship me parts for free; taking the time and making the offer to have me call them and ask lots of questions; posting pics; spending 12 hours on their day off working on my engine and even offering to drive over an hour away to come over and help me out---thank you all! It's overwhelming how so many people from all over the world have been so helpful, supportive and kind during this process. There are some people who talk a good game and never produce, but to those of you who have shown yourselves to be people of your word, I thank you and "The Hottie" appreciates your efforts as well.
--Tress
[This message has been edited by Miss-Tress007 (edited 04-12-2005).]
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09:59 PM
jsmorter1 Member
Posts: 674 From: Creston, Ohio Registered: Jun 2004
I'm kind of leaning towards option 1, because then I'll know for sure what I have, but others have suggested that I just get a replacement from a donor car and install that instead.
--Tress
That would be the right thing to do. Plan on changing the oil twice. After you fire it up make sure you have good oil pressure once it warms up. If it does then change the oil again while it is hot and put in synthetic oil which protects the engine a lot better if it ever overheats again. If it doesn't have good oil pressure then the bearings are shot from lack of lubrication because of the water in the oil.
------------------ I am sick and tired of being sick and tired Virgin 88 coupe in the process of losing its virginity
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10:06 PM
2-tone Member
Posts: 592 From: Winchester, KY Registered: Jan 2002
Know the feeling. my little car went thru hell half of georgia and back a little worse for wear. Little Bit is still rumbling around after many gave up on the little guy. keep a stiff upper lip and smile knowing YOU were the one that brought your hottie back to life. The sensor you were asking about is your temp sensor for your guage. oil sensor is somewhere on the side of your block.
------------------ 88 coupe 4.9 Izusu 5-speed Rockcrawl chip. True duels.No A/C .KYB GR-2 on all 4 corners Built to run.
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10:07 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
I admire your dedication, I don't think I could handle a head removal only weeks into Fiero ownership. And your write-ups are the best I've seen since Jazz Man's heater core replacement.
I have never seen so may pictures taken while working on something so major, must have your oen photographer handy. You have gone farther into your Fiero than I would say most have. Hopefully all the work will pay off in the end and the Fiero will treat you right. Good job and keep it up.
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10:35 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Go with the rebuilt head. I actually think you have already made up your mind on this anyway cause your way of thinking is right on track with you will know what you have...
There is a lot of truth about the bearings possibly being shot...but dont let that discourage you. The fact that you drove the vehicle and didnt hear anything negative coming from the engine compartment is a posotive point...besides, you live in Louisiana, land of gambling! Heck, I have to go there to gamble! Take the chance the bottom end is ok and reinstall the head and see where you stand. It looks like the majority of the water ended up in the cylinders anyway. Couple of questions though...in the number 4 cylinder, it looked like some metal melted in there? or is it just the picture? That is just water right? Are the tops of the pistons ok?
Also...never...Never...NEVER use block seal, radiator seal or anything like that! (ie picture in this thread) They are canned "Engine Death"! If you have a radiator leaking, fix it! If your heater core is leaking, replace it! Dont use the miracle cures in a bottle! Big time ensure that the radiator is clean and free of this junk! I would lay odds that the previous owner probably used the stuff and now your radiator is not up to snuff and needs to be "rodded" out. In fact, on second thought, go ahead and plan on taking your radiator out and serviced as well. It will do you no good to do all this work only to blow the new gasket cause your radiator is clogged and not cooling the engine well. Have the radiator rodded....wait....no....you can buy a new radiator for about the cost of having this one repaired....thats right....I found that out recently. New ones cost in the area of 110 bucks, and by the time you rod this one out, replace both plastic end caps, you will be at that price. Let me know if I can steer you in the right direction, but there are several internet based radiator suppliers out there.
Again, admire your determination!
PS...did I mention to NEVER use radiator or block seal?
------------------ Rob White, Atascosa Texas
The Pontiac Fiero, Americas Go-Cart for Grownups....
