Just enuf to be dangerous..........................Engine Rebuild.

[mitchi]

I know enough to tear engines down and replace head gaskets and such. As what I did to my 1990 Mighty max 2.4l fuel injected engine.

It ran and runs beautiful, cept when it fouls the #2 plug. I put in those expensive E3 plugs (30 bux for the set).

Ran great for a while, till it fouled. Doesn't have the power I think it should have. Once going she runs fast, but I can feel the hesitation, spit and sputter.

Took the truck to the stealership, and was told #2 cylinder failed the leak down test. When I checked the compression, it seemed good . Front to rear 150, 150, 150, 160 first run, 150, 150, 150, 162 second round.

Charged me darn near 100 bux for that and told me 5 grand for a rebuild. (((((Ain't gonna happen.....))))))

Bought an engine for 450, darn thing was locked up. (got my money back finally), can't find anything decent in the local salvage yards that runs, besides they probably need rebuilding anyways. So, that being said, may as well rebuild mine since it's out of the truck.

Question...............................if the #2 cylinder failed the leak down, what could be the cause......does it absolutely have to be rings?

I've got the engine out, on a stand and just pulled the head, and the cylinders appear to be find. As soon as I go to work 2morrow, I'll post pics, I can't post pictures on the antiquated puter......hell I only 512 megs of ram.

Can the valves or head cause the leak down failure? All the help would be appreciated.

And in advance.....Thank You.....Thank You very Much......................!!!!!!!!

[Fordubishi]

Yes a small crack in the intake valve or seat will leak a small amount of fuel causing the plug to foul do to raw fuel in the chamber while there is no spark.This can also happen if the valve not adjusted properly

[mitchi]

Hey Thanks Ford......to me it appears I have a head issue. Will provide photos 2morrow.

The cylinder really looks fine. Looks just like the others. The valves on the other hand look wet.

Can't really tell what the seats look like, don't see ant cracks, but with the naked eye, who know.

Gonna take the head down to a machine shop, and possibly have it rebuild.......cost providing.

[BradMph]

Those plugs are dangerous, as well as those freaky 4 pronged plugs and whatever else a manufacturer can dream up while counting his money. I used them for about an hour and removed them and sent them back. There is a problem with them on many vehicles and especially those strange iridium twin and triple electrode plugs. What is the symptoms of problems you may ask? You just witnessed it first hand. Burning valves among others. Stay away from spark plug snake oils, they are a selling scheme to try and look like an innovator but the testing on them lacks time. Stick with what your truck manufacturer documents, in other words ONLY USE NGK's. I have never had a problem with these plugs in my entire life as a driver or doing tune ups. The reason I tried these other plugs was because I was feeling spontaneous I guess and sure enough the truck acted bad right after installing them. In fact I have had a problem with the truck's motor since that day, but only now has it progressed to parked vehicle. I have used the single electrode iridium with no problems, but I'm sticking with the basic NGK now because the stats show they work and always work without some strange burning of a valve or piston ring.

I don't work for or advertise NGK, it is just a far more superior quality spark plug for OUR trucks than 90% of these other new fangled plugs. You want to burn a valve or cause a problem in your engine, just change it's normal rhythm with something different then what it's been using for many years and you'll get your unwanted wishes.

[mitchi]

Here are the pictures I promised:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

[Fordubishi]

From the Pic's it looks like the Valves in Cyl 2 and 3 are dirtier then 1 and 4, you might have a small crack in the head between the 2 and it's leaking coolant into the piston. If you take a real good look piston 2 and 3 are clean on top that means they are being washed with something either gas or coolant. Best thing to do is have the head checked for cracks and really inspect the head gasket to see if there was a leak from the water passage to the cyl's

[mitchi]

So, from the looks of the cylinder walls, it doesn't appear I have a ring issue. I'm hoping that having the head rebuilt/replaced may do the trick.

I had some white smoke when I stomped the gas. Just a trickle of smoke when idling.

Budgets very limited, so getting away with just head work would make my day.

[Fordubishi]

White Smoke = Coolant, Black Smoke = Flooding, Gray/Blue Smoke = Burning Oil. So if you were seeing white its either a crack in the head, warped head or bad head gasket.

[mitchi]

Hey, Thanks man..........will be taking the head to the shop this weekend.

Would that cause a leak down failure....considering all of the compression numbers were pretty good?

Thanks

Jack

[LSR Mike]

yes, that would cause a leakdown failure, and the 2-3 junction is the likely place to get coolant also. That where my head gasket let go.

5848

Oh yeah, 30 lbs of boost helped.

[recian]

You could take the cam out so the valves close and pour some PB blaster or parts cleaner into the combustion chamber of the head. If it leaks you've got a valve problem. If it doesn't leak you most likely have a bad H/G or warped head. When I bought my truck the 2.4 locked up the timing belt tensioner and snapped the belt. Had to yank the head and fix some valves. Glad I did because the H/G looked worse than Mike's. The metal rings were split open and the truck was running on straight muddy water.

