As sOme or many of you know from reading my posts for help, I have had a lot of problems with my tuck in the 10 months of owning it. Leanburn went bad, cant seem to get a good carb, poor performance all around and I need a new intake gasket, warped collector on the exhaust manifold and now something I read that gives me reason to believe that I should just rebuild it or get an older engine to swap in.

Here are the things I know that are making it run poorly:
-Intake/ exhasut manifold gasket leaking at cylinders 3&4
-not sure if carb is fine now but no leaks there that I could find all that is new or rebuilt
-not sure if the lack of my exhaust(about 10ft of pipe) is effecting performance which I assume it is, it's all just straight pipe

The only thing I think is wrong with it is the rings. The reason being was the oil fouled plugs I had to replace last month after doing a tuneup back in January. The other reason, I just read about, was excessive smoke out the breather. I read that that is caused by blowby.

I'm wondering, is what I read about the blowby true? If so what would be my best bet to do?

If I need to rebuild it I'd rather find an older slant and mildly build it while it's out then drop it in and save mine for something else.
I'm limited on money right now so I'll be replacing the intake gasket and hope it runs better till I can do anything major.

Any ideas for a mild build or opinions or help is appreciated. I have a build in mind but I'd like opinions for a daily driver truck. Even in it's poor state I still managed 18mpg last fill up.

Thanks
Cody

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Old truck: 82 D150 225, 2bbl, dutra duals, 2.5" straight pipe to dual 2.5" tail pipes. Mud tires, 4spd, old forest service truck.
Current truck: 98.5 Ram 2500 ccsb, sport, 24v cummins, 5spd, 4.5" lift, 35's, 5" straight pipe.

i bought an old v8 jeep back in the day that had bad rings/high miles
i installed these on 5 low compression cylinders and it drove pretty good.
http://compare.ebay.com/like/1706005601 ... s&var=sbar

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slant six's RULE!
http://www.usajon.com

First get that vacuum leak at manifold fixed, than carburetor will respond better to tuning, and engine will run much better. That leak is causing those cylinders to run lean.

Check PVC valve operation, its plumbing for oil fouling, and clean as necessary.

I’ve never used sparkplug anti-foul gizmos before, but those things have been around since the first spark plug was installed a hundred years ago, so they must help.

Sometimes a mechanic in a can will lessen blow-by, that is, a can of stop smoke, ring seal, or whatever--- I can’t think of a brand name of the stuff. There always are several brands to chose from on the shelf.

The only real fix for a worn engine is a rebuild, any of the above is just to get one by for a while.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

If you have a bad problem with plugs "oil fouling", you can save yourself the $2.56 each (plus shipping) and install some short reach (and hot heat range) spark plugs. (big block Mopar listings)
The only problem with doing this is that the lower threads get carbon build-up so it's hard to get the correct plugs, long reach plugs, re-installed later.

Me, I just rebuild the engine or swap-in something else.
DD

Ross,

Isn't that a peanut plug head? If so, get some UR4 NGK plugs. They are a hot heat range.

If it was my truck I would do SL6 Dan's secret sauce mix to clean out those fouled rings.....in fact I would get pretty aggressive with it to clean it up to bring back the compression. From what I have read there aren't that many miles on the motor........I think you can save it.
Your motor may have done a lot of idling in it's former life contributing to the carbon fouling of the rings. That and a bad ignition system will plug it up pretty quick.

A couple of good flushes and a good diet of synthetic oil or very frequent changes with normal oil should clean it out.
The motor I am running now is an old barn find that sat for over 8 years covered in hay. It took about 6 months of aggressive flushing to clear up the rings and bring the compression back. It runs pretty good now but needs intake gaskets like yours.......it still has the stock steel shim intake gasket which leaks pretty bad when it's cold. It seals a little better once it's warmed up. It pulls down 22.5+ mpg driving locally stop and go. No more smoking out the breather......
Give it a flush or two or three about every 500 miles, you might be able to post pone the rebuild for several years.......

For rebuilds look in the engine FAQ motor builds. Mine is pretty mild, but the results were very good! It is being upgraded some more as we speak......

How many miles are on the motor?
What brand and grade oil are you running now?

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Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

An old school (I'm talking flathead Fords!) smoking stop was to pour a little Bon Ami into the carb as it was running. I guess is was to polish the cylinder walls or help the rings seal, I don't know.

I've never tried it nor do I really recommend it, but I've talked to two certified old farts who swear it solved their smoking problems.

Just thought I'd toss it out there.

Have you done a compression or leakdown test yet?

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Scott - waywardgarage.com
Why is the rum always gone?

Thanks for all of the help guys.

Ted: it has almost 89,000 original on it, it was an Oregon government truck originally bought it from a guy who had it for a year, he bought it at an auction. I run chevron oil. I'm not sure what the peanut head looks like so if you tell me I can tell you if it is or not. What is dans recipe? And the compression is as follows from about two weeks ago when I tested it, no I have not done a leak down test yet.

Compression in PSI:
1-120
2-120
3-105
4-120
5-110
6-110
In my factory service manual it says 100psi is the minimum and there can only be a variation of 25psi between cylinders. Normally if I park on an incline I have it in 2nd (1st is granny) and park brake on. Park brake needs adjustment and in the past few weeks it has rolled back in gear a little bit.

