UGH!!! Yet another blown head gasket

DieselJeepLuvr · **Posted:** Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:59 pm

Well this sucks! Driving to work one day last month and my rig started loosing power and sounded like it was running on only 3 cylinders. Had it towed to a friends mechanic for inspection and he of course said "no codes and runs perfectly..." So I suspected clogged fuel filter or an injector plug not making good contact. Asked him to replace the fuel filter, check to make sure the injector plugs didn't have corrosion or something. A couple of days later he said "runs perfectly. come get it" so when I went to pick it up he told me he hooked it up to is $2,500 Snap-on scan tool and was driving it around for parts runs etc to try to get it to act up again but to no avail. Then he said he'd put it through it's paces and was impressed with how much power it had and that "did you know that this thing will put out 34 pounds of boost pressure?" I said I don't work it THAT hard! First thing I noticed after bringing it home was it stunk like diesel fuel but just figured they made a mess when changing the fuel filter. Then the smell wouldn't go away. A week later the low coolant light came on which it had never done before. Now I realize that it's blowing the coolant out the overflow tube. Not sure what to do as I don't need another project.

:furious:

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Aug 18, 2018 10:05 pm

You don't have a lot of options at this point, bite the bullet and fix it, or sale it "as is". :juggle:

TURBO-DIESEL-FREAK · **Joined:** Sat Apr 17, 2010 3:29 pm **Posts:** 1167

From what you describe, it sounds to me like your friend's mechanic made a bad situation worse by really flogging the engine.

Is your cooling system 100% stock? Any modifications to the thermostat?

krb · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2018 7:27 am

So how many times have you already blown a head gasket?

rancherman · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2018 9:10 am

So, what did the mechanic find with the mis-firing cylinder, and what did he do to 'fix' it?
....besides the Italian tune up??

DieselJeepLuvr · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:52 pm

rancherman wrote:

So, what did the mechanic find with the mis-firing cylinder, and what did he do to 'fix' it?
....besides the Italian tune up??

Nothing. I was getting fuel at some remote mountain station the previous 2 months so that's why I suspected a fuel filter (I'd unplugged my WIF sensor some time back). By the time the tow truck arrived it was running fine again.

krb wrote:

So how many times have you already blown a head gasket?

This is the first time one of my vehicles has had a blown head gasket

TURBO-DIESEL-FREAK wrote:

From what you describe, it sounds to me like your friend's mechanic made a bad situation worse by really flogging the engine.
Is your cooling system 100% stock? Any modifications to the thermostat?

Cooling system is stock other than my thermostat being replaced this spring because the old one was stuck partially open (took a long time to get up to temp in morning, would get kinda hot going up hills but then get cooler than normal going down long grades.

It did get hot towing my boat up a long grade in 95 degree weather a few months ago and suspected the stock clutch fan went bad but haven't got around to doing anything with it. What GM clutch and fan is everyone replacing these with???

WWDiesel wrote:

You don't have a lot of options at this point, bite the bullet and fix it, or sale it "as is". :juggle:

Right. Like I need another project... Maybe it's time for me to do the Cummins R2.8 conversion...

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2018 2:30 pm

DieselJeepLuvr wrote:

WWDiesel wrote:

You don't have a lot of options at this point, bite the bullet and fix it, or sale it "as is". :juggle:

Right. Like I need another project... Maybe it's time for me to do the Cummins R2.8 conversion...

Hope you got some DEEP pockets if your going the Cummins route! :roll:

HD GM 11 blade V8 fan and clutch setup:> viewtopic.php?f=5&t=82941

These are the part no.s
GM Severe Duty Fan Clutch NAPA 271625
GM 11 blade HD Cooling Fan NAPA No. 8552223
GM 11 blade fan requires four(4) GM 11516869 *bolts, they have different threads and are a bit larger. (bolts to attach fan to clutch)
*bolts are metric and can be purchased at a hardware store, 10mm bolt, M10 x 1.5mm threads and is 18mm in thread length, 17mm wrench head, 8.8 hardness

Picture by another member:

DieselJeepLuvr · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2018 1:41 pm

Well I just ordered $1,820 worth of parts from IDParts for the Libby. There goes my trip to Cabo... F**k! Ordered:
Head Gasket kit
Complete timing belt kit
8 Exhaust valves
Timing tool kit
Rocker arm kit
ARP head studs
Hayden HD fan clutch

Hope that's all I need... I'll look to see if the glow plugs were replaced but I'm suspecting they were as it has always started fine in sub-zero temperatures.

If this thing wasn't so freaking fun to drive and I wasn't so dang cheap I would have traded it in for a new one.

vwroad87 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2018 2:27 pm

Now you are having fun! Got so many parts to still put on my jeep, lift kit, 2nd fuel filter setup, rebuilt rear end with posi-traction.... And I'm looking for more goodies. Follow the advice on this forum regarding your rebuild, that's what I did and my jeep is running perfectly. Careful with the head, many say not to mill it. When I did mine and saw those nasty knurl marks from the factory bolts into the aluminum (because VM was too f'ing cheap to use washers) instead of a rebuild I bought a brand new head so I could keep the flow of the rebuild going. Got the other head still and will have those areas machined, new valves installed and save it for a spare.

As far as letting people fix my cars I just say no, hard to find a quality mech these days that respects their work and the customer.

APC9199 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2018 2:38 pm

Set up an appointment with a local diesel shop as soon as you can. Have them inspect the head for flatness and cracks while its out. Not sure if you were planning on doing this or not, but it is entirely worth it to avoid getting everything back together and finding out you need a $1800 head as well.