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11:12 PM
Apr 13th, 2005
4.9 PFI FIERO Member
Posts: 189 From: new orleans louisiana Registered: Jul 2004
Someday you'll be going through the same thing with a engine swap. Don't say you wouldn't cuz we all have been there. Some how us fiero folks just can't say no to more power....
------------------
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07:06 PM
cptsnoopy Member
Posts: 2585 From: phoenix, AZ, USA Registered: Jul 2003
Originally posted by Miss-Tress007:There are some people who talk a good game and never produce, --Tress
Hmm, I resemble that remark... Actually you had so much good info coming in I could not offer anything above and beyond...
Very respectable work you're doing there. Water in the oil is not necessarily the end of the bottom end. It just depends on several things like how long it was there and how hard was the engine working with contaminated oil... After you get it running good you can start thinking about what engine swap you're going to use your new talents to install.
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10:37 PM
Apr 14th, 2005
Tina Member
Posts: 2858 From: At an elevation of 8564 feet. Registered: Nov 2000
Sorry, if I brought you down with the water in the oil comment. I just like to give it to you straight up. Any one who tells you not worry about is leading you down a bad path. As others have said a few consecutive oil changes may be all it takes. My advice would be to drop the oil pan and inspect a couple of bearings.
You have been doing a great job. Not many women I know will tackle fixing their own car. Although there are quite a few on PFF.
Sean
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10:12 PM
Scott-Wa Member
Posts: 5392 From: Tacoma, WA, USA Registered: Mar 2002
I almost hate to mention this... but it looks like the rings are shot on the #4 cylinder and your sucking oil past them. Was this burning oil visibly? If so, it's going to be even worse when it goes back together if you don't take care of the short block while your at it.
For everyones edification (how often do you get to use that word)... I am looking at the cleaned off cresent area on the piston top, it looks like the oil getting sucked past the rings has washed the carbon off the piston top. If it's not a trick of the camera, time for a rebuild, or replace the long block.
Hope my observation saves you some pain in the near future.
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11:00 PM
Apr 22nd, 2005
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
I almost hate to mention this... but it looks like the rings are shot on the #4 cylinder and your sucking oil past them. Was this burning oil visibly? If so, it's going to be even worse when it goes back together if you don't take care of the short block while your at it.
For everyones edification (how often do you get to use that word)... I am looking at the cleaned off cresent area on the piston top, it looks like the oil getting sucked past the rings has washed the carbon off the piston top. If it's not a trick of the camera, time for a rebuild, or replace the long block.
Hope my observation saves you some pain in the near future.
I need a little more direction 'cause I'm not familiar with the lingo yet....where/what are you talking about and what pic? It wasn't burning oil at all---just white smoke from the steam--and that only lasted less than a minute after we got the water pump installed. There was water in the oil, but that's been cleared out and everything else dried off and out. The guys who took a look at it said that it looks okay. (A couple of the pics make it look like there was alot more water than there really was because of the angle and the reflecting sunlight.)
As an update---- I haven't done any work on the car since the last post, but am planning on finishing it off this week. I had to get back to work and catch up on some things, so I decided to use the time to recharge my batteries a bit before I tackle putting everything back . I'll be able to go by and pick up the rebuilt head either Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning, so I'll do the prep work probably on Sunday afternoon or Monday morning depending on the weather.
I haven't gotten discouraged or given up on the task at hand--I don't give up that easily! hehe I need to replenish my supplies (nitrile gloves go pretty fast) and pick up a few more things while I'm at it. I'm thinking about doing the brakes too......hmmm
I still have to get a new tensioner assembly (I think that's what it's called) 'cause my belt started squealing something awful after we reinstalled the water pump. It was fine after I installed the alternator, but we couldn't tighten the belt anymore to get rid of the squealing and I haven't had a chance to check it out any closer since removing the head and taking that in.
