the_nomad
27-01-2007, 11:31 AM
I just rebuilt the top end of our 95 TS 2.6L. Timing chain was done earlier along with new guides as it was getting a bit noisy.
It was the mother in law's car and she didn't bother with oil changes or much else for about 35K's. Her reasoning was that the oil loss from a leak (about 1L/week) meant there was enough fresh oil getting into the engine regularly (didn't think about sludge/acid buildup and concentrations). The engine started to sound more rattly than a 200 year old Mack when the lash adjusters collapsed. She started to go blind around then and we inherited the mess. Car has currently only done 147K's.
Anyways I stripped her down and found 6 adjusters beyond help, the rocker shafts filled solid with carbon type gunk - had to be drilled out literally! 4 valve stem tips hammered and pitted.
Put the head back together and sent it off for a reco - $220, price also included a VRS gasket set (Monotorque) as well, which I thought was damn good value. Head looked a million bucks as well with the ports and waterjackets all sandblasted out. New set of lash adjusters $112. Surprising amount of wear in the cylinders. Can't afford a rebore yet, hopefully will last another 50K's and I'll do it then along with a new cam chain set and balance chain which is close to adjusment limit.
The aftermarket cam chain set doesn't have those plated links for setting up, so had to look at the assembly pics and set the relative positions. Worked fine. Bit trickier setting up the balance shafts (same reasons).
If I had let things go any longer, I reckon there would have been catastrophic damage. I did the work myself, and it cost under $500, but it was a bastard of a job. If I also had the facilities, it would have been easier to take the engine out and bench the job.
Regular oil changes and servicing are critical to engine longevity and reliability. I learned a lesson over the years to keep away from poorly maintained stuff, as it always ends up costing big bucks in the end, not to mention the headaches.
It was the mother in law's car and she didn't bother with oil changes or much else for about 35K's. Her reasoning was that the oil loss from a leak (about 1L/week) meant there was enough fresh oil getting into the engine regularly (didn't think about sludge/acid buildup and concentrations). The engine started to sound more rattly than a 200 year old Mack when the lash adjusters collapsed. She started to go blind around then and we inherited the mess. Car has currently only done 147K's.
Anyways I stripped her down and found 6 adjusters beyond help, the rocker shafts filled solid with carbon type gunk - had to be drilled out literally! 4 valve stem tips hammered and pitted.
Put the head back together and sent it off for a reco - $220, price also included a VRS gasket set (Monotorque) as well, which I thought was damn good value. Head looked a million bucks as well with the ports and waterjackets all sandblasted out. New set of lash adjusters $112. Surprising amount of wear in the cylinders. Can't afford a rebore yet, hopefully will last another 50K's and I'll do it then along with a new cam chain set and balance chain which is close to adjusment limit.
The aftermarket cam chain set doesn't have those plated links for setting up, so had to look at the assembly pics and set the relative positions. Worked fine. Bit trickier setting up the balance shafts (same reasons).
If I had let things go any longer, I reckon there would have been catastrophic damage. I did the work myself, and it cost under $500, but it was a bastard of a job. If I also had the facilities, it would have been easier to take the engine out and bench the job.
Regular oil changes and servicing are critical to engine longevity and reliability. I learned a lesson over the years to keep away from poorly maintained stuff, as it always ends up costing big bucks in the end, not to mention the headaches.