Random Chit Chat

[Wallaby Dan]

he he…yep. With the leaking head gaskets I will pull them. Don't need to screw up the rest of the engine. They do make a tool for that with just the rockers taken off but it requires a air compressor to run it. My little one don't even want to air up my trailer tires. Don't think that will help. Also, that little lope will need the head off to see if i am burning a valve or chewing up a cam.If i am going this way anyway i can reseat the valves too. All the compression tests show only two bad cylinders, and they are side by side. The PSI's are within the pressures that are posted for this engine.

 

[Celery]

Let's wait for the Oracle to comment on that.

Ok I'll comment.

You talking about a 300,000 hard mile old engine. You can do this and that. No problem. You'll keep doing this and that. You'll buy gaskets again because you'll need a ring job.

After you get tired of smoking.

Take the intake manifold off and see if you can pull the lifters. If not lifters and cam shot.

 

[Wallaby Dan]

Just got to make it hard on me old boy. I won't do it till this fall. If i can't drive what makes any difference...
The motor has way to much power to be to sick. Larrys grandchild was going to be buying it from him but the boy had a accident and it killed him. some drunk went to the far side and hit him killing him. They never found out who... Larry got the truck back then i got it from him. Larry and i drove it all over hell and back!! The other boys drove it sometimes but it was mainly Larrys truck. Its old but i love it. Larry is dead and a good friend and a good mechanic So i guess i am sentimental about that wreck. I somehow overheated the beast because the thermostat stuck closed one night in Killeen coming home from the va. I used mustard seed to stop the seeping and took out the thermostat. For awhile. it has worked. But even mustard seed won't last forever. I think i see oil smoke because the valve seals are leaking. It takes like 5-10 minutes to get it to puff when i hit the petal. Oil is around 7-800 miles to a quart of oil it did show water in it when it overheated but nothing since that time. No water in the oil and i don't see any oil in the water. Other than the loss of oil which is not that much the water it the big thing. I have to add a gallon for a trip to the VA over in Ok city and back. its around 350 or so miles running at 65 to 75 mph. Doesn't make any difference weather is cold or hot, same i don't know , but with the fact i can lay rubber down, it just can't be in very bad shape. If anything it might have a cracked head. Things are aluminum, intake too. Later, Rain storms coming in. Got some big thunder clouds coming in and winds picking up. later

 

[Smart_Guy]

Now I'm worried. Mine is at ~343k" miles. I did the rebuild at ~265k miles for the reasons I mentioned before. Keep doing this and that... "GULP"


Sorry about the kid.


Are you certain the coolant loss is from the head? Do you see residue of the colored element? I had coolant leak problems and was shocked how simple the solutions were. What made it take time to find out was using clear water only for a long time (that died immediately due to heat) so I couldn't see residue. I thought there was no need for the colored water before finding the leak. This made it even worse haha. Used to lose a quart every 100 miles at ~62.5mph and it was not the engine.


But you know, if the engine is still stock/standard at +300k miles, I personally would rebuild it with any sign of failure.

 

[Celery]

Right... Dan, you said the motor overheated. Good indication you need head gaskets and a head reface.

 

[Wallaby Dan]

Yep. The new Transmission in my truck is a th475. They were made for panel vans and rv's. This one was totally rebuilt and built up as well. The tranny is simular to the th400. The planetary gear is so much bigger that the tranny can pull 19500 pds before needing something larger..

 

[Celery]

Your truck had a TH400 right? At first I thought you meant the TH375 to replace the TH350.

 

[Wallaby Dan]

They rank th350, 375, 400,475. 700r4 and then a 4l60 and 4l80 and 4l85. 700R4 was the first 4 speed overdrive. Over its lifespan it received many major upgrades to make it stronger. The bad part is they never made it quit slipping from 4th to lockup. it constantly kept slipping back and forth between those gears Cooking transmissions. That's what was in this truck and was about halfway cooked, so i wanted a more beefy transmission. The th475 was a 3 speed used in the 6.2L diesel but that tranny had the bad habit of tearing itself up because of the torque that came with Diesels. It was great with 454 v8's It is super great in my truck. I have a 5.0 small block in it. They also used this one in motorhomes and those panel vans. They last forever! Almost bulletproof! Keep them cool and change fluid and they Were Bulletproof. I am changing my transmission fluid this summer. The first time since i installed it in 2015. It is still pink and no smell of burnt but it was also syntetic fluid i used. Mine had a shift kit put in by the man who i got it from. Under no loads you wouldn't know it was there, but you floor it and it would give you one hell of a kick when shifting! No slip in any gear! When towing you could feel the snap it had when shifting gears. Bullitproof!!

 

[Celery]

When I was working in the transmission shop I was pulling 700r4s and putting in 350s. The 700r4 has a defect in the housings and customers refused to pay $$$$ to replace em.

We told em we'll put in 350s for cheaper.

 

[Wallaby Dan]

Somehow, That sounds correct. 350's were ok even for 1/2 tons but with me going to tow a trailer i wanted something bigger than the 400. Larry had a friend that we both knew. He had built a transmission up for his motor home, but he found a smaller motor home that was 4X4!! The 475 won't mount to the transfer case. so he went with what was in it. He had rebuilt a 454 for the motor home and switched to the new motor home. I wanted the 454, but he stayed firm at no way. So.. i saved for the rest of the goodies i wanted for the truck. Strong tranny!!

---------- Post added at 05:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:23 PM ----------

Now.. I don't travel so not any good reason to have this buggy all heavy duty but you never know. I may travel again.