A smokin engine...

[GentleRF]

Well, on the way to a camping weekend with the niece wife and dog when coming out of peasely canyon on SR 18 near Auburn, the engine decided to start running rough and spew white smoke. Barely made it to the Auburn way exit and it stopped just before the end of the off ramp. Would not restart. Got to scratching my head a bit and think I might have blown the head gasket. It finally was able to start and run long enough to get a hundred feet to a little parking area. Had fun trying to negotiate the funds to get towed home from my church. Now the fun really begins.

The 2.3 is in sad shape. Tying to find a replacement for the '86-'87 vintage is not on my favorite things to be trying. Especially since Fred was my daily driver. At least I have two other projects to finish. A jeep 360 CID water pump and a VW throw out bearing reset. The VW is coming first. Too bad there are no generous souls with a 2.3 for an '86 sitting in their garage waiting to bring Fred back to life.

Enough of my tale of woe, so I return you to the normal RangerStation mayhem.

 

[GentleRF]

Would there be anyone local to Bremerton with a loaner for a week?

 

[Mark_88]

I'd hope it would just be the head gasket and not a break in one of the cylinder walls. You can remove the head fairly easily on these if you haven't done one yet. 10 bolts (that you can reuse on that year engine) on the head itself...8 on the intake and 8 or 10 on the exhaust side...and, of course, 10 on the valve cover to get at the head bolts.

The gaskets are fairly inexpensive also...mine was $50 I think for the head gasket and the valve cover should be replace also...the head gasket also includes an intake gasket if you buy the set as well as something for the throttle body (which you shouldn't have to disassemble).

The blue rubber VC gaskets are reusable...but almost three times as much as the cork version...

Anyway, sorry, not in your area or I'd offer a lift anyways...keep praying and God will provide you with the funds needed to finish the task...^j^