[joshbarnett]

I noticed that when the rad is under pressure, there is a small leak of coolant right here:

So it's not where the flare nut from the ATF line threads on, but rather around the base of the biggen nut that, assume, threads into the rad body. That seems mighty close to the where the ATF is. How do I check if that ATF container inside isn't letting in coolant?

 

[joshbarnett]

Am I crazy or is my harmonic balancer puller not designed for this specific harmonic balancer?

It would appear I need this tool instead right?

Thorstone 46pcs Harmonic Balancer Puller Set, Steering Wheel Flywheel Crankshaft Pulley Puller

Buy Thorstone 46pcs Harmonic Balancer Puller Set, Steering Wheel Flywheel Crankshaft Pulley Puller at Amazon. Customer reviews and photos may be available to help you make the right purchase decision!

www.amazon.com

 

[Eduramac]

I noticed that when the rad is under pressure, there is a small leak of coolant right here:
View attachment 628618

So it's not where the flare nut from the ATF line threads on, but rather around the base of the biggen nut that, assume, threads into the rad body. That seems mighty close to the where the ATF is. How do I check if that ATF container inside isn't letting in coolant?

If it was your trans fluid would be turning pink.

 

[ericnova72]

Am I crazy or is my harmonic balancer puller not designed for this specific harmonic balancer?
View attachment 628619

It would appear I need this tool instead right?

Thorstone 46pcs Harmonic Balancer Puller Set, Steering Wheel Flywheel Crankshaft Pulley Puller

Buy Thorstone 46pcs Harmonic Balancer Puller Set, Steering Wheel Flywheel Crankshaft Pulley Puller at Amazon. Customer reviews and photos may be available to help you make the right purchase decision!

www.amazon.com

That is correct, the three finger puller is not the right style puller.
You need the style in the kit you linked from Amazon.

 

[joshbarnett]

The new cam has some kind of powder coating on the lobes in sharp contrast to the picture on the box. Also I don't think I have ever seen black cam lobes on a cam pulled from an engine on YouTube. Shouldn't they be polished? Is this something to be concerned about?

 

[johnsongrass1]

It's a normal and part of the treating process. It's formal common name is Parkerizing, a Phosphate coating. Leave it be.

 

[ericnova72]

The picture on the box, all shiny....is a roller cam.
Different material, different wear properties, different finish.

On a flat tappet cam, the only thing polished is the bearing journals.

 

[joshbarnett]

Had to shut her down for the night, but started removing the intake and couldn't help noticing a preponderance of some weird debris inside the bolts holes that go around the coolant passage ports:

What the heck is that? The other bolts deeper afield don't have this issue. Is this rust or what? Looks like dirt. I actually had to stop and vacuum a bunch of it up so as no to drop it in later when I take the intake off.

 

[johnsongrass1]

Might have very well hydraulics the bolts so they were tight enough.
Either way, it fudged the torque. Buy or make yourself a thread chaser.

 

[ericnova72]

Looks like " head gasket in a can" , some kind of pour-in cooling system sealer with sodium silicate in it??
If you find it elsewhere in the cooling system it will confirm.

 

[2001Blazer4x4]

Those bolt holes on the 2 ends of each head go through the head and into coolant. I'm not speaking about exactly what the material is, but obviously for whatever reason there is a leak that deposited the material. It's good form to use liquid teflon sealer on the (cleaned) threads of any bolt that goes into the coolant (usually just do all intake and head bolts with sealer so torque is even). Wire brush the bolt threads and chase the threads in the bolt hole (removes any old sealer as well as junk).

https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-80633-Thread-Sealant-PTFE/dp/B000HBM49W?th=1

 

[joshbarnett]

Those bolt holes on the 2 ends of each head go through the head and into coolant. I'm not speaking about exactly what the material is, but obviously for whatever reason there is a leak that deposited the material. It's good form to use liquid teflon sealer on the (cleaned) threads of any bolt that goes into the coolant (usually just do all intake and head bolts with sealer so torque is even). Wire brush the bolt threads and chase the threads in the bolt hole (removes any old sealer as well as junk).

https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-80633-Thread-Sealant-PTFE/dp/B000HBM49W?th=1

Why not just use a standard teflon tape? Doesn't it accomplish the same thing without crumbling all over the place?