Any other things to check on while I'm digging around in there? Hopefully, replacing everything will go as smoothly as taking everything apart and I'll be able to get on the road and test her out next week. I'm planning on spending quite a few days putting it all together and tinkering with the car, so keep your fingers crossed for good weather!
Your doing great. Im totally impressed. Water got in your cylinders probably when you took off the head. I wouldnt worry about it for now. When you get it running, you can tell if it needs ringed or bearings. Id guess prob not.
I fully AGREE NOT TO USE BLOCK SEALER IN ANY FORM. It will screw up your radiator, water pump and anything else its in contact with. It a last resort if you bust something and have NO OTHER means available and need a temporary fix.
Keep up the good work, sooner or later, youll be having a ball driving instead of working on it. It more fun to work on pretty stuff than the grimey ones.
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10:00 PM
Scott-Wa Member
Posts: 5392 From: Tacoma, WA, USA Registered: Mar 2002
In this shot the cylinder on the left (bottom of picture)... see what appears to be a clean cresent moon shape on the piston face? If that is what it is... it is an indication that the oil control ring isn't sealing and oil has been getting sucked past the rings from the crankcase and into the combustion chamber on the intake stroke. Enough to actually wash the carbon off the top of the piston where it's coming in.
[This message has been edited by Scott-Wa (edited 04-22-2005).]
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10:29 PM
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
I fully AGREE NOT TO USE BLOCK SEALER IN ANY FORM. It will screw up your radiator, water pump and anything else its in contact with. It a last resort if you bust something and have NO OTHER means available and need a temporary fix.
Okay, okay.....I can take the hint guys....LOL
quote
Originally posted by Scott-Wa:
In this shot the cylinder on the left (bottom of picture)... see what appears to be a clean cresent moon shape on the piston face? If that is what it is... it is an indication that the oil control ring isn't sealing and oil has been getting sucked past the rings from the crankcase and into the combustion chamber on the intake stroke. Enough to actually wash the carbon off the top of the piston where it's coming in.
Thanks for the clarification Scott-Wa. I'll take a closer look at it in the morning.
Thanks again to everyone for all the encouragement. It's made what's turned into a bit of a project that much better and easier to deal with. I don't think I would have been able to have such a positive attitude about it all if it hadn't been for the support of my fellow PFF'ers. The technical advice, tips, well-wishes and positive thoughts have been much appreciated!
What appears to be a clean crescent actually looks like water beaded up on the piston surface with a layer of carbon on top.
I'm assuming that you immediately removed all water, rotated the engine to move the pistons up and down with some oil to work out any water trapped in the rings?
JazzMan
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11:57 PM
Apr 29th, 2005
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
Sorry it's been so long since I've given an update. Did some stuff and made some progress. Just got back from the golf tournament and need to go to sleep. Will post pics and complete details tomorrow.
--Tress
[This message has been edited by Miss-Tress007 (edited 04-29-2005).]
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10:23 PM
Saber49 Member
Posts: 937 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: May 2004
Great thread with lots of detail... I like your dedication too. Keep it up you'll have that thing running 110% in no time... but keep tabs on what your spending... a good motor swap could run you around 3000-4000. Just make sure your not exceeding that rebuilding the 4 cylinder... but hey i think your doin great. Keep it up.
------------------
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11:02 PM
PFF
System Bot
May 4th, 2005
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
Okay, okay.....I know, I know.....I have violated the first rule of a progress thread---I have not posted any progress updates! LOL I'm really sorry, but things have been happening so fast that I really haven't had alot of time to sit down and put everything together. Now that I have about a week's worth of updates, I've finally decided to sit down and bring you guys up to date before I forget all of the details. hehe
So, where do we begin? Let's start where we left off last---with the head.....
