Vanning.com logo
Boxdin
Site Navigation


Advertisements
Recent Posts
Good day
by lukester - March 28th 2024 12:26 pm
Crazy mods
by MufflerMan Mike - March 28th 2024 9:38 am
Lew Greger
by MufflerMan Mike - March 27th 2024 5:15 pm
1987 G20 Gypsy
by SDMickey - March 25th 2024 9:39 pm
Featured Links


Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 5 of 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Re: Steam out the tailpipe
Reed #532865 January 25th 2012 1:05 am
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 162
A
Altosax Offline OP
member
OP Offline
member
A
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 162
Originally Posted by Reed
It looks fine to me. Fix the belt, check the coolant level, and take it for a test drive.


Thanks, I will.

Re: Steam out the tailpipe
Altosax #533283 January 26th 2012 11:26 am
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 28,125
Madman!
Offline
Madman!
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 28,125
It's hard to tell from your picture of the plug, but it looks to have some deposits on it. Like Phoenix stated a new set of plugs would help diagnose a bit better as your plugs may have deposits from previous issues you had while getting the new engine fired up and running properly.

If you can't afford to buy a new set of plugs right now, take a scotch brite or a piece of steel wool to each one and clean it off (out) with carb cleaner.

This chart will help you to read your plug condition.

With this being a new engine I recommend pressure testing it as opposed to running it as if you are leaking coolant into the cylinders, it may wash the oil off the cylinder walls and cause ring failure.

Your local AutoZone (maybe other stores as well) should have pressure testers to borrow.


Ken Schwarz
Tricky Truckers, N.J.
Van Clan Plus One, Canada
Manse Vans, Finland
Rebel Vanners, N.J. "USA"
Toopa Sinner Tribe, N.C.

www.showvans.com

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/360991

[Linked Image]

"Coolness ALWAYS trumps comfort"
Re: Steam out the tailpipe
Altosax #533295 January 26th 2012 12:12 pm
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,772
pooh-bah
Offline
pooh-bah
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,772
Originally Posted by Altosax
Hey Dr. Bob - You remember the lever to advance "spark" on the steering column? The throttle you could set on the dash? Did you ride in the rumble seat? I sure did, and not in no parade either!


I remember riding in the back window of my Fathers Dusenburg.


The only Stephentown on earth.
I don't mind Coming to work,
but that 8hr wait to go home is a bitch.
No matter how little I do,
I always feel I could do less.
"The only thing wrong with a perfect drive to work is that you
end up at work."
NOVA VANS
1990 Dodge B150
Re: Steam out the tailpipe
Reed #533456 January 26th 2012 7:48 pm
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 162
A
Altosax Offline OP
member
OP Offline
member
A
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 162
Originally Posted by Reed
It looks fine to me. Fix the belt, check the coolant level, and take it for a test drive.


Put a tad more torque on 2 front intake bolts and also on cyl head bolts that steamy side...no more steam. Running manners are promising if not yet butter smooth. No visible tailpipe emmissions or stinks at all! Road tested about 1/2 hr just around town, though I did do a couple runs up to 45 mph and above with kickdowns at a couple diff speeds - has partial KD, I am sure as I did not floor it to KD.
Got pops out the carb twice while under a load - but not every time, just the twice. I think I am at only about 5 BTC so I have some room to advance there. Whew and yay, but mostly whew. Thank you.

Think I at least have a slight ignition miss as vac gauge bounces intemittently also engine surges or searches in some loads and acts lean...or rich in others. Not too far out of the ballpark though.

After it cools I will pull some plugs and see what they look like. Thanks for the support here.

Now there's this pair of headers I saw on a Dodge van at the JY yesterday, hmmm...

