I am helping a buddy of mine fix his truck. Ive got a couple questions now that we got things all pulled apart.

94' pickup with a 22re and a 5speed.

When he described what happened, sounded a lot like a head gasket issue.

We got it all pulled apart, and all the way looked like all the other head gasket threads ive read. Oil was the right color (or I suppose wrong color depending how you look at it), coolant on the pistons and what not.

The only thing that seems off, is there doesnt seem to be an obvious fail in the head gasket. Also, the timing chain guides are intact and look good. So im not really sure what caused the mixing of the oil and coolant. Could it just be a small not obvious fail in the gasket?

There was also quite a bit of carbon build up on the first three pistons, but the fourth was pretty clean. What does this suggest?

Also, something I havnt been able to find an answer too, but may be pretty obvious to others. What is the best way to clean out all the nasty oil in the bottom end of the engine? Is it as simple as just flushing the oil a couple times after its all put back together an running? Also, is there a better solvent to use to clean up the rocker arms and what not as well as the carbon on the pistons?

Attached are some photos of what things looked like when it was pulled apart.

 

A shiny clean piston is classic evidence of coolant entering that cylinder.

Steam cleaned, as it were.

The coolant you see on the other piston tops likely came in when you broke the head loose on disassembly.

Looks like plenty water in the lube oil.

Have the head checked for cracks and/or warpage.

 

THIS.

Happened to our Civic

 

No pictures of the head

Do you happen to know just how hot it got and for how long??

 

He had issues with the truck about 6 months ago, so i dont really know what happened at the time s hit the fan.

He ended up getting a new head for whatever reason. So that should be good to go. Just have to swap the rocker arms i believe.

That makes sense about the "steam cleaning". I will inspect the gasket around that area more closely tomorrow.

 

You may also want to get the head & short block checked at a machine shop to ensure they are still good. It is also possible that the piston rings may have gone bad as well.

 

Yes I just changed to oil and filter after the first tank of gas.

I might do it again on the second or 3rd tank. Right now it looks very clean.

 

It looks like the fire ring on the gasket failed at the rear of #4.


One of these really helps in removing carbon.

Google flexible wire scraper

Or you can soak it in penetrating oil and scrub it off with a wire brush and spray/wipe it up. I prefer the scraper because it is a dry process and the debris can be cleared from the cylinder with compressed air. Soaking and brushing can leave carbon trapped in the rings, so thorough cleaning is needed afterwards with a can of solvent.

 

Number 4 got steam cleaned so the leak was back there somewhere. Looking at the timing cover when it is installed, it will be on the bottom right hand side, the timing chain will eat a hole into a water passage letting oil and water mixed. It could of been from a previous timing chain repair and they did not inspect the timing cover and missed the hole that could be in the cover.

I would pull the oil pan and dont be surprised to find pieces of timing chain guide in the bottom of the oil pan along with some sludge. That is how I would clean it out. After getting it running some regular oil changes will get the motor cleaned up from what you cant access from the top or bottom.

Any built up carbon you do need to get cleaned off. If the head needs to much machine work, you can buy a new head for 250-300 so weigh the cost of repair over a new head.