I'd dropped the head off to the machinist to have it looked over and luckily it wasn't cracked, just warped. I left it there for them to rework it; tried to use the extra time to catch up on some work; took a weekend excursion down to Jscott's to check out the choptop and t-top and called the guy on Monday afternoon (as he'd asked) to see if it was ready to be picked up. Nope, no dice, give them a call back on Tuesday morning and it'll definitely be done.
No big deal, right? I've still got some work to do, so I figured that'll be even better. Call back on Tuesday around 10am or so and was told that the head was ready, but they needed more time to remove the 2 bolts that were broken off where the valve cover gasket is supposed to be screwed onto the head. Seems they'd forgotten about that--cost me an extra $8 for each screw--so I was told to call back late Tuesday afternoon. No problem 'cause I'm obviously not going to try removing them myself right? So called back late Tuesday, and it's still not ready, but he promises that I can come back Wednesday morning and have everything completed.
So I go over at 11:30 on Wednesday morning and was told that they needed another hour---turns out the dude checked the head and it was off slightly. Now since he refuses to let things like this leave the shop unless it's done right, I have to come back in an hour. By this time I'm getting a bit frustrated, because I want to work on the car and get it over with. So I politely express my frustration at having to wait and explained that since I'm working on the head myself, that means that I don't have a car to drive back and forth and come away empty handed. The guy agrees to call me when it's ready, so in the meantime I go and pick up some additional supplies from AutoZone that I'll need to finish the job and start my prep work.
I started by cleaning the valve cover gasket with brake cleaner. I'd used a cork gasket the last time (which leaked) so this time I was going with a rubber gasket instead.
I wanted to make sure that there was no residue/old oil left over, so I did a very thorough job.
(Too thorough in fact. I think I took off some of the paint--or was that just old oil? )
Once I'd finished that, the dude from the shop called to say that the head was ready, (this was at 2pm) so I got a ride over from Big Mike (he's the dude from the Popeye's chicken episode mentioned in earlier reporting) to pick it up. I was so excited, I couldn't wait to get started!
--cont--
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11:36 PM
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
--cont--- Here's the new head, ready to be installed. It looked absolutely fabulous, considering how dirty it was when I dropped it off.
They shined everything up---from the sides:
To the bottom:
They'd taken the bracket apart on the side, and since it was so dirty when I took it in, I didn't bother to pay close attention to how it was configured before I left it at the shop. So it was back to the pics to figure out how to reattach the side bracket. (Good thing I took really detailed photos!) Good as new!
Now that I had all of the pieces back, I could get this baby put back together again and hopefully be back on the road.
I'd left shop towels in the rings to keep debris from falling inside, so I started by wiping down the head surface and getting rid of any excess oil, dirt, etc. that had accumulated over the past few days.
There was some water/liquid down inside some of the side holes, so I used a shop towel and screwdriver to soak it up as much as possible:
I then rotated the crank shaft to clean out any debris, dirt, etc. that could have possibly fallen into the sides of the cylinder: (Yes, I was actually that detailed and used a safety pin--but I was careful not to scratch anything. hehe)
--cont--
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11:44 PM
May 5th, 2005
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
--cont-- I took the rods out and cleaned them one by one, then laid them in order on the side. I also checked them to make sure they were still straight (which they were).
The next step was to place the new head gasket on the engine block, then replace the head. Big problem though....I didn't know which side of the gasket was supposed to go up! Now, normally, there are at least 2 or 3 shade tree neighborhood mechanics hanging around at one end of the block or the other at this time of day that I could pull aside and ask, but of course, because I was anxious to get this done before it got dark, there was absolutely no one around. ggrrr
I called a couple of local PFF members and got their voicemail; I did a quick search on the forum--no luck. So I bit the bullet and made a quick post to the technical section of PFF to ask what I considered to be a very stupid question--but hey, since I didn't know I had to ask somebody right? (One of the dudes pointed out that I shouldn't have placed the head on concrete, but it was too late--but I don't think I messed anything up. I checked for scratches and it was fine.)
