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Coolant Bubbles Source


having another look at the plugs, Lower left being #1, I’d assume crack in cylinder wall between 1 and 2?
 

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Agreed
1 and 2 look to have coolant/water cleaning happening

Valve stem seals look to be leaking on 4 and 5
 
Sorry for responding late - in case it's still relevant, the heads I got were these:

 
Thanks Cees! small update here, heads and gaskets look ok, turning attention to the block and cylinders next. cylinder 4 has decent pitting, and think I may have found a crack in cylinder 2.

SUPER FUN
 
Hi friends, finally had a chance to get everything stripped away and started inspecting cylinder walls. They all (except #1) look pretty banged up to my eyes, but I haven't seen anything brand new for comparison. I visited 2 machine shops with my heads, both (upon visual inspection) don't believe them to be compromised. Should I see about re-sleeving this block? Each of the gouges I have circled, I can catch my fingernail on. These are the same cylinders that were washing the spark plugs. Otherwise, all of them are pitted and scratched, as shown.

IMG_1209.JPG
IMG_1211.JPG
IMG_1215.JPG
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Guessing the block has already been bored 1mm? Was every hole bored the same? Do you know any other history on the engine?

If it was mine I would write the block off and find another one unless you simply can't. 1mm is 0.040"... in my mind if you're dealing with multiple cracked cylinder walls, there is not enough meat left to tolerate heating & cooling cycles... or the block was plugged up and coolant wasn't getting to those areas. 1mm oversize also appears to be the biggest piston you can get for a 2.9.

Sleeving the block would probably fix your problem but I think it would be smart to sleeve every cylinder if they're all 1mm over... otherwise you may be dealing with this in a different cylinder in the near future. Tough call, and spendy, you would need 6 sleeves, pistons, rings, fair bit of labor... plus whatever else they find while it's apart.
 
@Shran thanks for the insight. I don’t know if it was bored to that size in the past but it would definitely make sense if there’s a weakening effect. I’m on the hunt for a new one, or at least a truck that I can confirm is running. I’m nervous I’ll pick up a block that’s in the same condition as I have now and be doing repeat work.
 
I'm just assuming every hole was bored 1mm oversize at some point because your cylinder #6 picture shows 1.00mm stamped on the piston (indicating a larger than stock part.) You could look at the rest and see if they all are stamped the same to confirm cylinder diameter.
 
I'll have to chisel the rest of the crud off to confirm. I assume they were. I'm sad, assuming the cylinders are in fact cracked. there was a narrow window of time when this thing ran like a scalded dog. I'll rename this thing icarus. flew too damn close to the sun.
 
Guessing the block has already been bored 1mm? Was every hole bored the same? Do you know any other history on the engine?

If it was mine I would write the block off and find another one unless you simply can't. 1mm is 0.040"... in my mind if you're dealing with multiple cracked cylinder walls, there is not enough meat left to tolerate heating & cooling cycles... or the block was plugged up and coolant wasn't getting to those areas. 1mm oversize also appears to be the biggest piston you can get for a 2.9.

Sleeving the block would probably fix your problem but I think it would be smart to sleeve every cylinder if they're all 1mm over... otherwise you may be dealing with this in a different cylinder in the near future. Tough call, and spendy, you would need 6 sleeves, pistons, rings, fair bit of labor... plus whatever else they find while it's apart.

Yep, checked last night, all cylinders bored to 1mm. Previous owner had an absurdedly low-temp thermostat installed, and heater core delete. Which makes sense now, if the cylinders were a crack risk. I was told heads were new but they never mentioned any work done to lower end.
 
I wouldn't assume they thought it was a risk, heater cores leak often and in LA are you really using the heater much? Easier to delete it I guess... and last time I bought a thermostat, I asked for the stock 195 temp and found a 180 degree stat in the box. Installed it anyway since I was in a pinch but that could have happened to your engine too. Who knows.

Machine shop may have just assumed it was safe to bore 1mm over since pistons are available. I would have. Maybe it is totally safe and there was just shoddy work done, who knows. Usually machinists are pretty good at what they do but mistakes are made and if it's a high volume shop, it's probably worse. I had a 2.3 rebuilt by a shop that supposedly was very reputable and it developed a rod knock within a hundred miles and I believe I've been dealing with a recessed valve issue for quite a while that also would be their fault.

Kind of a crap shoot at this point, maybe you can find a block that doesn't need to be hogged out to the max and start over..... or sleeve yours... cost might be about the same in the long run.
 
I wouldn't assume they thought it was a risk, heater cores leak often and in LA are you really using the heater much? Easier to delete it I guess... and last time I bought a thermostat, I asked for the stock 195 temp and found a 180 degree stat in the box. Installed it anyway since I was in a pinch but that could have happened to your engine too. Who knows.

Machine shop may have just assumed it was safe to bore 1mm over since pistons are available. I would have. Maybe it is totally safe and there was just shoddy work done, who knows. Usually machinists are pretty good at what they do but mistakes are made and if it's a high volume shop, it's probably worse. I had a 2.3 rebuilt by a shop that supposedly was very reputable and it developed a rod knock within a hundred miles and I believe I've been dealing with a recessed valve issue for quite a while that also would be their fault.

Kind of a crap shoot at this point, maybe you can find a block that doesn't need to be hogged out to the max and start over..... or sleeve yours... cost might be about the same in the long run.

I know the heads have a different casting for '89 and older, but do you know if the block does as well?
 

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