beaterX project thread

[scheides]

Got my ducks in a row, found a deal on some parts and pulled the trigger on a few goodies. You can probably guess what I got, but I'll wait until they're in my hand to say for sure :P

Head came off tonight. 4 hours flat, not bad for a computer dork and the fact that you have to strip the whole side of the engine down to get the timing cover off this thing. I still LOVE the 4b11's timing/oiling design over the 4G63, it is just simple.

Head gasket is clean as a whistle! I think the fact that the open-deck has less surface area between the head and the block lends to less likely headgasket issues, less hydrolic pressure to 'jack' the two apart. Seriously I'll hardly have to clean the block, surface, it's mint.
http://www.scheides.com/albums/evox-headrefresh/IMG_3394.sized.jpg

Bottom end is frickin MINT except for this carbon build-up. Yuck. But, walls are beautiful and pistons are in great shape otherwise!
http://www.scheides.com/albums/evox-headrefresh/IMG_3395.sized.jpg

more:
http://www.scheides.com/albums/evox-headrefresh/IMG_3399.sized.jpg

more build-up in the head too, maybe this is part of what's wrong. Doesn't seem to lend to the clearance problem I came across but it sure could help explain the leakdown results I had.
http://www.scheides.com/albums/evox-headrefresh/IMG_3393.sized.jpg

Day off tomorrow, gonna tear down the head and get it to the machine shop...then pray there are no complications or valve tappets miss-sized.

[mdost03]

Good progress, this thing will be back on the road in no time!

[turbotalon1g]

Man this thing comes apart pretty often.
Will it be making more power then or just where it should be again when you are done?

[scheides]

Man this thing comes apart pretty often.
Will it be making more power then or just where it should be again when you are done?

Heh, I've put thousands of miles on it since the turbo stuff this summer. The shortblock has probably 21-22k on it, I drive it every day. I'm not not super happy it comes apart as often as it does but hey fix it quick and back on the road, that's my motto. No jack stands queen for me!

[scheides]

Head is off at the machine shop and I'm praying for a quick turn-around. Cleaning the block yesterday I scrub off all of the carbon build-up and there's one chunk that won't wipe away (also notice the pitting):

http://www.scheides.com/albums/evox-headrefresh/IMG_3406.sized.jpg

Finally I move on to the others and move that piston to the bottom of the cylinder and realize that I may have overlooked something during my initial inspection. After cleaning it up I was able to find this:

http://www.scheides.com/albums/evox-headrefresh/IMG_3407.sized.jpg

This is the cylinder that the spark plug broke on :( My nail *slightly* catches on a few of these marks unfortunately.

At this point I have to look at the facts:
-compression was good in this cylinder
-leakdown test showed leakage in the valves, not the rings
-while not the whole problem, this may have been contributing to the oil consumption issue.

DSM'er in me (and my wife) are forcing me to finish fixing the head and spend the couple hours it will take to re-assemble it and get it back on the road. I cannot afford the downtime required to fully fix it right now; the block is already .020" over and will need to be sleeved if it comes out again. Once it's back together I'll re-test compression/leakdown and watch oil consumption and then keep an eye out for a good core to get sleeved.

[A//// Guy]

That scoring doesnt look good but could you do a quick hone while you have the head off? Just to get it a little smoother.

Yea id just put the head back on and letter buck, see what compression is after that.

[JET]

Ouch, that doesn't look very good. It shouldn't cause any catastrophic issues, so you can plan for a rebuild down the road a little ways. It looks like some signs of detonation on your pistons also, there are some craters in them.

If your fingernail catches them they are usually at least .002" deep. If they are less than .005" deep you could bore it .030" over (since you are .020" over already) and get rid of the scratches. Can the stock block take .030" over?

[scheides]

I don't think honing it with the piston still in is a very good idea, if I fix it I'll fix it 'right'

Ouch, that doesn't look very good. It shouldn't cause any catastrophic issues, so you can plan for a rebuild down the road a little ways. It looks like some signs of detonation on your pistons also, there are some craters in them.

If your fingernail catches them they are usually at least .002" deep. If they are less than .005" deep you could bore it .030" over (since you are .020" over already) and get rid of the scratches. Can the stock block take .030" over?


I think the craters are from the same thing that caused the scratches, none of the other cylinders have them :)

If the block comes out it's getting sleeved, .020" is already risky enough on this block.

[simulatedwood]

This is the cylinder that the spark plug broke on :( My nail *slightly* catches on a few of these marks unfortunately.

At this point I have to look at the facts:
-compression was good in this cylinder
-leakdown test showed leakage in the valves, not the rings
-while not the whole problem, this may have been contributing to the oil consumption issue.

DSM'er in me (and my wife) are forcing me to finish fixing the head and spend the couple hours it will take to re-assemble it and get it back on the road. I cannot afford the downtime required to fully fix it right now; the block is already .020" over and will need to be sleeved if it comes out again. Once it's back together I'll re-test compression/leakdown and watch oil consumption and then keep an eye out for a good core to get sleeved.

It will be fine, even with the little bit of damage that is there, all it will do is possibly cause some blow-by and oil consumption. power-wise you will be splitting hairs. Just check the oil occasionally and let r buck!

[Halon]

Kind of reminds me of the scratches/dings I had in my 1 cylinder when I had a valve fail on me. I had taken the pistons/rods out, so I ran a hone through mine but even after that I could still just barely feel them with my finger nail. I ran it like that. That one cylinder always had liek 5-10psi less compression than the others, but it ran fine, didn't consume any oil that I could ever tell. I made my highest dyno numbers, and ran my 10sec pass with the motor like that.

I'd honestly just let er buck. It may not be perfect, but that's OK sometimes. It may prove to hardly make a noticeable difference at all.