Finally, I got the answer I needed when one of the guys from down the street passed by and asked what I was up to. I explained that I was trying to put the new head gasket on, but couldn't tell which end was up. He showed me the right way, then helped me carry the head over and place it on the engine block.
Plop! Just like that, my baby was (almost) back together again! I had to have some pics from a couple of different angles, I was so proud. LOL This was definitely a very different looking engine! hehe
I placed the first new bolt in its place and got ready to check out the placement for the rest of the new head bolts.
Everything that had come out or off of the engine was labelled and placed in a box so I wouldn't lose anything while I waited for the head to be reworked. I'd made my diagram for the head bolt placement and pulled out my Haynes manual for reference purposes:
The old head bolts were all the same size, so I lined up the new ones to double check that they were all equal length as well:
They were, so I could just place them in the holes on the engine head without worrying about where they were supposed to go. I'd already taken care of the bolts that came with the stripping on them, so I just put the others in the holes:
The next step was to get out the trusty torque wrench that I borrowed from 4.9PFIFiero and start torquing the bolts down in sequence:
--cont---
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12:06 AM
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
--cont-- Once the head bolts were all torqued down. I replaced the rods; tightened the bolts and had to turn the crank shaft so I could have everything line up. I then placed a little bit of motor oil in each one to help lubricate it.
Voila! All done!
I must admit I was really feeling excited about the whole process. I'd actually taken the head off of my little engine and put it back on. I felt accomplished and satisfied.
Now came the tedious part of putting all of those bolts, nuts and gaskets back into place and making sure there were no leaks and that everything was plugged in where it was supposed to go. (Talk about putting a puzzle together...sheez. LOL)
Good thing I took lots of pics; labeled everything and took notes to make sure I didn't forget anything. hehe That mode of thinking helped alot because after a week of not looking at the car or the engine, all of those pieces looked the same and I couldn't remember where anything was supposed to go at first. Once I got started though, it was all coming back to me and I just concentrated on making sure that there weren't any leftovers. hehe
Next I tackled replacing the intake manifold gasket. My rationale was that since it was the most difficult thing to remove, I should start with that first and just get it over with while I was fresh. I slipped the gasket in with no problem, then held up one side and started a screw to secure the gasket to the manifold, then repeated the process in the middle and on the other side. It took some time to do, only because the screws were a pain in the butt to get to underneath. You have to be a contortionist to reach some of these screw locations! Who did they think was going to be working on these engines anyway, children? I swear, I had to twist my hands and arms into all sorts of crazy positions to get these screws in sometimes. LOL
The intake manifold gasket turned out to be easier than I'd hoped, so it didn't take me too long to finish it. I then went to work on the exhaust manifold gasket. I had to stand in the trunk and kneel on the edge in order to lean over and reach behind the engine to install it. (That weird-looking stuff in the front of the picture is actually my hair hanging over the engine. I had to be very careful not to have it get caught in any screws. LOL)
The tough part about this part of the process was that the exhaust manifold was so darn heavy to hold up from that angle. One thing's for sure....I definitely worked on my arms! LOL
--cont--
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12:30 AM
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
--cont-- The funniest thing about the whole process was that the entire time I was working on the engine, I ended up bending over while kneeling in the trunk with my butt in the air. Now the car is parked in my driveway nosein--so the trunk is facing the street and people driving by are slowing down to try and figure out what this crazy chick is doing standing in the trunk of this little car. LOL Not to mention the fact that it was extremely hot/sunny and I ended up with a really deep tan by the time this was all said and done.
We got a lot of people who slowed down, and some even stopped to ask what it was that I was doing in the trunk of the car. All of that made the process take a little longer than usual. I'm sure we wouldn't have had as many interruptions if it hadn't been for my work stance. hehe
Once I got the exhaust and intake gaskets finished, I was in the home stretch and started putting the rest of the pieces back:
This was that pesky little screw that required alot of twisting and special equipment to get to go back in. It was on the front of the intake manifold and I had to use a socket wrench, an extension bar, and one of those little flex-arm extenders to reach it and turn the darn thing. I must have spent a good 20 minutes fighting with it--but I eventually got it in!
