Roy's Garage: '90 2.4-4G64 5-spd D-50

[royster]

Pony, in service, with the ladder rack I found

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[Redneckmoparman]

rock on! good seeing it driving now

[royster]

Thanks. It does great on the interstate, even with big-ass trucks passing by. I got over 300 miles on the repair and it just seems to get better every day. I made it earn its keep, today...went to the mountain spring and got water, hauled some sand then hauled a couple bags of trash away. Then went to the Chinese buffet. Depending on what this next storm brings, I'll be driving it to Alexandria (outside Washington, D.C.) this weekend. When I get back, it will be time for the 500 mile head-bolt re-torque and check all the timing again. Theory is, I shouldn't have to do much of anything for 3,000 miles.

I'll hope for the best.

EDIT: From what I can see, it's getting every bit of 25 MPG.

Now that it's mechanically sound (and my trust in it is back on track) I can focus on some cosmetic stuff, and doing something with behind the bench seat, for storage, so those pesky body parts aren't in the public view.

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A RAM ON RYE, HOLDING THE MAYO

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[royster]

I can happily report that oil consumption is way down from what it was, just as thillskier reported in his valve-seal replacement thread. The valve seals are - no question - an important component of the engine to prevent oil consumption, but with two dropped valve guides (defeating two valve seals) the consumption was pretty alarming. Having corrected all that, I'm finding some oil consumption (the truck has 217,435 miles on it) but reasonable for the mileage. I'm guessing a half-quart every fill-up, which is a far cry better than a quart every 100 miles. Panrider reports a different oil-consumption problem with his 2.0, and it turned out to be jet valves. He solved the problem by capping off the jet valves.

There is still smoking at cold start-ups, but sitting for two or three hours, then starting, doesn't result in appreciable smoke. This leads me to think the intake seals (soft rubber) are not sealing as well as the plastic seals (on the exhaust). There is (sigh of relief) no smoke on down-hill decelleration.

In other news...

Cats sleeping on top of the truck while I work: they have a way of looking SO comfortable.
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I've had good experiences with the disposable cameras, but every now and then, you get one that's just sort of odd. Below, my intention was to take pictures of the engine compartment for future points-of-referrence. This is how the film developed, as it did for the sunset pic I took at the top of the hill.
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In the photo below, you can't even see the bridge nearest the house: it is under 6 inches of solid ice. Truck is parked on the road to the garage.
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As my life shifts direction, taking me back to the world I came from, I'll be on the forum less (some might be glad for that) but not inaccessible. This forum, and the friends I made here, have been crucial to the road I had to walk for the past 2 months. It is time for me to return to my own forum and continue my writing there, but I will keep my promise of providing a couple threads with consolidated information about my 4g64 2.4 repairs.

As a note to camoit: as my travels pick up, I'll be coming in on different IPs. Just a heads-up on that: my clients let me use their computers when I'm away from home.

[royster]

There are one time use ARP bolts for heads and if I'm not mistaken, also multiuse also. Like I stated in a past thread...I have used my STOCK head bolts consistently for...well I have never replaced them and the truck is a 1986. If you want to purchase the ARP bolts, go right ahead, but be prepared to buy again the next time you change a head gasket.
Mitsubishi had a problem with head gaskets and crack heads years back when apparently they did not tighten the head bolts correctly on their trucks right out of the factory. This caused warping and head cracking in many vehicles, especially the 2.6L. If you do not want to buy a one time use of the head bolts, it will be just fine. The most important part of head bolt tightening is to retighten after you have ran truck for 300-500 miles and it is warmed up when you do this second round. Follow this procedure and you will almost never blow a head gasket unless you severely overheat the engine and try to make it home on 220 degrees boiling steam. Also don't forget to have the head checked for warping. This should be automatically done at head removals. Also replace the head bolts into their same exact holes they came out of.

This is coming up due very soon.

[thillskier]

Royster,
Hey buy with my own truck (and car issues) with the ice and snow, and 1 degree cold last week: bees needed feeding, etc.
Guaranteed your issues are seal related I had to push mine down till they "popped" on. If they aren't secured it will still use oil. When you do the gasket retorque, push them down tillthey don't rotate easily (w/o using pliers). They may need a few miles to reseat. The vibration is Good To GO now? Great post! BTW. Your other forum?

