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

[royster]

I was in Woodstock (Virginia) ordering hydrolic lifters from my NAPA friend. I told him that NOW I knew what he meant by those "jet ports", having just torn down a 2.0. He said what he used to do with the jet ports was to weld them shut. On the '90 with fuel injection, I don't have to worry about that.

As he has been a parts man and racing mechanic for over 30 years, I value his expertise. I asked his suggestion about preparing the hydrolic lifters for installation. He said a 50-50 mix of "Mystery Oil" or STP and transmission fluid. If possible, soak them overnight with the holes up. They will not need adjusting. It's cool to note on the 2.4 4G64 the lifters have rollers on them: there''s virtually no friction on the cam contact.

I am about done with Advanced Auto parts. And UPS: I have had orders left out on my driveway, and today the driver was in my neighbor's driveway, trying to figure out how to get off the hill in this snow, seriously pondering the most dangerous place to turn around. I asked if he had my part...(Advanced found it appropriate to send a thermostat gasket from a large order, by itself, in a ridiculously large container)...which he did. I then gave him back-woods advice as to how to get off the hill safely: there was no way he was going back the way he came. There's a road out if you continue down the hill, past my driveway. I hope he made it out okay.

RockAuto.com uses a variety of delivery services, and the valves I ordered are coming FedEx. NAPA has a warehouse not from from here, in Winchester. I'm essentially dealing directly with them, often getting next-day delivery at the store.

There are some parts you simply can't get from a supplier, any more, and you'll have to resort to making them yourself, or getting them from a junkyard. Timing belt cover seals aren't to be found. My NAPA friend said to bring the old seal/gasket in, and we can determine which material to make a new one from. This seal is important as it keeps dirt and oil off your timing belt.

[royster]

BIG Discovery

While examining the valve assembly still on the head, I found that the #4 exhaust valve seal was mid-way UP the valve stem. I had wondered WHY so much oil was at the rear of the engine, and now I have a good answer. The seal had worked its way up...faulty installation or whatever...and was letting oil go everywhere, particularly into the exhaust manifold. Therefore, every cold start included the serious smoking I had been worried about in the first place. [Thinking it was rings, I used thick oil to curtail the smoking. This caused the timing belt to strip because the camshaft couldn't move freely.] It seems lessons are learned every day, if you're really paying attention.

How else but by chaos would I have learned (and discovered) all of this?

The WAS no other way. Experience is often prompted by necessity, and necessity often comes from our mis-conceived ideas. We make mistakes in order to learn.
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The valve seals sent in this kit include 4 exhaust seals, and 4 intake "positive" seals. Both are going to take some reading up on before I am confident to make the repair.

Speak up, you experts, please: I could use some advice on installing two different types of valve seals. The "positive intake" seals have two aluminum rings around them. The exhaust seals are identical replacements. At present, I only have #1 intake valve out of the head, and its seal looks like the other 7.
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Don't know if the scan will show it, but the photograph does: #1 intake valve is out (for your orientation). The #4 exhaust valve seal can be seen higher than the others (if the scan picked it up). [edit: it did.]
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IN OTHER NEWS...
Once the parts truck was removed from the garage, I took the time to clean up real good, and also install these bargain cabinets I got for $40 from Lowe's discount aisle. Drawers and cabinet space in a garage are a real treasure.

I also laid down 2 pieces of new Luann plywood for the next project (the one underway right now).
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View of my sitting area where I read the manual and have coffee. The steps to the right lead to a small storage room behind the garage.

Note the air filter in the canister: this is a ShopVac filter from Lowe's. It takes only placing a notch in the filter bottom rubber for it to be a perfect fit in the 2.4 4G64 air filter canister.
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[royster]

IF IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT, IT PROBABLY ISN'T
No "first-wife" joke here: it's too obvious.

The valve stem seals that came with my head gasket set didn't seem right...because they aren't. Having removed the exhaust valve I posted about, I compared the replacement seal with the worn one. I even set it place, expecting to hear a "click" as it snapped over the groove designed to hold it in place. The new seal doesn't have the ring that snaps into that groove. Several "first-wife" jokes could be used here. Like, "If I used these seals, they'd just be flopping around in there, doing no good."

One problem with locating replacement seals is the illustrations that most websites offer: they do not show a cut-away view.

So tomorrow, when I go to pick up my lifters, I'll ask my NAPA guy if he has these in stock, and if not, to help me locate the right part. I'll take the two used seals with me to be sure (one intake, one exhaust).

This frikken' 'journey' is frought with all KINDS of traps and pit-falls! It makes me even more appreciative of this automotive community.

The Chilton book mentions very little about the balance shafts, not sure how the Hayne's book measures up, but I find the book lacks in some simple areas like this. If we know, we can DO. If the feature is just shrugged off or casually mentioned, it doesn't help the beginner much)

This applies to the seals, too: the book simply says to put them on. No cautions, no what-to-look-for's, no first wife jokes. "Common sense" picks up where book-smarts leave off, and so the name of this post is "If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't." So stop and take the time to figure out how to make/do it right. Force doesn't always make something work. And just "hoping it works" is a fatal flaw. [First wife joke #197]
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The book tells you that if the valve doesn't spin freely on its seat, it's probably bent or warped. In most cases, this would be true. However, the exhaust valve I removed had become stuck in position due to long-term build up of carbon from leaking oil. The wire wheel on my Dremel tool cleaned that area to the point that the vlave once again fit happily, and rotates as it should.

I am reminded the book is ONLY a guide-line: it's up to us to THINK, and to proceed with focused attention.

And it's up to us to share these insights, or the experience is no good for anyone. [First wife joke #583]