The torque strut mount bracket (dogbone bracket): This was a pain to get back on for some reason. The stupid screws did not want to go in and I had to wrestle with it for awhile, but I finally got it.
Then I had to replace the thermostat housing gasket before I could reattach it to the head. This is it after we cleaned off all of the rust and dirt:
applying the sealant and new gasket for the housing (yup, I was careful not to get the sealant in my hair LOL)
gasket good as new!
--cont--
[This message has been edited by Miss-Tress007 (edited 05-05-2005).]
and wrestled with putting the screws in place on the side bracket (which I'd had to remove before I put the head on the engine block, so I ended up fighting with it a bit to reattach it)
This "insulation" stuff was getting on my nerves and shedding all over everything, so I pulled it out and threw it away. I figured it was more of a fire hazzard the way it was getting into everything, so I chucked it. (No need to encourage spontaneous combustion. LOL)
Then I pull out the spark plug wires and start looking for the spark plugs---they're not there. I'd left them in the head when I pulled it out to take it to the machinist and they must have thrown my brand new spark plugs away. Gggrrr.
Okay, no biggie. Big Mike was still hangin' around, so he drove me over to--yeah, you guessed it, AutoZone--so I could pick up some spark plugs, extra screws for the valve cover, some shop towels and a spark-plug-setting-tool-thingie-that-looks-like-a-coin:
Once we get back with these goodies, I apply the new gasket to the valve cover, then reinstall the valve cover gasket:
and the EGR valve:
I reinstalled the dogbone and here's my baby almost all put back together again!
Looks good so far! Sorry for not returning your call last week, I was in the throes of getting ready for the swap meet and my house closing tomorrow.
The only concern I have so far is that at least some of the head bolts go into the water jacket and require a non-hardening sealer on the threads, such as a teflon pipe-dope.
A neat trick for de-rusting parts is a bench-mounted wire wheel, basically a bench grinder with one wheel replaced with a wire brush. Very handy.
Also, if you're up to spending the money you can get the 5-gallon size Berryman's Chem Dip. It runs $75 or a bit more, but does wonders for cleaning up parts. Just drop them in and come back a few days later to clean, shiney parts.
Oh, just saw the update, take those platinum plugs back, they won't work for your DIS. They do not tolerate the push-pull spark system that is DIS and will fail quickly. Regular A/C Delco plugs work great in this application.
JazzMan
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01:07 AM
Miss-Tress007 Member
Posts: 541 From: New Orleans, LA, USA--now in Greensboro, GA thanks to Hurricane Katrina Registered: Feb 2004
--cont-- Okay, so now we're really in the home stretch. All I have to do is install the spark plugs, put the wires back on and after a couple of minor other things--replacing the spark plugs, wires, etc., we're ready to fire her up, right?
So I check the settings and calibrate my spark plugs to conform with the Haynes manual:
Then I put the first one in and screw it in....and it just keeps turning and turning.
Finally, I take the socket off and take a look at my handiwork to see what the problem was. After all, I was just about finished and this was just a minor thing to do compared to everything else, right? Well, almost. Even though I'd already torn down a head and put it back together, I'd never installed a spark plug before. But hey, how hard could it really be? After all, it's just a matter of using the spark plug socket and screwing them in. No big deal, right? See for yourself: Yup, I'm not ashamed to say it----I put it in upside down! LOL That would certainly explain why it wouldn't screw in, wouldn't it? hehe
What I don't understand are the gloves.. Why!? Just go for it.. Grease is like lotion to your hands. It just makes them sexier! Ohh and I must say, a girl working on a fiero.. Coolest thing since I saw tina on here.. thumbs up!