I wasn't really planning on running synthetic but my friend does in his 93 ranger I4 and it lasted him over 350k before he put a rod through it. Maybe I'll make the change. Before I do that, and this also isn't helping with oil consumption. I need a new valve cover gasket and rear main seal as well. And Ted you are probably right about it idling a lot.

Cody

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Old truck: 82 D150 225, 2bbl, dutra duals, 2.5" straight pipe to dual 2.5" tail pipes. Mud tires, 4spd, old forest service truck.
Current truck: 98.5 Ram 2500 ccsb, sport, 24v cummins, 5spd, 4.5" lift, 35's, 5" straight pipe.

for <$20 (no, the head don't have to come off but you do hafta have access to an air compressor) change the valveguide seals, and see if the fouled plugs problem goes away; if your carb is somehow running rich (dont see it happening, with that known bad intake gasket; but I can't see your truck from Illinois either) but that could cause fouling as well; your compression numbers dont look that bad; though yes the oil rings could be clogged up, while the compression rings do their job)

but 1) new valveguide seals
2) new intake gasket
then 3) verify the carb is in fact working as it should and tweak it out, for best performance (fix if not); and
4) make sure the PCV system is working as it is supposed to (no carbon clogged vacuum nipples or hose, good breather element and PCV valve
then drive it a while and see what happens.

Thanks volaredon. I was planning On getting a complete gasket kit with valve guide seals when I have the money. I can use my friends shop at his house and we could probably change all the gaskets and seals along with new head bolts and an oil change in a weekend. If I had another car I could use, I'd port and polish the head while it was off and just leave it over there for a little longer and maybe get some painting done.

Cody

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Old truck: 82 D150 225, 2bbl, dutra duals, 2.5" straight pipe to dual 2.5" tail pipes. Mud tires, 4spd, old forest service truck.
Current truck: 98.5 Ram 2500 ccsb, sport, 24v cummins, 5spd, 4.5" lift, 35's, 5" straight pipe.

Ted, it's not a peanut plug head.

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Old truck: 82 D150 225, 2bbl, dutra duals, 2.5" straight pipe to dual 2.5" tail pipes. Mud tires, 4spd, old forest service truck.
Current truck: 98.5 Ram 2500 ccsb, sport, 24v cummins, 5spd, 4.5" lift, 35's, 5" straight pipe.

for <$20 (no, the head don't have to come off but you do hafta have access to an air compressor) change the valveguide seals, and see if the fouled plugs problem goes away; if your carb is somehow running rich (dont see it happening, with that known bad intake gasket; but I can't see your truck from Illinois either) but that could cause fouling as well; your compression numbers dont look that bad; though yes the oil rings could be clogged up, while the compression rings do their job)

With piston down put a bunch of small cord into the sparkplug hole leaving enough hanging out to be able to remove. the cord will hold the valve closed as you roll engine towards the upper part of the stroke, to remove cord roll engine backwards to remove pressure on cord.


Richard

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

the base compression numbers that you show are low,, but not completely off the map,, to determine if the issue is piston rings,, did you do the test where you add a couple of oz. of oil to the combustion chamber, crank it a few times to distribute then re-check? If the pressures on the second test are higher, it is likely piston rings, if not the issue is likely valves..
and
I have never used it,, but the mix that Slant Six Dan has is probably good for a "slugded up " motor. If you want to loosen up carbon stuck rings I have had good results with putting together a mix of 50% light engine oil (5 w 30) and 50% transmission fluid,and using a pump oil can and a piece of tubing, completely filling the cylinders / combustion chambers through the spark plug hole. Plan to let the vehicle sit for a day or two,, remove the oil plan drain plug as the solution will eventually leak by the rings..As time allows do a couple of cycles of re filling the cylinders through the spark plug hole. You can spin the motor over between re-fils ( with the spark plugs out) but Always give it time to drain down first.
1) re-fill the crankcase with clean engine oil, 2) crank the engine with the spark plugs out,, just bump it a few times initially, 3) re place the spark plugs, 4) start , when the smoke clears, see if you have better ring sealing.
If this does not help, then the rings are worn and not just stuck.

by the way,,the single biggest performance improver to date on my 83 D-150 was removing the lean burn.


and Ross,, you say its not a peanut head,, an 82 should be, if its not, it may not be the original crankcase and maybe more than the 82 K miles...

I'll do a leak down test when I can. I read a post on here that 75-79 had peanut plug heads so I assumed mine didn't. What does a peanut plug head look like?

Cody

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Old truck: 82 D150 225, 2bbl, dutra duals, 2.5" straight pipe to dual 2.5" tail pipes. Mud tires, 4spd, old forest service truck.
Current truck: 98.5 Ram 2500 ccsb, sport, 24v cummins, 5spd, 4.5" lift, 35's, 5" straight pipe.

It will not have the sparkplug tubes.

Richard

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Ok then it is a Peanut head. Thanks Fopar

Cody

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Old truck: 82 D150 225, 2bbl, dutra duals, 2.5" straight pipe to dual 2.5" tail pipes. Mud tires, 4spd, old forest service truck.
Current truck: 98.5 Ram 2500 ccsb, sport, 24v cummins, 5spd, 4.5" lift, 35's, 5" straight pipe.