n00b (on this forum anyways) with compression issue

[CaliBoy]

Well i am going where i have never been before....

I removed the exhaust pipe and while im here i will remove the o2 sensor and give it a good cleaning.

i removed the oil pan and gave it a good cleaning. the oil was dark but no coolant in there. gave it a good cleaning as there was lots of sludge on the bottom.

what i wonder is why they put the drain plug so high up? i mean if you change the oil you never get what is under the drain plug. weird...

OK...so am now attempting to remove the harmonic balancer. However, i do not know which way it is tightened? Do i loosen it clock wise or counter clock wise?

 

[Spawne32]

dont clean the o2 sensor, replace it, you will only damage the EXTREMELY sensitive ceramic element inside the sensor by attempting to clean it, the harmonic balancer bolt installs the same way that any other bolt is installed, counterclockwise to remove, but you will need an impact gun to remove it unless you have the tool to lock it into position so that it doesnt just turn the crank.

 

[CaliBoy]

noted! will not clean o2 sensor. well i called it a night right at the harmonic balancer removal. i left that for tomorrow. but as i removed the lower engine mount i noticed it shot!

looks like i will need a new one.

so here are some pics of the new head i got. let me know if it looks good or not. i paid $200 for it.

this stuff looks rusted but mine is in excellent condition so i can reuse.

 

[endo617]

I usually jam the flywheel securely with something, i mainly us a hex key that fits and is thick enough that it doesnt bend

 

[2kdb7]

50 bucks to rent at parts store. First time I used a big ass chain wrench and used.my old timing belt between the chain and pulley. 100+ ftlbs so it'll need a.breaker bar

 

[dlo253]

Looks like you got this handled, just seen the thread. I was gonna say its probly a valve, or more Haha. Same thing happened to me. My valve had a big ass chunk missing, like identical to yours lol. Same cylinder too iirc.

 

[Spawne32]

clean up the face of that head before you put it on, and make sure you change that water outlet, that head looks like its seen better days but it should work fine, its got some obvious signs of detonation occurring within the chambers.

 

[DustinXIX]

Hard to tell from the pics, but the new head looks Linda pitted/gouged in some places. The flatter and smoother the surface the better. If it is gouged or pitted don't take any chances, get it machined. Otherwise you may end up just buying a new head gasket and doing it again. But for a beginner looks like your on the right track! Good luck :thumbs up

 

[Spawne32]

yeh i mean im lookin at the pics and the more i look the more im thinking to myself, was this thing welded for repair previously? the nicks and cuts in the combustion chambers i really wouldnt mess with because you directly affect the compression ratio when you remove material in the slightest there, but i would at least have it checked for flatness from the machine shop

 

[Spawne32]

the more people i show it to the more people are agreeing that it has obvious signs of weld repair around the chambers, but the question is...why so much and in so many places, you would think that head would have been junked before you would repair that much

 

[Spawne32]

it also appears that the coolant passages on the left side of that one pic have been welded shut completely

 

[hgocasca]

This is why you don't buy heads without papers. Trust me dude, I tried to fucking tell you. Probably could've repaired yours for less or roughly the same as you'll spend buying and machining this head.

 

[endo617]

just swap the valve from new head to old head if the old head doesnt have damage besides the bent valve

 

[hgocasca]

At that point, you'll need to have the valves resurfaced. You'll also wanna run a compression test at the machine shop to ensure a proper seal.

 

[CaliBoy]

well guys, you all were right ( especially hgocasca ) and i did jump the gun on buying this head. i actually took it to a machine shop and they told me whomever did the work on it did a f'ed up job. i am now returning the head to the guy i got it from for a refund.

i took my head to www.modernengine.com and they told me my head is in perfect condition (except for the valves). So they charged me $185 for a valve job which will be completed on Wend. I also got the head gasket kit and timing belt kit for a total of $328 which includes all the gaskets, timing belt, water pump...etc...

so $328 for valve/head job and all the gaskets and parts i need is not bad at all (i think). the only thing i will need to buy is the lower engine mount and oil/coolant....etc...

looks like i will get away rebuilding the engine for around $500. i will post some pics of the head when i get it back from the machine shop.