DEAD HOLE!!!! What to do now?

[84TD]

Well I figured out how to work the compression tester. #8 had nothing, when we did the "wet test" it was 100. Everything else was around 400. This cylinder also was also wet with diesel when we pulled the GP out. I think the injector was stuck open and washed the cylinder out.

What should we do now? What are the ramifcations of putting it back together and keep driving it with a dead cylinder? Maybe with running some lucas? Just to buy some time and decide what to do, either rebuild or find a donor.

This is just really sad.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

pull the valve cover and see if everything looks good. That is the cylinder known to both cavitate and drop valves.

 

[GOOSE]

What a shame to have engine difficulties in such a cool rig. I can only look back at my engine woes and think about what the best route would have been. I have had 4 engines in my truck and looking back I should have skipped at least the middle two. The engine that came in my truck when I bought it got a 2" crack in one of the cylinders. I honestly believe that if I sleeved the one bad cylinder I would have been good to go as the others were all in the 400+ psi range and within 10%. That may have been the most economical route.

I would up buying a Promar long block. Click on my link in my signature and check out what they do. The first 150 miles the engine took a beating because I was fighting a faulty oil cooler. It leaked oil and coolant and had a bad oil pressure bypass valve in it. Thankfully Corey (Dieselcrawler) helped my fix this mess along with the phone help of Ron, (diesel dog catcher). Russ, (Typ4) was the first one to hit the nail on the head from across the country in troubleshooting my ailment. Anyhow, I would have been thousands of dollars and tens of thousands of miles ahead of the game if I just started out with a reman engine out of the gate. The Promar long block has been solid for about 7,000 miles now. Good luck and keep us posted

I would steer away from used engines unless for a core or a temporary fix, no offense to anyone.

 

[84TD]

Thanks for the sentiment goose but its not in my truck, it my buddies truck but it is also a very cool rig, I am sad for it. I will be helping him do what ever he needs to do.

 

[GOOSE]

Thanks for the sentiment goose but its not in my truck, it my buddies truck but it is also a very cool rig, I am sad for it. I will be helping him do what ever he needs to do.

Either way, engine difficulties are a huge downer, good luck to your buddy.

 

[icanfixall]

This dead cylinder very well could be in the valves or rockers or lifters. Removing the valve cover is the correct thing to do. If all the valve action appears correct then its pull the engine time and remove that piston. See if its broken rings or bad cylinder washed down by a stuck open injector. If an injector hangs open the hard line wil get so hot you can't touch it. Sometimes the return caps burn thru also. Might be a cheap fix by just replacing the injector too. Or at least move the injector to an easier cylinder and see if the bad cylinder follows the injector. Then you know its a bad injector which is very well could be. Removing an injector you need to replace the copper gasket and the torque is 35 lbs. If you have a double cut smooth 10 or 12 inch file clean up the copper gasket with that after you anneal it in a hot flame. Heat the copper till it turns blue. Then drop it in cold water. This softens it so you can reuse it. Done correctly it will work fine. Done wrong and you have compression leaking into the injector bore. Then carbon packs in and the injector may never come out again....

 

[84TD]

yes engine difficulty is the biggest bummer, especially a giant heavy diesel.

We ran the engine with no valve covers and the valve action looked normal. There are major blowby puffs when running and the reason we tore into it is the blowby made so much pressure in the crankcase it blew the dipstick oring out. and oil was shooting out of it, alot of oil!

Very cool info about that copper washer.

 

[DragRag]

Sounds like a broken compression ring to me. I have had bad/broken valves, cavitation, dropped valve, broken connecting rods, and the only thing that has ever created that condition you speak of for me was a bad set of rings/ring on one piston. You might be able to just fix it.

 

[OLDBULL8]

[ Yesterday, 09:50 PM Well I figured out how to work the compression tester. #8 had nothing, when we did the "wet test" it was 100. Everything else was around 400. This cylinder also was also wet with diesel when we pulled the GP out. I think the injector was stuck open and washed the cylinder out.

As Drag Rag said, broken ring(s), that would be my diagnose being you got some compression with the wet test. As far as the cylinder being wet with diesel fuel, that would be natural, fuel injection but no burn. Check for sure the crankcase oil. Never the less the engine will have to be pulled, or just take that head off to look. Broken rings will sometimes score the cyl. wall.
I had two bad injectors in a fresh Promar engine that gained 6 quarts in the crankcase in 850 miles, tore it down, and no damage to the bearings. Best of luck with it. Lucas is a waste of money, won't do any good.

 

[Wyreth]

Quick cheap test: Take an air gun with a rubber nozzle on the front. (you can get them at harbor freight if you dun have one) press, and blow compressed air down the glowplug hole. (I like to use some wire as a gauge, and test it both at TDC and at the bottom of compression stroke separately)

Air comes out tailpipe, bad exhost valve.
Air comes out intake, bad intake valve.
Air comes out dipstick or filler hole, bad piston/rings, cracked head/block.
Air comes out radiator cap, or pushes coolant out, bad head gasket, or block worm.

From what you're saying tho, it sounds like bad rings.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Wyreth: has a neat test. /\ /\ /\ above.

 

[84TD]

I agree with the ring problem... We talked about it more today, he simply cant afford a full rebuild and he needs to work his truck so since its just the 1 hole we are going to do in in frame overhaul of that cylinder. Pop the piston out, hone the cylinder and drop in some new rings. Is it possible to pull the pan without pulling the engine?

As long as the cylinder is not totally scored we should be good.

 

[riotwarrior]

Gary is correct, for diagnosing the issue or you could and this is just for me...run it like ya stole it till ya get a replacement! Done!

 

[icanfixall]

You can't pull the pan and rod with the engine still in the truck. No room to get the pan off and the oil pump on and back on. See how deep the oil pan is... The oil pump pickup reaches down to about 1/8th inch of the bottom of the pan. It has a bolt on the number 3 main bearing securing the suction and the pump has three bolts holding it to the block. Add 4x4 and your really tight for space. Its only 6 bell housing bolts. 4 trans bolts. 4 motor mount bolts and a couple of exhaust pipe bolts. The engine wireing harnes has one large plug and its just that easy to remove the engine. Sure, there is a few small items left off this but its much easier to work the engine on a stand. DO NOT INSTALL A OIL PAN GASKET.... Thats just not done around here. Whay people sell them is crazy. The oem gasket was RTV and it works great. Ask arounf what members like about it here.