Here are some pics, any comments, as in anything look bad?

 

another one.

 

to me that looks like your running rich or the rings arent sealing very good...the first pics of the chambers....the first cylinder on the left looks like its a little lean but the next 3 look about normal...but the 2nd pic with the pistons looks a little rough...

how do your plugs look?

 

Well, most plugs look ok, but one looked like it wasn't even firing, I'd say 75% of it looked clean, with a tad of black. But I'm not sure if that was the cylinder it was off of. My ignition is pretty new, new wires, 12k miles on dist, plugs had about 5k miles on em.

 

That #1 or #8 (far left in the 1st pic) was getting water in it.

The rest look perfectly normal.

 

Is it possible coolant was leaking into that cylnder? That can clean your parts!

 

Shouldn't have been, though some may have gotten in there when the heads were pulled off, tried not to let any.

 

It was leaking in, it wouldn't matter if it got in when the heads were off.

 

Water huh, was this due to a bad head gasket? Would any performance be lost because of this. Any piston damage?

 

looks like water got to your cylinder like mentioned above (hence the valves looking so clean. It could have been a blown head gasket. As for performance......maybe so, especially since you would have compression bleedoff as a by product. Pistons will be fine. Does that piston look clean also?? most likely will.

 

Oh, forgot till now, I did spray some water down in the engine 2 weeks ago. Think that was the cause?


Hmm, not sure, I'll have my bro take a look, I'm back at college, I thought they were all dark, not clean.

Oh,if water was getting in, wouldn't antifreeze, causing smoke? I got no smoke??

 

Coolant leaking/seaping into that cylinder is correct. Besure to have the heads Mag checked for cracks. Those are the light weight casting cylinder heads. They have a reputation for cracking...

 

read my above reply, I edited it.

 

Yeah coolant leak it luteraly steam cleans the chamber like the picture. I t doesnt take much coolant to do it either. Did you ever notice the slightest hesitation any time but intermittent, well this is the cause. More than likely you might want to have the heads shave for an true surface.

 

I've had a bad hesitation off the line for awhile, thought it was carb related.

 

I know the feeling I have a 1993 Mercury Cougar with the 3.8 v-6 always hesitated when taking off then oneday she crapped out your lucky I had to have the heads milled. I know I know its a FORD but the same principle apply water fuel and spark dont mix. I bet your ET's and 0-60 will be much better running on and not seven when she is fixed

 

well, I'm gettin new heads, Sportsman IIs, new 650DP carb, and new Hooker 2055 headers, if it don't run right after this, I'm goin to cry.

Oh, and I own a Ford too, nothin wrong with it, 90 Stang 30mpg.


makes modding the IROC possible.

 

Mark, how many miles have you put on that engine?
If I remember correctly its fairly new, but it seems like you got alot of carbon build up on the pistons.

 

About 12k miles.

 

Its that good ole nasty unleaded in the mid atlantic states plus it does look like he was running a little rich ok maybe a lot rich

 

that one piston was scraped to see if it had any # on it.

 

Man Mark that is a lot of Carbon for 12K I took my 305 with over 100,000 and it didnt look that bad. You very well could of had a carb problem as well.

The gas is still nasty there lol

 

BTW Mark.......

Those are cast stock, dished pistons to answer your question on the other thread.

AJ

 

That wasn't a water leak. That was just the only one that was burning half good. the rest are way too rich.

When you get a water leak that cylinder will be real clean.
that is nothing. Inspect your head gasket. If there was a problem you will see it.

Did you ever overheat the motor?

Mark how thick is the head gasket? Rotate the motor to bring the piston to the top (TDC) and see how far down the piston is in the bore.

Were going to have to help ya tune a carb, cause that is real rich.

 

When I first got the motor within the first 2k miles or so, the motor did run rather warm a few times it got to 240*.

 

I kinda like that day glow green thing you got goin on there in the pics too.

 

Gees Eh 240*.... And any wonder why SOME PEOPLE
have trouble with factory head gaskets ........

 

yeah, I didn't like it runnin that hot either, I later found out it was due to my small crank pulley I had on there.

 

Thats a ton of carbon build up for 12K

 

I was burning oil in my car due to o-rings starting to give on the pistons, but when I pulled the heads, they didn't look that bad. Yeah some carbon build up, but not sludge thick.

From my guess is you were running rich. The others look steam cleaned. Steam cleaning does wonders. I use that concept to clean my headers if I spill oil on them, I get them real hot then spray with some light water, instant steam and instant clean...

 

Well, that one may look worse, because I took those pics after WD-40 was sprayed into the cylinder.

 

Hey Mark, tell your brother to drain the coolant before he removes stuff, that way it won't drain into your lifter valley and oil pan

 

Hey Mark,

Why are you going with a DP carb? Aren't you supposed to get a VS carb with an automatic tranny and DP with a manual? I know you have an auto because I remember you have the B&M T-handled autoshifter.

EDIT: I made 100 posts today!

 

We did try to let it drain out the heads best we could so no coolant would get down there. We soaked up all we could with rags to, after the pics.

 

well, technically, you can use a DP, but you can't just mash the gas, it takes some skill. My brother has had numerous auto/DP combos, and said to go with it.

And others have told me the same on here.

 

Ive talked to some people and they say double pumpers work great with automatics....

Mark...my 305 with 113k looked a tad worse than that....pull a valve and see how much buildup is on there because your motor looks pretty nasty for 12k miles.

You need to figure out whats up with that motor mark....16 second quater on an engine that supposedly comes with 250hp + the cam...check your cat maybe its fried?

 

I was just wondering, since everyone on the carb boards and the tech articles say that for autos you should use the vacuum secondary carb and for manuals to use mech. secondaries.

I guess that's more for swappers who are switching from FI to carb and have no experience with driving carb motors.

 

actually, also DP can have vac secondaries too.

 

I thought double pumpers were mech. secondaries. I learn something new everyday....

 

actually 15.49 thank you.

 

There is no such thing as a DP with VS

 

Yeah they do.

 

*looks in to crystal ball* i see some world heads in the near future*

DABE

 

My bad mark...something is still wrong...some stock LO3s have turned those times...you cant tell me something isnt up. Get those new heads on there and report back to us ASAP.

 

The first cylinder, way too clean. Probably water getting in there.
Second, a little rich.
Third looks ok.
Fourth is without question running rich.

Carbon buildup looks ok to me, nothing totally out of the ordinary. I've seen MUCH worse.