Help me fix my truck!

[Mark_88]

As long as the condom isn't pink I don't see a problem using them...but you could use just about anything that will seal the opening on the rad cap...even a plastic grocery bag...you just want to see if it inflates while cranking.

Do condoms actually stretch that much? I wouldn't know...the ones I've used felt pretty tight as it was...never mind...this could go in so many directions...lol

 

[MAV17]

looks like i didn't do a proper HG job...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFGquUimXro&feature=youtu.be

i'm scratching my head, i could've sworn i torqued the headbolts down to perfect spec

 

[RonD]

LOL, I love it.

Too bad about the results though

I redid the heads on my '94 4.0l twice, because my torque wrench was off.

It is often worth the $$ to have the head machined flat, check a few machine shops as prices vary, they can also pressure test the head, you could have a crack.
Although the 50 miles before the breach would indicate no crack.

You need to use a Composite head gasket not an MLS(multi-layer steel) gasket.

 

[MAV17]

LOL, I love it.

Too bad about the results though

I redid the heads on my '94 4.0l twice, because my torque wrench was off.

It is often worth the $$ to have the head machined flat, check a few machine shops as prices vary, they can also pressure test the head, you could have a crack.
Although the 50 miles before the breach would indicate no crack.

lol, time called for desperate measures

i think i'm just gonna buy a used assembled head with warranty from a junker near me, get it checked, and re-assemble the thing myself.

My only worry is the bottom end... i'd hate to re-do a head job and have something in the bottom go sour miles down the road. and i definitely don't have the tools or experience i feel necessary to undo the block from the tranny... an automatic tranny at that.

 

[RonD]

The noise I heard on the video was valve train, could maybe be an exhaust leak they can be "ticky" when small.
Ford fuel injectors are also "ticky" but usually not that loud

Bottom end issue is a knock not a tick.
Remove valve cover and feel if there is play in any of the rockers, then rotate crank 1 full turn and check rockers again, you will find one that is loose, that is the tick noise.
Why it is loose will be what you need to troubleshoot.

You can check for connecting rod play when head is off.
Rotate crank until piston is at it's TDC, then rotate it a little more until it starts to go down, now push down on the top of that piston, if piston moves down and you hear a tap noise then there is play in the connecting rod.

This play would be a knock when engine is running, the crank pushes the piston up on the compression stroke so rod is tight against the crank, after TDC the crank is on the way down so IF there is a gap in the bearing(play) it will be at the top of the crank journal, when cylinder fires, the piston/connecting rod is slammed down closing that gap suddenly, that's the "knock" you would hear each time that cylinder fires.
You can test for a Rod knock by disabling each cylinder one at a time, disable spark to that cylinder while engine is idling and knock will disappear, no firing means no "slamming down", valve train "tick" wouldn't change.

 

[adsm08]

I'm with Ron on this one. Your noise is top end, not bottom end, and most of your problems here are probably due to corners that were cut rather than improper installation. If it was overheated at some point the head is probably warped and can't seal correctly, no matter how well you do the rest of the job.

When I do head gaskets I take a can of high-temp copper silicone and spray a light coat on both sides of the gasket before I install it. I have yet to have a head job come back on me. It doesn't have to be a lot, just enough to turn the gasket orange.


If you want a good example of bottom end type noise go find something with a stick, put it in high gear, and start letting the clutch out without any gas. That is what a bottom end knock sounds like.

 

[MAV17]

Perfect. I'll start tearing her apart and find a different head.
A million thanks for all the help guys.
I'll keep posted.

 

[Mark_88]

looks like i didn't do a proper HG job...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFGquUimXro&feature=youtu.be

i'm scratching my head, i could've sworn i torqued the headbolts down to perfect spec

Wow! That would be it...

 

[MAV17]

As long as the condom isn't pink I don't see a problem using them...but you could use just about anything that will seal the opening on the rad cap...even a plastic grocery bag...you just want to see if it inflates while cranking.

Do condoms actually stretch that much? I wouldn't know...the ones I've used felt pretty tight as it was...never mind...this could go in so many directions...lol

lmao i used an old lifestyles that was laying around. pretty much expired. i never trust those anyways.

 

[Mark_88]

When I do head gaskets I take a can of high-temp copper silicone and spray a light coat on both sides of the gasket before I install it. I have yet to have a head job come back on me. It doesn't have to be a lot, just enough to turn the gasket orange.


