Sympathy and Advice - 1994 bad lifter bang

[rjorgens]

Hi everyone, I've really enjoyed this forum. Here's my plight..... Hope I can get some good advice.

 

I inherited my wife's 1994 Pathy a couple years ago, when she upgraded to a 1997 QX4. She bought it brand new, and we both love the car. It needs a little work but I've fixed a lot of the bad problems, we did starter, timing belt, exhaust manifold studs, rear main seal... etc...It's a really great car, and the best snow car I've ever had. The car has 230K on it and runs like a top.

 

Just before Christmas this year I passed someone and later realized I heard a bad knocking from the top end - I thought to myself "Oh, lifter stuck". Well after oil changes and Rislone I decided to take it in.

 

I've had it to 2 different mechanics and both have given me the "this car is not worth fixing". the second guy I trust pretty well - he actually took the valve covers off and inspected. Seems the rockers, lifter and even the cam lobes have a LOT of wear. Even worse is he found metal shavings sitting in the oil on top of the heads and says it's probably through the engine by now.

 

So I can get rebuilt heads for a good price from National cylinder Heads - (http://www.aluminumc...sample_list.htm).

 

I'd like to rstore this car. Is it worth replacing the heads and motoring on? I can't afford $3-4K to put in a whole engine... i also need to replace the front wheel berings and get the leather seats re-sewn (stitching disappeared in the sun).

 

i believe what happened was I had gas in the oil for a while before I discovered the vacuum hose had fallen off the fuel pressure regulator and it was running very rich for a while - I did frequent oil changes during that phase. I may have put a lot of miles on her there... She's not burning oil or leaking anything..

 

 

Thanks for your thoughts,

[adamzan]

I say flush it out as best you can, slap some good used heads on it and keep on trucking. If the metal has damaged other parts of the motor you could always find a used motor at a wrecking yard, much cheaper than a new or rebuilt one.

[Precise1]

Let me start by saying that if you like the vehicle and if it is in decent shape, then it is worth fixing. The record so far (that I have heard) is over 500k miles on a WD21 so you can get more out of it.

 

Look here in the Classified section to see if anyone is parting out a truck, good condition used heads are probably the best way for you to go. If you do decide to replace the motor, you can get them used for $500-750 so don't dispair. It's really what you feel better about doing, and doing it yourself would make it cost effective. Even having a shop do the work will be cheaper than buying something else...

 

B

[unccpathfinder]

Krystals truck has bad lifter knock...sea foam helped but didn't fix it which sucks but in time I will rebuild the heads of a JY truck and one weekend swap them...the head job can be done for ~300$ or less if u do all the work yourself...I broke a timing belt and did mine including replacing 3 valves for about $300 and where I got my estimate from

[Kingman]

I can't afford $3-4K to put in a whole engine...

 

I'm sorry but if that's the quote you got for a new engine you need to find another shop. That's bull@!*%. The engine has 230K on it so it's getting up there and may be a little tired, but should still have a lot of life left in it as long as it was maintained well and not raped. A new/rebuilt set of heads, or good used ones, should take y'all a lot further.

 

A lot of that metal will hopefully have been cleaned out by the filter. A few flushes and you might just be okay.

[ahardb0dy]

I bought my 94 knowing it needed an engine, bought a JDM engine for about $600 and had it installed for another $500 runs perfect, the price you were quoted is ridiculous. I would look into finding a JDM engine and get a few prices on swapping the engines out.

 

The other things you mentioned the TRUCK needing are minor.

 

this place is near Seatle, http://www.foreignengines.com/

Edited May 18, 2012 by ahardb0dy

[rjorgens]

Thanks everyone, for all the encouragement! I've done the engine rep[lacement thing from foreign engines before with an old Honda Civic and it worked great - cost me ~$1500 by the time I was done (did it myself) but I got carried away replacing things. Thing ran for another 50K before I sold it...

 

I was talking to a mechanic who said the engine is kind of tired, but a set of used heads would probably let me get a lot more miles out of her. he also said that don't put on new or remanufactured heads, because the bottom end is old and it will just blow out the rings.....any truth to that?

[snowboard419]

That sounds like a load of s&*# to me. I have never heard of new/ rebuilt heads damaging piston rings, but I could be wrong

Before you purchase heads I would have someone do a leakdown test on the engine to see if there is a lot of piston/cyl wear.

Edited May 30, 2012 by snowboard419

[Adam]

Sounds like bull to me. Pick up some used heads and drop them in.

[Slartibartfast]

If properly sealing valves blow out the piston rings, the problem isn't the heads!

[Kyle94]

The guy that bought my old 1992 pathy had a lifter on #6 cyl lock up or whatever it did. He rebuilt both heads (not needed by anymeans!) And put it all back together. When he brought it to my house the damned thing was quiet! Lol. It had 172k and a hard life before me... Guess what I'm saying is I think it will be fine.

[nismothunder]

Buying a used motor is the cheapest thing. yeah you'll have to go through it and replace the belts and such but then it'll goe another 200k.

 

As far as 500k vg30's. Never ever seen them. Everyone that has a high milage(350-500k) one has had there motor replaced or rebuilt. Now a 300k, yes that is pretty common with these motors.