Author Topic: Need Engine Help (Read 2992 times)

eagl · « **Reply #15 on:** January 18, 2007, 03:50:38 AM »

Sounds like a cracked block to me... If your antifreeze was old, the cold temps could have frozen your coolant. When was the last time you checked the quality of your antifreeze and it's freezing point? If the answer is never, then whoever built your engine may have cheaped out on the antifreeze and used too high a percentage of water in the mix.

One way to check (but not a guaranteed indicator) is to check for water in the oil and oil in the radiator. If the oil comes out brownish and foamy, it's got water in it and you're screwed.

It sounds bad... liquid on the back, oil spattered up into the air filter, and engine running poorly, after the first really cold day in years... Bad.

Torque · « **Reply #16 on:** January 18, 2007, 04:55:39 AM »

had similar, twas a head gasket.

Mustaine · « **Reply #17 on:** January 18, 2007, 05:54:27 AM »

First thought is head gasket too..

second is distributer. I learned when my car got jerky, and I thought the transmission was slipping it was actually the coil (no "real" distributer cap in my car). the engine was mis-firing, and over 40 the flywheel engaged, causing the lurching.

last, fuel filter. I got bad gas once, watery, and froze / clogged my fuel filter with sludge. unfortunately my fuel filter was IN the gas tank

but that will definitely cause a rough running engine. Especially if you recently got freezing weather, when you normally don't get those temperatures.

culero · « **Reply #18 on:** January 18, 2007, 07:29:54 AM »

Gunslinger, you haven't been able to provide enough information for a diagnosis to be possible. The possibilities range from extremely minor stuff to major.

The one thing I will say is that your oil change has nothing to do with your trouble, unless you used the wrong filter or not enough oil.

The one most useful thing you've said is that you don't know where to start. This is an instance where even an expert (such as me) can't help you without getting "hands on" under your hood.

My best advice is to locate someone you can trust locally for a diagnosis.

lazs2 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 18, 2007, 08:11:26 AM »

It's a straight six with the plugs right there where you can get to em...

buy a cheapo compression tester at the local auto parts store and pull all the plugs and run a check on the compression. tell us what the readings are.

lazs

rpm · « **Reply #20 on:** January 18, 2007, 11:06:23 AM »

Or just change the $2 fuel filter and see what happens.

lazs2 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 18, 2007, 02:25:38 PM »

never hurts to change the fuel filter but it is gonna be a lot more than $2 on a fuel injected car and it will probly be fairly time consuming to change... and dirty work..

the tester will cost the same or less and take as long or less to use and you won't get as dirty and... it will actually tell you something and....

You will now own a compression tester.

lazs

mora · « **Reply #22 on:** January 18, 2007, 02:41:07 PM »

You can also try to plug each spark plug hole with your thumb and crank the engine. If any cylinder is REALLY low on compression you will notice it.

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 18, 2007, 02:56:53 PM »

Besides, just pulling the plugs and looking at them is a good indication of problems. If you notice no difference in any of the plugs, and you find no problems with compression in the cylinders, then you have either a fuel or electrical problem. You can probably assume since it happened after a cold snap that it would be a water in the fuel problem, but we all know what happens when you assume.

stantond · « **Reply #24 on:** January 18, 2007, 03:53:19 PM »

It sounds like your head gasket has developed leaks. If water had gotten cold enough to freeze in the block the freeze plugs would have come out.

My diagnosis is based on:
a.) the hotter than normal temperature reading
b.) "smoke" (which I am betting is water vapor)
c.) Oil from the intake manifold, due to cylinder gas and water vapor having enough velocity to make it into the air cleaner.
d.) the exhaust leak sound

Check for water in the oil and oil in the coolant. You may not see oil in the coolant because the gasket is leaking between the intake manifold and the head coolant passage. The cylinder that has the exhaust leak sound is probably the one that is missing and causing rough idle.

Does the exhaust have any different odor or color? Are you losing coolant? A yes to those two questions would confirm a head gasket leak. That's my armchair diagnosis.

Good Luck,

Malta

john9001 · « **Reply #25 on:** January 18, 2007, 05:56:07 PM »

what you call "freeze plugs" are not "freeze plugs" they are core plugs and they plug the holes in the cast block left by the supports used in the casting of the block to hold the core of the sand mold in place during the casting.

Gunslinger · « **Reply #26 on:** January 18, 2007, 06:54:30 PM »

Sorry I can't really solve the current saga fo Gunslinger's Jeep because I had to work all day but here's what happened on the way to work.

I warmed up my car for about 10 minutes this morning. It was rough going for the first mile and then like the snap of a finger it went right back to normal.

Chapter 3

I had to go to the post office in the middle of the afternoon. I drove around for about 10 minutes and it was rough the whole time but I made 2 stops.

Chapter 4

Before going home tonight I shared a smoke with a friend and warmed up the jeep again letting it idle for about 5 minutes. Then after only a few minutes of driving it smoothed the hell out and was actually very responsive. After that I'm going to flush and fill my radiator for good measure and see what I can see.

I think the HEAT tm is doing the trick. I'm going to change my fuel filter this weekend as it's pretty well exposed and easy to get to. Then I'm going to get a compression tester and a cheap fuel pressure guage and see what I can see. Thanks for the ideas so far.

SteveBailey · « **Reply #27 on:** January 18, 2007, 07:11:52 PM »

*sigh*

Always go w/ the easy fix first.. The colder than normal temps probably caused some condensation in your gas tank, allowing for water in the fuel or maybe even some ice in the lines/filter like the only other person with any sense suggested. All these guys going straight to "cracked block" "blown head gasket" are the chicken and "the sky is falling".

During the cold months try to keep your tank 3/4 full or better to avoid this problem in the future.

A little oily smoke coming from the breather is normal. When you have nothing coming from there, then worry about your PCV valve.

A cracked block/ blown head gasket almost always wil reveal itself by the very smokey and white exhaust and mixed fluids.(oil in coolant, antifreeze in oil).

There's nothing wrong w/ changing your fuel filter but I bet the Heat/full tank cures your woes. A compression test and further searching is unwarranted unless your problem persists.

culero · « **Reply #28 on:** January 18, 2007, 07:26:04 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Gunslinger
snip
Before going home tonight I shared a smoke with a friend and warmed up the jeep again letting it idle for about 5 minutes.

I always found that smoking made me stupid enough that it was best to just sit down and munch, rather than try to do anything useful, once I started doing that on any particular day

Cpt. Krunch · « **Reply #29 on:** January 18, 2007, 07:53:06 PM »

Get a compression reading before you go any further. Sounds like valve trouble.