SLAYfriknBODIES

Hello again guys. My 1993 pickup is giving me issues. On the suspicion of a broken timing chain guide (or two as it turned out) I pulled the timing cover of my engine last weekend. the goal was to install my LCE steel guides and replace the oil pump o ring as that seemed to be the culprit in an elusive oil leak that made my block look like a lump of slag. the notorious "hidden" bolt got me however and I cracked out a chunk of the original timing cover.










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$86 later I had a new timing chain cover ready to go. Discovered a chewed up head gasket edge from my timing cover removal attempts. I had a Fel-Pro head gasket laying around in my parts bin so I decided to use the rest of the weekend to pull the cylinder head and do the gasket. It also seemed to make my reinstallation of the timing cover much easier.




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Ordered new head bolts from RockAuto and installed them when I lowered the head back onto the new gasket. tightened them in the proper order to the 58 ft/lbs specified in the Haynes manual I have. (Hate away)
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wire wheeled everything while it was out to remove the caked on Kentucky clay, Tennessee mud and RI dirt off of the oil soaked EVERYTHING IN MY ENGINE BAY. had it all shiny and new.
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solved a small coolant and fuel leak. went to crank the engine to do timing. It caught, but wasn't firing on all cylinders. before I could do anything else, I heard splashing and saw a steady stream of oil pouring off of the angled bracket next to the passenger side back corner of the oil pan. Oil pan itself was perfect. (Gotta love that new FIPG) the leak seemed to be above the starter.
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felt the back half moon valve cover gasket with my hand. Plunk, it fell right out of the head onto the ground. Gee, theres my problem right? WRONG. must've knocked it loose wrestling the valve cover past al the vacuum lines on the firewall. Re permatexed it and let it sit 24 hours.


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got home from work today and topped off the oil. gave it a crank and it caught. yep, still missing a cylinder. As I inspected the off-gassing fresh paint and RTV throughout my engine bay, I heard the splashing again. Pissing oil like a sieve from the back corner of the passenger side of the engine. Darn.
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stuck my head up behind the clutch slave cylinder and stared at the back of the cylinder head. clean as a whistle. Back of the block is still damp and filthy from where my cleaning efforts could not reach. got my dad to crank the truck while I watched the back of the head.


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on and on it cranked until it caught. as soon as it caught, I saw a shimmering stream of oil. before I knew it, it had pooled up and begun to run down the side of the bracket next to the oil pan onto the ground next to me.


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if the head gasket was badly done, shouldn't it just be oozing or dripping oil, not relieving itself like a drunken horse al over the place.


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so guys, THOUGHTS?

Shady Cadence

"if the head gasket was badly done, shouldn't it just be oozing or dripping oil, not relieving itself like a drunken horse al over the place."

Depends on how badly it was done. Pressurized oil travels a long way, and the oil passing through the head gasket IS under pressure. Let it cool, put your finger on the back of the head gasket and have your dad start it, try to feel if it's coming out between the head and the block.

millball

A small shop mirror may prove helpful.