 

[95 Truck]

Josh you do not need to buy a harmonic balancer puller, AutoZone will loan you one no charge.

White crud on intake bolts is old coolant that's been heated and baked over the years.

For intake bolts keep them in order, some intake bolts go straight thru the head and could make contact with the push rod, so make sure to keep them in order.

 

[joshbarnett]

Well, gentlemen, I don't see any evidence of a coolant leak here:

It seems I am stuck on the horns of a dilemma. Pull the heads or not. My gut is telling me that pulling the heads WILL NOT reveal anything obvious. It's likely going to be a bunch of work for very little result. I will probably just end up changing the head gaskets and hope for the best. I do think that if there was an actual head gasket rupture, the pressure test would have revealed it.

There is something else I noticed though. Based on this doc, the head bolts have to be torqued to 70 ft/lb. I tested a few bolts in the middle of both heads and they were not even close to 70 fb/lb. I'm really tempted to just retorque the head bolts, add some K-Seal to the coolant and cross my fingers. Well, and, obviously swap the cam, cuz that's why I'm digging in there in the first place. What do yall think?

 

[AutoGear]

Why not just use a standard teflon tape? Doesn't it accomplish the same thing without crumbling all over the place?

liquid plumbers dope (the white ptfe [teflon] goo) has the correct coefficient of friction to give an accurate torque reading. Tape does not. Oil does, but wont seal. dry does not and also won't seal.
Use either Bogie's recco or the teflon paste. Or spend the money for ARP branded goo...but its probably the same white stuff that ACE hardware sells.

 

[2001Blazer4x4]

Well, gentlemen, I don't see any evidence of a coolant leak here:

View attachment 628639 View attachment 628640

It seems I am stuck on the horns of a dilemma. Pull the heads or not. My gut is telling me that pulling the heads WILL NOT reveal anything obvious. It's likely going to be a bunch of work for very little result. I will probably just end up changing the head gaskets and hope for the best. I do think that if there was an actual head gasket rupture, the pressure test would have revealed it.

There is something else I noticed though. Based on this doc, the head bolts have to be torqued to 70 ft/lb. I tested a few bolts in the middle of both heads and they were not even close to 70 fb/lb. I'm really tempted to just retorque the head bolts, add some K-Seal to the coolant and cross my fingers. Well, and, obviously swap the cam, cuz that's why I'm digging in there in the first place. What do yall think?

Pressure test may or may not show anything at all with a head gasket - you are giving the pressure test way more creedence than it deserves. It's impossible for you to simulate a running engine. Nix on any kind of sealer in the coolant. You shouldn't re-torque heads at this point.

Replace the head gaskets (use composition type head gaskets that do not require re-torquing), clean head bolt hole and head bolt threads, and look for cracks especially on cylinder #5. Check head surface straightness. Go back together with liquid teflon sealer as advised by others.

I'm curious. are the bottom of the bolt holes under the end intake bolts open to cooling passages, or are they just plugged up with gunk? See if you can stick a small screwdriver through the bottom of the bolt hole. Does any one know if these are blind holes on Dart Iron Eagles? If so, where did the gunk along the intake bolts come from.

Maybe you found out why the vehicle was sold? Maybe they already tried the pour sealer in the coolant? Stranger things have happened.

 

[joshbarnett]

It would appear that the Thumpr cam I had was on its way out anyway. Glad I'm swapping it. Check this out.

New video by Zarif Alimov

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[2001Blazer4x4]

Now the question becomes are you going to do a complete teardown and cleanup of the metal particles that have been circulating in your engine. Sorry.

Considering what these vehicles are worth, you might consider having a machine shop go through the short block and put the rest together yourself.

 

[ericnova72]

Your video is the classis result of flat tappet cam not making it through break in, those lobes are whipped

 

[joshbarnett]

Now the question becomes are you going to do a complete teardown and cleanup of the metal particles that have been circulating in your engine. Sorry.

Considering what these vehicles are worth, you might consider having a machine shop go through the short block and put the rest together yourself.

I will consider it. Sucks that a turnaround time for a good machine shop is going to be like 2 months. And I hate waiting. I hate waiting more than I hate doing things over.