DieselJeepLuvr · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2018 7:32 pm

vwroad87 wrote:

As far as letting people fix my cars I just say no, hard to find a quality mech these days that respects their work and the customer.

Same here seems when I entrust my rigs to others they screw them up. Only one I have trusted over the last 3 decades is the local Dodge dealership but they are always expensive and 4-6 weeks out on anything other than an oil change...

APC9199 wrote:

Set up an appointment with a local diesel shop as soon as you can. Have them inspect the head for flatness and cracks while its out. Not sure if you were planning on doing this or not, but it is entirely worth it to avoid getting everything back together and finding out you need a $1800 head as well.

Already have that planned. They'll be cleaning, and replacing the exhaust valves and valve stem seals (which is why I suspect it has so much blowby)

layback40 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2018 10:26 pm

I have had a lot of success with Chemiweld over the years. Most recently my XJ (VM 425) had fine bubbles in the tank coming from the ait bleed on the water manifold, probably caused by head gasket or a crack. Chemiweld fixed it a treat.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2018 11:23 pm

DieselJeepLuvr wrote:

They'll be cleaning, and replacing the exhaust valves and valve stem seals (which is why I suspect it has so much blowby)

What you perceive as "blowby" is actually normal for this engine. The vacuum pump discharges directly into the crankcase on this engine which makes it appear there is excessive blowby when in fact it is not.

krb · **Posted:** Thu Nov 01, 2018 5:12 am

DieselJeepLuvr wrote:

Well I just ordered $1,820 worth of parts from IDParts for the Libby. There goes my trip to Cabo... F**k! Ordered:
Head Gasket kit
Complete timing belt kit
8 Exhaust valves
Timing tool kit
Rocker arm kit
ARP head studs
Hayden HD fan clutch

Hope that's all I need... I'll look to see if the glow plugs were replaced but I'm suspecting they were as it has always started fine in sub-zero temperatures.

If this thing wasn't so freaking fun to drive and I wasn't so dang cheap I would have traded it in for a new one.

What about a water pump while you're in there?

vwroad87 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 01, 2018 1:02 pm

And since you are spending money a HDS thermostat will make you/r CRD very happy. Fixed my cold motor, never overheats, stuck between 193-197F

DieselJeepLuvr · **Posted:** Tue Nov 06, 2018 11:15 pm

vwroad87 wrote:

And since you are spending money a HDS thermostat will make you/r CRD very happy. Fixed my cold motor, never overheats, stuck between 193-197F

VWroad 87 did you do a head gasket on your rig? What's a HDS thermostat? I would LOVE to replace the stupid stock one but the only aftermarket one I know of is like almost $500. I'm going to send you a PM.

DieselJeepLuvr · **Posted:** Tue Nov 06, 2018 11:58 pm

Well I just found out where my andifreeze was going... Apparently when the dealership replaced my thermostat they forgot to tighten the bolts down. One fell out (luckily I found it) and the other two were hand tight. SO, I guess I am still going to replace the head gasket since it failed the HG leak test and I'd been suspecting that anyways. Fun stuff...

krb · **Posted:** Wed Nov 07, 2018 5:10 am

Bugger. Another reason we mostly do our own wrenching. HDS would be the way to go as the operating temp is higher which favors the efficiency over emissions but $$$ prevented me too.

Now that the days are shorter and cooler I'm back at pulling the head too, not to replace the gasket but to remove a broken glow plug. Maybe we can share some info.

DieselJeepLuvr · **Posted:** Wed Nov 07, 2018 2:48 pm

NP there! I also found out that the dealership (somewhere in Idaho) that replaced this timing belt before I bought the rig set the timing wrong which would explain why I never got very good fuel economy compared to my previous Libby and could have caused the overheating issue as well! Not only was the right cam at least one tooth off but the fuel pump was about 3 teeth off! Retards... Just about ready to start unbolting the valve cover assy. Also noticed they never replaced the idlers... Will be replacing those, the water pump and the serpentine belt idlers and tensioner as well as all the other stuff. As for the thermostat I may see if I can fab up a replaceable thermostat with one of my old ones while my head is in for cleaning and new exhaust valves.

DieselJeepLuvr · **Posted:** Wed Nov 07, 2018 11:26 pm

Well got her all apart. What a HUGE PITA! NOT a job for the meek or unskilled. My garage is FULL of car parts now! Heads are at the machine shop getting cleaned and new exhaust valves installed. Hopefully the valve stem seals are all good. Cam looked really good. Rockers looked good, lifters showed a little wear but normal for 150K miles. I've been using Mobile One 5w40 diesel oil since I've had it up until about 10k ago when I switched to Ravenol. Machinist said that all the valves were sealing the seats properly and would find out if a simple valve swap would do it or if the seats would need lapped or reground. I'm guessing they will need something done to them but hey, you just never know! Cylinder walls look really good. I can still see cross hatching on the thrust side so that's good. Original 7v ceramic glow plugs looked good and worked perfectly, I would like to put them in but why stop now... Injectors looked good considering #4 cylinder had a head leak but I will be replacing them as well since my 93 Dodge with the Cummins TD had injectors that tested OK and ran fine at 195k but when I put new factory injectors in it it ran WAY better! Everything wears out right?

I'd post pics but for some reason this forum won't let me??!!

UGH!!! Yet another blown head gasket

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