"Terrible Tom" <SilverEightynine@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:3EC98CEB.7010806@earthlink.net...
>
> Gotta ask myself where my head is at... If I had thought to check the
> spark plugs before I did allll that work - I would have saved myself
> lots of time and money.
It's ok Tom, I've done worse than that, I'm sure we all have! Ex: Putting a
$3000 set of heads on a motor with crankwalk...rod bolt comes undone and
annhillates the $3000 set of heads 2 weeks later.
> In my own defence I didnt have any idea the engine was so bad off,
> before I replaced the timing chain. I didn't discover the ugly stuff
> until after.
>
> I pulled the plugs when I was going to check the compression - - all six
> had heavy soot deposits and were coated in oil. Rings are all shot. No
> idea what to do now... looks less and less like I will be at the BBQ.
> (sigh)
Have you pulled the heads and taken a look at the cylinder walls? If
there's not too much scoring, you can usually sand them down with a nice
crosshatch pattern and re-ring your pistons and be just fine until you can
afford to build a new motor. I'd start by pulling the heads and having a
valve job done, then pull the oil pan and see if you can remove the pistons
out the top or bottom, re-ring and just pop em back in there. I've done it
in the past with no problems. (on a ford no less!) The hardest part will
probably be getting the pistons out. (depending on mileage) From my
understanding, you should be able to rent any special tools that you will
need (ring expander and ring compressor) from your local auto parts store if
need be. I have a really nice set of compressors for a ford 351, but I
can't remember who's got my expander. They're tapered plastic rings that
you just smash the pistons thru to get them into the bores. As I recall,
the set of 8 was only like $50 or so. I'd loan em to you, but they're the
wrong size....maybe someone on the list has a set they'd let you borrow?
Oh, I just thought of something else... How's the V6 in the 2wd dak lookin?
Maybe a quick motor swap is in order? If that motor's rings and such are in
better shape, it might be worth it to transfer all of the new parts from
Granpa's motor to the other dak's. Just an idea....
-- - Josh Lowered 2000 Dakota CC 3.9L
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Feb 06 2004 - 11:46:20 EST