If you want a good example of bottom end type noise go find something with a stick, put it in high gear, and start letting the clutch out without any gas. That is what a bottom end knock sounds like.

good to know about the copper silicone...never heard of that before...but I've never had a problem replacing the heads (3 or 4 times now) by just following the torque specs...

60 Ft/lbs on the first round
85-90 ft/lbs on the second round

And I always use the old style head bolts...replace them with newer ones if I find them on the truck I take the head from...got 6 nearly new ones on the last head removal and found 4 out of the old bunch that were in excellent condition.

As for the knock...now that you mention it that sounds like what my current block is doing...can't find any exhaust leaks but there is a bit of a knock...

lmao i used an old lifestyles that was laying around. pretty much expired. i never trust those anyways.

Lol...I will go out and buy some and test mine in the drive way...

 

[MAV17]

good to know about the copper silicone...never heard of that before...but I've never had a problem replacing the heads (3 or 4 times now) by just following the torque specs...

60 Ft/lbs on the first round
85-90 ft/lbs on the second round

And I always use the old style head bolts...replace them with newer ones if I find them on the truck I take the head from...got 6 nearly new ones on the last head removal and found 4 out of the old bunch that were in excellent condition.

As for the knock...now that you mention it that sounds like what my current block is doing...can't find any exhaust leaks but there is a bit of a knock...



Lol...I will go out and buy some and test mine in the drive way...

yea i just can't help but think that i pushed the bottom end a bit too far when i drove it home while it was ticking. the ticking got extremely loud sounded like all sorts of shit was getting destroyed. if all that noise came from just ONE bad rocker arm/lifter... well i'll be damned. guess we'll find out tomorrow.

so should i NOT buy new head bolts again since these just went in no more than a week ago? i heard they were a one time use kinda bolt.

60ft/lbs then 85-90ft/lbs? i used this guide from this thread:

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/how-...r-pump-timing-belt-replacement-procedure.html

"42. Torque head bolts in sequence as shown in the diagram below.
- first torque bolts to 51 ft-lbs, then retorque in order another 90-100 degrees."

 

[MAV17]

Lol...I will go out and buy some and test mine in the drive way...

lol i guess indecent exposure doesn't apply in canada

 

[Mark_88]

Good guide...but glad I've got no P/S or A/C to deal with and no TB...

I took the torque right from my Haynes manual and it has worked every time for me...but those specs are close enough...

I would not reuse the head bolts if they are TTY (torque to yield) because they probably already stretched. I doubt you could find a set of the old TTTH (torque till they hork) head bolts worthy of using, but I'm pretty sure you can still buy them...at $15 each...just adds to the expense.

I did my head in February this year and was pricing new parts...just the gaskets alone were over $50...and the anti-freeze, oil, Chinese masseuse (I got pretty stiff...lol) and other supplies topped it out over $100...and that was after paying $350 for the head and rework...but I didn't have new valves put in...just tested, seals and shaved.

Anyway, score some new head bolts just to be safe because doing it once is enough...

 

[RonD]

yea i just can't help but think that i pushed the bottom end a bit too far when i drove it home while it was ticking. the ticking got extremely loud sounded like all sorts of shit was getting destroyed. if all that noise came from just ONE bad rocker arm/lifter... well i'll be damned. guess we'll find out tomorrow.

so should i NOT buy new head bolts again since these just went in no more than a week ago? i heard they were a one time use kinda bolt.

60ft/lbs then 85-90ft/lbs? i used this guide from this thread:

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/how-...r-pump-timing-belt-replacement-procedure.html

"42. Torque head bolts in sequence as shown in the diagram below.
- first torque bolts to 51 ft-lbs, then retorque in order another 90-100 degrees."

Yes you need to get new heads bolts...again

That last torque is DEGREES, not ft/lbs.
These are Stretch Bolts, so you have to preload them, and once they are stretched once they won't return back to "normal" so can't be reused.

So if torque wrench handle is at 3:00 you will turn it to 6:00/7:00, 90/100degrees, so just over a 1/4 turn, you do this after tightening each bolt, in order, to 51ft/lbs

 

[MAV17]

Good guide...but glad I've got no P/S or A/C to deal with and no TB...

No TB? How is that possible?

Hmmm i did the degrees without a degree gauge/reader on my torque wrench, i know some of them have it. I'll just use the Haynes manual specs like you did, i feel much more comfortable using a more precise measurement as opposed to eyeballing 3 oclock to 6 oclock etc.