Chris_1

iTrader: (1)

If you're sure it's not the thermostat housing or the rad hoses, it's probably the water pump or the timing cover gasket.
Sometimes a plugged pcv system can make the rear main leak, but quite often it's leaking down from the rocker cover gaskets.
Snugging up the r/c bolts and the oil pan bolts (just snug them, don't break them off) can really slow down oil leakage. Sometimes that will stop it.
But if you did need a rear main seal (that's not nearly as common as people think) and a timing cover gasket and water pump, that's still a whole lot cheaper than a new motor.
You did say that your motor ran really well ?

ericantonio

Couple of things.
1. Yes!! Motor runs good! I even bought a pressure tool and gave me good pressure. Actually, I think it was a vacuum pressure tool and I saw a youtube vid and it should be at a certain amount and jump to another amount when you blip the accelerator. So it was a good cheap test and it was right on the money according to that vid

2. Can't believe my luck! Funny, my next door neighbor works at Oreilly Auto and his mechanic friend was fixing a radiator leek in the car port! He looked at mine and said "ohh, that most likely is a water pump leak or the timing gasket. Exactly what you said!!

3. He said he can do it with the pump at a very affordable price. It was pretty cool cause we have a lot of mobile mechanics here in SoCal that advertise a lot and I parked right next to his pickup and I said "wow, that's a lot of good tools in there!". And it was his. And he said that he actually specializes in small block Fords. Very cool

4. I'm ONLY thinking of new/rebuilt engine cause when I accelerate, I hear tak-tak-tak-tak-tak when accelerating. When he fixes my pump, I'll take him for a drive and see what he thinks about it.

It'll be great if I can get than main seal fixed as well. I just picked up some Purple cleaner and I'll see if I can clean the bottom of that thing. So full of old oil. Then I'll be really able to see where that oil leak is coming from. There does seem like a gap where the engine meets the trans. Funny there's no bolt at the 6 oclock position, just 2 at the ends.

This picture is NOT MINE BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT.
It's not as bad as this pic, but I do have a coolant behind that round piece:

https://i.stack.imgur.com/Y0FH0.jpg

ericantonio

BTW, just focusing on the coolant leak for now.

You think it's worth the price to get a more expensive Motorcraft part? Or have you or anyone you know experience with other brands like Airtex or GMB that I'm seeing online?

Since I'm down there, I see 3 outlets for hoses. I'm pretty sure one is called bypass hose, the lower one will be the lower radiator hose, what is that 3rd hose called? Just wondering if I should replace those as well.

BLDTruth

IF it is a timing cover leak, then plan ahead and replace the timing chain and oil pan gasket too.

I learned the hard way when replacing the timing cover gasket on my sisters Taurus that you should most definitely change the oil pan gasket too if you care about your vehicle. I lucked out and was able to save it, but I would never do it again without dropping the pan and replacing it. At least on a vehicle I cared about lasting.

If you are doing the job yourself, I cannot recommend highly enough purchasing a new timing cover and water pump from rockauto. They are cheap and you will spend no time at all scraping old gaskets and hating your life. It would also be a good time to take a long hard look at your radiator if it needs replacement or upgrade, because removing it will make your life a lot easier to work on it.

Rear main is a totally different animal.

EDIT - also I use Gates brand for aftermarket parts like belts and pulleys - no reason to spend $150 on a water pump.

Chris_1

iTrader: (1)

You can change the t/c without doing the oilpan of course, but a really good thing bldtruth mentioned there - have a timing cover waiting - either a replacement that's all cleaned up or a new one.
2 reasons; quite often the bolts are stuck in the aluminum and the only way to get it off is break it (another set of bolts is good too) AND -
If you're paying someone to do some work for you, you don't need to be paying him to scrape gaskets.
Having him slip a new timing chain and gears on there is a really good idea too (BLD again). If you think a tuneup woke the old engine up, wait'll you see what a new timing chain does for it.

ericantonio

BLD/Chris,
You guys have no idea how much help you've given me in the past and now as well. Thank you guys for your wise wisdom. I wish I can give you guys a virtual cervesa from down here in SoCal.

So what I'm reading, is this, tell me if I got this wrong:
1. Timing chain is behind the water pump
2. Water Pump is probably leaking somewhere, good to replace, not that expensive (unless you think it's worth the Motorcraft parts)
3. Yes, I'm paying someone for it, so I should negotiate on installing the timing chain.
4. Give him water pump, timing chain, gaskets and a new timing chain cover (should I order new timing bolts?) so he doesn't need to scrape scrape scrape. How about scraping on the engine block?

I have an XT and I see, from Rock Auto, XLT type that looks like the bigger sprocket is a double sprocket? I don't think I need that right? Not building a race truck, just a go getter.

So, with that in mind, how would you think I should word my negotiation? Since I'm looking to you guys as a type of mechanical mentorship, I thought I'd ask.

Something like "well, let's negotiate on the price or some added work for that price you gave me. I'll give you a brand new timing chain, timing cover, and gasket, since you are removing the water pump, might as well remove the cover and timing chain and add a new one".

Trouble is, I have NO IDEA how much work is involved installing a new chain. Doesn't it have to be in a some type of certain position to the BDC? Is that a lot of work for the person?

BTW, I took my GF Civic for a rotors at his place and his garage at home is legit. 2 engines he's working on on a stand, wall to wall tools, and VERY VERY CLEAN. No oily mess on the floors. I love clean mechanics like that. And those 2 engines were clean. He's putting one on an El Camino.

ericantonio

BTW, does the sound of a slack timing chain sound like a rattle can? When I accelerate, sounds like a a paint can rattling until I get to like 50 and I'm cruising 50 and above.

BLDTruth

That sounds like the timing could be off - I recently had a pinging problem that I could not resolve until I got ahold of a timing chain and found out I was at 14 below TDC instead of the 10. Changed it to 10 and now it's fine. If your timing chain is loose, it will have a hard time holding it at its mark. It could be valve chatter - you might want to figure out what that is first before you start pulling your engine apart

ericantonio

I've done the timing a couple of times. I thought my distributor was a little loose and it would spin but man it was tight. So I timed it again to 10. It would idle really good then eventually get that rattle/ping sounds.

Truck has 230K measly miles on it and I have no idea what's been done. I $40 timing chain I think is worth the investment.

Thanks for breaking down how to price this. Really thank you!!!

ericantonio

So mechanic said "okay, IF the bolts aren't seized and I don't have to get someone to redrill it, and everything goes fine, the labor for the pump and timing chain will be about $500-$550." Hopefully nothing is seized, broken, or anything like that.

(h20 pump only probably like $350 he said, if those bolts don't break off and he has to do extra work).

I will provide the parts.

He had some things to say:

1. Get a cast iron water pump, he said the way different metals bond with the coolant...it'll someone leak cause of it. Up to 2 amps, I think he said when they mate and creates an electrical current.

2. The corner oil pan gaskets, when the timing cover comes off, needs to have sealant and then gasket, and he likes to make sure they dry all day and bond well or else it may leak.

3. The way I described the rattle, it does sound like a timing chain but he'd have to drive it around for a bit. But he did say yeah, good idea to change both cause they will be all out. He said at that mileage, and don't really know when it was changed, he can almost guarantee that it'll be slack.

4. I probably need another tune up with a new timing chain he said, it's not just plug and play. Depending on how old the plugs/wires/distributor are, the timing will be off and he'll have to put it back to 10 BDC.

5. So he seems to know what he's doing.


Does this sound like a good price? I know I'm in expensive southern california.