06-15-2019, 09:40 PM (This post was last modified: 06-16-2019, 11:23 AM by BJL.)
After tens years and 60k miles it appears I have lost cylinder 3 again. Most likely due to a exhaust seat or cracked head.
Not fun. Once its apart I can confirm.
Luckily it ran great to and from Carlisle 2 weeks ago.
Today was the first time out since getting back two weeks ago.
Took a lil family trip to Ocean City,NJ with it.
About 10 mins into our ride home i was hearing faint pinging. Then my power was slowly disappearing.
But just kept on going. Was only troublesome at stops and accelerating. Luckily its 90% 50 mph roads home.
But as always this car brings us home and then dies in the driveway. Barely backed into the garage. Maybe tomorrow I will take it apart.
Last night I was able to pull it apart. Knowing I had bad compression. Had crappy idle vacuum, no power and a very noticable misfire.
Got the head off in About an hour. Just like riding a bicycle .
Head gasket blew between cylinders one and two.
Cant believe that's all it is. Gonna clean everything up. Order some parts. Needs the basic tune up items also. Adjust and replace a few hoses and try to fix my horrible oil leak .
You are very lucky it kept going. Mine started fine that early May morning 9 years ago, but quit as I was pulling out of the driveway. The “NYAAA nyaaa nyaaa NYAAA nyaaa nyaaa” irrhythmic noise it made when I cranked it told me it was either the timing belt or the head gasket—it was the latter.
As for your oil leak—I finally seem to have my constant oil leaks under control. It took RTV sealant (Ultra Black) around the dipstick sealing juncture and on the oil pan’s oil sensor to help with that (I’d already replaced all the oil seals a few years ago). I still have a few drips, but nothing like I had before.
I also did some work with the PVC valve and hoses to help eliminate crankcase back pressure.
Another proud dues-paying member.
1987 Turbo Coupe w/T5OD, 8.8 axle, grey smoke; most options. Got it in 1991 with 41K miles: 3 turbos, 2 heater cores, 3 T5OD full rebuilds, 6 clutches, 1 head gasket, 2 Teves II ABS units, etc. later....
(06-16-2019, 11:26 AM)BJL Wrote: Last night I was able to pull it apart. Knowing I had bad compression. Had crappy idle vacuum, no power and a very noticable misfire.
Got the head off in About an hour. Just like riding a bicycle .
Head gasket blew between cylinders one and two.
Cant believe that's all it is. Gonna clean everything up. Order some parts. Needs the basic tune up items also. Adjust and replace a few hoses and try to fix my horrible oil leak .
That looks like between 2 and 3 to me. Am I missing something?
Another proud dues-paying member.
1987 Turbo Coupe w/T5OD, 8.8 axle, grey smoke; most options. Got it in 1991 with 41K miles: 3 turbos, 2 heater cores, 3 T5OD full rebuilds, 6 clutches, 1 head gasket, 2 Teves II ABS units, etc. later....
(06-16-2019, 11:26 AM)BJL Wrote: Last night I was able to pull it apart. Knowing I had bad compression. Had crappy idle vacuum, no power and a very noticable misfire.
Got the head off in About an hour. Just like riding a bicycle .
Head gasket blew between cylinders one and two.
Cant believe that's all it is. Gonna clean everything up. Order some parts. Needs the basic tune up items also. Adjust and replace a few hoses and try to fix my horrible oil leak .
That looks like between 2 and 3 to me. Am I missing something?
Nope you got. I was missing something.
I was posting this and texting 2 other people at the same time.
What is the normal culprit to blowing head gaskets? Too much boost? How much were you running? 60k miles isn't too bad I would think with a modified setup.
1988 TC, 5 spd, Stinger 3" Exhaust, Schneider Roller Cam, -4° Cam Pulley, Cone Filter, Gilles Boost Control Valve set at 17 psi, Walbro 255 lph, CHE Rear Lower and Upper Control Arms, Braided Brake Lines, Hawk HPS 5.0 Front and HPS (F) Rear, CRES Inserts in front calipers, and '93 Cobra Wheels with General 235/50R17 Tires.
(06-19-2019, 12:30 PM)Mikey97D Wrote: Sorry to see this Brian.
What is the normal culprit to blowing head gaskets? Too much boost? How much were you running? 60k miles isn't too bad I would think with a modified setup.
to bw honest i have no clue. usually lots of boost, ive been pushing 20-22psi up until dec, then i dialed it down to 18psi and pulled the timing back. but to be honest, earlier in the morning i had my son jameson out in the car and was doing some agressive driving, a few skids and high rpm clutch drops.. he loved it. car no so much.
ive been running the 8993 gasket which is a weaker gasket compared to the 1035.. to me its like having a labor intensive engine fuse...
i have all my parts at the house and now debating doing a coolant block off to the intake manifold.
See!!! If you didn't decrease the boost it wouldn't have blown. LOL
I agree the gasket is a good fuse comparably to other things going wrong.
What is the benefit of removing the coolant from the intake?
1988 TC, 5 spd, Stinger 3" Exhaust, Schneider Roller Cam, -4° Cam Pulley, Cone Filter, Gilles Boost Control Valve set at 17 psi, Walbro 255 lph, CHE Rear Lower and Upper Control Arms, Braided Brake Lines, Hawk HPS 5.0 Front and HPS (F) Rear, CRES Inserts in front calipers, and '93 Cobra Wheels with General 235/50R17 Tires.
engine is still apart. had the head milled just to be sure.
new parts order are
gaskets, t-stat housing, plugs wires cap and rotor. new ford rubber valve cover gasket.
i got the propane intake gasket that eliminates water flow through the intake. as well as the metal fitting to relocate the ECT to the outlet heater hose.
got the late mustang 2.3 thermostat housing that has a metal tube with a 90*bend.
time and motivation is the only thing holding me up now. want to clean a few more parts i have off. maybe see what to do about the crankcase ventilation system upgrade to eliminate my oil leaks.