[thillskier]

that's BUSY not "buy" hehe... ALso u can use a socket to install the valve seals....Mine are all the same, work perfect. at 180,000 use maybe 1/4 qt in 5000 miles between changes now!!

[royster]

Thanks, thillskier. I intend to apportion a whole day for the re-torque and valve seals...I sure appreciate your input.

Royster,
BTW. Your other forum?

There are two of them. Take them as you may:

http://halfpast.oceanfalls.org/index.php

http://halfway.oceanfalls.org/index.php

A special thanks to camoit for bringing "the Bonus Army massacre" to my attention. You'll note I cite it on both forums. http://halfway.oceanfalls.org/index....cseen#msg46681 and http://halfpast.oceanfalls.org/index...5.msg26695#new

We have much going on in the members-only section, much like MightyRam50 does.

[Komeuppance]

Good to see she's getting work done!!

A note about head bolts on 4g63b/4g64b/4g54b's, stock head bolts are reusable unlike the newer 7 bolt engines(crank bolt pattern) which use torque to yield style headbolts. I'd trust used Mitsu headbolts over cheap replacements, even felpro did not get it right and has slipped up with poor quality control. As long as your bolts are in spec and the threads are good, you'll be good to go.

-Robert

[royster]

Thanks, Robert: that's good information to share with all.

My transmission mount from RockAuto arrived, though I've yet to put it in. The u-joint replacement made a hhhHHHUUUGE difference in all ranges of speed...no more vibrational peaking between 35 and 50 MPH. The transmission mount is going to add to the smoothness, I have no doubt: the old one is oil-saturated and so plyable I'd most likely be able to use it as a sling shot...provided the stress cracks in it didn't snap first.

I recommend a transmission mount replacement to anyone: with shipping, they're 20 bucks. Even a little flopping around at the business-end of the transmission affects u-joint wear and overall vibration.

[royster]

With the new u-joints and transmission mount, the drive train is as good as can be. No vibration and smooth motoring. It may have even helped with shifting a bit (or am I just in love?)

[mylittleshitty]

great job on the truck roy she should last another 200k

[royster]

Thanks, MLS: your help was important for this project, so thanks there, too.

I managed to get a wonderful 80 mile drive in, today, 40 of it interstate cruising. That puts me in the range to re-torque the head bolts and perform the final tuning (valve seals, assure proper timing of belts) which I would have done this evening, but with the winter weather expected to drop up to 12" of snow, I simply parked the truck in the garage until this is over. I'll be hunkered down in the shack for a couple days.

I was reviewing my video production of Essence Of The Fair on YouTube and decided to update my own forum's archive record of the project. In doing so, I remembered that I bought the truck as this DVD was in production: I was on my way to Staples, in Winchester, to pick up DVD covers. I stopped at 7-11 to get a coffee for the interstate, and the little truck was parked across the street in a car lot. I actually bought it before I went to Winchester. I was driving the little truck that night.

[royster]

Not much going on in the world, it seems. Forum sure has been slow (although the Fear Monger has us all waiting for more eye candy). My own projects are waiting for snow and ice to go away.

It'd be great if some of those members who asked for answers posted some results?

[royster]

Re-torqued the head (warm engine) and replaced intake valve seals. The whole operation took 6 hours, and that was pretty much non-stop. I took off each valve spring in order to replace the intake seal and check the exhaust seal (I gave them some love-taps to make absolutely sure they were seated properly). I had to remove the throttle body (but not the plenum) to get to #2 and 3 cylinders' valve springs. I had the gasket for it left over from the head gasket set so that was breezy.

The rubber intake seals came off real easy, adding to my suspicion that they were inadequate and causing some of the cold start-up-smoking, but I'm sure I have a couple worn valve guides, too. I remain confident the smoking will be minimised, at any rate.

Agonised with the damn timing belt, but finally got it as perfect as humanly possible. You can look through the radiator to see the timing marks on the cam gear and cylinder head. It WAS likely off by a tooth, and the oil pump mark had once again drifted, so all of it got set to factory, then after warming the engine up to operating temperature, electronic timing was set.