[mitchi]

kewl..........never thought about this..............

Thanks recian, getting to it right away. Garage here I come.

[mitchi]

Do you have to use silicone sealant for the oil pan?

Can you just use the gasket with a little grease to hold it into place?

Thanks for y'alls comments.

Jack

[BradMph]

Use silicone, The manual specifies it.

High temp too, Mine was red in color. It also says to not contaminate the bolt threads too. Go around them on the inside of the hole when laying a bead and bolts go down from center outward...you know the routine, lol. There's like 100 of them little bolts too.:lmao:

[mitchi]

Hey thanks man...................................yea, guess I should have looked in the book.

Yep....................theres a bunch of those little suckers and when you drop one, it dosen't stay where you dropped it.

That little booger bounced all the way out the garage door. I found it out in the driveway.

[crvtec90]

Dont forget new timing belt and tensioner, balance shaft belts and tensions, water pump. Change out everything behind timing cover while its off and then forget about it. You dont wanna end up with problems later that could be avoided now

[mitchi]

Hey thanks crvtrch90......................done.

[BradMph]

At least you didn't find the bolt lodged in your tire, :). or lodged in a wall like my valve spring compressor tried to do to a spring.
Your seal will last much longer with the silicone. I usually like to NOT use a bead so much as just using my finger and coating the gasket on both sides. Protects the gasket a little better and your going to have to get silicone on your finger anyway, so why not. :.)

[mitchi]

Yep, thats what I do, is smear it on both sides of the gasket.

Will be easy peasy, with the engine on a stand finally, just turn it over and go to town.

Still have to take the head in, hope it ain't cracked.

[recian]

Don't even use the gasket unless you're doing a trans pan. Go to the dealer and pick up the grey stuff that comes in a tube for a caulk gun. Less than $20 and a tube can do 3-5 oil pans. That stuff is bulletproof, requires no gasket and with the opening on the tube it lays a perfect bead that looks just like the engine came from the factory. I do it on a regular basis and have learned from personal experience this is the only way to make the job very effective and it also looks very professional.

[mitchi]

Don't even use the gasket unless you're doing a trans pan. Go to the dealer and pick up the grey stuff that comes in a tube for a caulk gun. Less than $20 and a tube can do 3-5 oil pans. That stuff is bulletproof, requires no gasket and with the opening on the tube it lays a perfect bead that looks just like the engine came from the factory. I do it on a regular basis and have learned from personal experience this is the only way to make the job very effective and it also looks very professional.

Any dealer, or a Mitsubishi dealer?

[recian]

Honestly most dealers sell it since it's starting to become a staple in modern aluminum engines. Nissan uses it. 999MP-1217HP is the p/n. I know Mopar uses it also since I work at a chrysler/mitsu dealer. It's the same stuff with a different label just can't remember the p/n.

[recian]

I've seen that stuff on original nissan and honda engines well over 200k and 15+ years and no leaks. You can almost put the stuff on, bolt the pan down let it dry and pull the bolts out and it'll probably stay. I've even had some oil get into it before with no issues. Sealing clean surfaces most of the knock-off stuff can do but if you're doing a pan in the yard while oil is trying to drip around the edges that stuff doesn't care as long as you try to clean it good.

[mitchi]

Well, lack of funds has stalled any and all progress.......................................... ..so, I dabbled a little with the polishing equipment that I use for my bikes, and decided to see if I could do something constructive on the mighty max.

64176418641964206421

[mitchi]

Well, today, I pulled the rocker arms and cam from the head, and filled the chambers with brake clean.

So far, after 20 minutes all's well.

We'll see in the morning..................

[mitchi]

Well......morning time, and no fluid in the chambers......every single one is empty.

Looks like the next step is to take the head in and see whats up with it.

Hopefully no cracks, and is level. Maybe just a shave and valve job, and I'll be good to go.

Fingers crossed.

[mitchi]

Well, finally found a respectable machine shop in town. 110 bux to check for cracks and shave if warped and no cracks.

Been a freaking year to do all this, and dayyyum, it's been stupid. Should have been on this sooner....just lazy I guess.

The D-50 brakes went out again, so I was down to riding the Harley to work everyday....(rain or shine). Only have ridden that bike in the rain once since I've owned it. The CB750 I have is broke too, tore down 'cause of a leaking oil line.

Guess that became my motivation to get this MM back on the road.

Been way too long, procrastinating........

Question......is there a parts listing or parts fiche for a 1984 Dodge D-5 and a 1990 Mitsubishi Mighty Max???

[Merrill]

I know your post about filling the CC's is a year old, but if you filled them with brake cleaner, even the most sealed head would come up empty within an hour since it evaporates quickly.

[mitchi]

Well, got the news today from the machine shop.....................................bad news.

Head is cracked..............................damit man.