Road test today...
[Linked Image]

Last edited by Altosax; January 26th 2012 7:49 pm.
Re: Steam out the tailpipe
Altosax #533464 January 26th 2012 8:38 pm
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,107
Likes: 37
Maniac
Offline
Maniac
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,107
Likes: 37
Cool! At least there isn't any pinging. The pops out of the carb and the fluttering vacuum gauge combined with the steam disappearing after torquing down the intake suggest to me that your intake manifold *may* be warped causing an intermittent vacuum leak. For years before I knew better I would torque aftermarket aluminum intakes down to the same torque spec as the factory cast iron intake. I never had a problem with the intake leaking. You might try loosening all the intake bolts and torquing the intake down to 35 ft-lbs in the proper torque sequence.

You should also double check the distributor vacuum advance pod and the carb vacuum choke pulloff pod and see if they still hold a vacuum. These are two often overlooked sources of vacuum leaks.

Cool beans about the kickdown! PT kickdown is a nice feature.

An HEI swap often cures ignition misses. ;)


Windows- they're what make a van worth owning!
Re: Steam out the tailpipe
Altosax #544707 March 02nd 2012 8:39 pm
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 162
A
Altosax Offline OP
member
OP Offline
member
A
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 162
OK now...A little more torque on intake bolt near #1 reduced steam to zilch, or close to.

Has been running pretty good while attending to electrical issues, maybe 60 or so miles total.

But: After a 12 mile outing on weekend I thought it had lost some smoothness to engine. Pulled plugs today and all seem MUCH too clean...and #2 had definite moisture. I think the plugs are getting "washed".

Is it common to need to re-torque head bolts after a couple heating cycles? Maybe I am not getting the block to head seal I need. I re-torqued all intake bolts today.

Gotta road test again. So do cyl head bolts often need re-torque? Thanks.

Re: Steam out the tailpipe
Altosax #544803 March 03rd 2012 3:36 am
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,107
Likes: 37
Maniac
Offline
Maniac
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,107
Likes: 37
I forget- do you have a vacuum gauge? What is you vacuum reading at idle? I would suspect lean running due to a vacuum leak or fuel mixture being off form a carb adjustment before steak cleaning the plugs. WHen you say #2 had moisture, could it have been gas?


Windows- they're what make a van worth owning!
Re: Steam out the tailpipe
Altosax #544806 March 03rd 2012 4:14 am
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 42
W
veteran
Offline
veteran
W
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 42
I would monitor the level of overflow bottle( if installed).

If you continue to lose coolant, whichever cylinder(s) are affected, are being scrubbed by steam, meaning less lubrication for the rings and cylinder bore.

Not something that additives or plain old hope can fix.

I would buy a coolant tester and see if hydrocarbons are present in the coolant, and make a decision from there

Re: Steam out the tailpipe
Altosax #545396 March 05th 2012 10:54 am
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 868
Likes: 2
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 868
Likes: 2
Usually it is a good idea with standard head gaskets (stock style) to retorque after a good couple heating cycles. I'd maybe even back off the intake manifold bolts a little while you do this then retorque the intake manifold bolts after the heads are retorqued. Good luck! smile


1972 Dodge Van "Tigerlilly" - Blazing Copper/Sandstone Metallic - 3850 lbs empty
13.47 @ 97.53 mph N/A - 11.94 @ 113.33 mph N2O - old 360/727 + Nitrous (N2O)combo
Viper V10 + 4L80E conversion in progress...

2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 "Leelu" - TorRed - 6.1L Hemi/6 speed - Supercharged - SOLD

1990 Celica Alltrac "Emma" - 2.0L 4cyl Turbo AWD - 327awhp - 21-22mpg freeway, 17-ish mixed daily use - 13.2 @ 108 best so far.

2007 Chrysler 300C SRT8 "Ruby Rod" - 6.1L Hemi - pretty much bone stock driver - With 425hp
Page 5 of 6 1 2 3 4 5 6

Moderated by  Astro, Ram4ever 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Donate


Upcoming Events
discovery
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 17 guests, and 6 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
TheDrunkenGunsmith, Jac, LOVclassics, ZenMuffin, Milkman530
12724 Registered Users
Top Posters (30 Days)
SDMickey 129
CatFish 25
frscke1 25
Wedgy 21
Forum Statistics
Forums68
Topics35,746
Posts537,916
Members12,725
Most Online177
May 8th, 2013

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4