That's about all I can do to insure the engine is as good as I can make it. I do want to ask if taking the negative battery terminal off for a while then reconnecting it is necessary, so that the ecu can re-calibrate.

Drove it to town and filled up the tank. According to my simple math, it IS getting around 25 MPG.

[royster]

Some 18 hours after my last drive, I started the truck up. Some smoke, no question, but not nearly as much or as long as before.

My guess is that hot oil (which is thinner) is able to slip down into the cylinder through the valve guides when the engine is off. When the rubber seals were in place, this opportune leakage was worse, and didn't stop until the engine warmed up enough for parts to expand. The smoking today was momentary and quickly cleared up.

I'll probably just have to live with this until I get into the engine in a major way, and that's not happening any time soon. But some smoke is so much better than billowing for two miles.

So, I can leave well-enough alone...

Or... ...I could just fill the crankcase with Lucas oil and start all over again.

[royster]

I do want to ask if taking the negative battery terminal off for a while then reconnecting it is necessary, so that the ecu can re-calibrate.

Any input on this?

[lush90]

I was told that if you disconnect the battery, the ecu resets to original settings so you should let it idle for 10-15 minutes upon starting after hooking the battery to let the ecu run through its tests and make necessary adjustments.

[royster]

Thanks, L90: that's what I had heard, and I was curious if this was beneficial or not, now that all the mechanical adjustments have been made. I know from the F-150 and Sable manuals, it is recommended to let them idle for at least a minute after re-connecting the battery. It seems to me that letting the engine/ecu go through their paces of warming up and reaching operating temperature was a good idea.

[royster]

Ever since I got the engine fixed, I've been wanting to do an updated photo, but this winter hasn't allowed for it...until today. On the left, 5 months ago, on the right, this morning:

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Ahhhh: that "brushed plastic" look so many women go wild over...
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The only way this truck will look bigger than an F-150 is with optical illusion
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The ladder rack I found for $100: I had to cut 12-inches off the horizontals
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[lush90]

Looks good! What'd you do with all that snow?

[royster]

Looks good! What'd you do with all that snow?

I shipped some of it to RedNeckMoparMan because he asked for some. The rest was converted into mud and flooding.

[royster]

I'm getting some smoke at highway speeds during hard and moderate accelleration.

Scrolling through the maintenance and 2nd Generation threads, it is suggested to look into the PCV and I will examine the air filter, too. Camoit suggests, on one of the threads, to replace the fuel filter.

At moderate speed...say 45 and 50...it occassionally misses, very breifly, almost like water in the fuel. Other than those two issues, this little truck is amazingly quick to start, idles smooth (passes the "antena test" [antena doesn't shake] ) and holds the road excellently. I've passed the 500-mile-mark since the repairs outlined on this thread.

Any other suggestions, observations in regards to the smoking and occassional sput?

[BradMph]

I thought smoke in those ranges and how your creating it would be rings. Smoke when you first start in morning and then it stops I thought were valve guide seals or guides since the oil seeps down them valve stems during the night. If your getting a occasional miss, I would imagine its a plug fowling.

[royster]

Thanks for your input, Brad. You are a valued resource of information and I don't think you get enough recognition for it.

I'm confident most of these problems are coming from the top end. I have a lot of mountains and hills to coast down where I live, and it never smokes going down on those grades. The smoke on accelleration I'm seeing is more gray than white, so I'm wondering if it's something I can correct with a simple consideration rather than do the parts-scatter-shuffle so soon after agonizing repairs. I also wonder if it's connected to the fuel injection I know nothing about.

The plugs are new and burning perfectly at last inspection. It may be the coolant sensor (which I've yet to replace), because the stuttering occurs at a specific temp. guage reading...just before the thermostat opens.

Looking forward to seeing photos of Mitzy, Brad. Thanks again for your help...and thanks to all the others who take the time to assist on the forum. Sharing information and experience is one of the kindest things a person can do for any community.

I've yet to spend time replacing fuel filter, coolant sensor and PCV...the winter is still determined to force us easterners into our houses and cardboard boxes.