Roy's Garage: '90 2.4-4G64 5-spd D-50

[royster]

Thanks, meandmit: I didn't know if I was just annoying people or talking to myself.

Those of us who primarily want to be able to keep our little trucks running are hard-pressed for good answers, and often for the simplest questions.

It is my hope that my foibles will help the newcomer...which I am...and answer some hard-to-find questions. Like using a valve spring compresser.

I haven't used one since high school. Gawd those were nice, compared to the $20 device most of us bought. Visions of The Simpson's "Lenny" come to mind with springs lodged in his eye. Trying to get the darn thing to clamp takes some figuring out. There is no good video on YouTube for the process.

What I found is you need to cork-screw the tool onto the spirng and turn until it's tight. Then turn the "spiggot" handle until the spring is compressed as much as the tool will allow. I found that by pressing down further, the keepers were easily accessed by needle-nosed pliers. (I placed the cylinder head on the work bench with a spray can cap under the valve. Thank God I didn't have to do this while the head was still on the engine). The illustration below shows the tool I bought, as did millions of cheap bastards across the globe. They DO work, but you need to work with them: they don't do the job FOR you, as the illustration deceptively suggests.
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BECAUSE this tool is such a pain, I suggest doing one valve at a time for the complete job of valve seal replacement: this allows you to leave the spring compressed instead of having to compress it later...plus, you won't scatter and mix up parts.

While the valve was free, I did a number of tests on it to assure it's bent. I removed carbon deposits and put the valve back in it's guide, rotated it and observed any variations and resistances. The variations are very subtle, but there.

A bent valve is going to play havoc with the vacuum system just as a burned valve would. The "leak test" was enough to convince me to replace the valve: that leak test was on a work bench: in service, the pressure of compression is a helluva lot more than Liquid Wrench seeping through. The "hole" (opportunistic crack) reminds me of my first wife: it both sucks and blows, very rapidly.

By the way, I DID leave the fuel injecter rail on the manifold when I removed the intake manifold. I disconnected the electrical input at the harness on the firewall, carefully rolled it up and secured it to the unit. After a careful cleaning, I set the manifold in a safe place so as not to accidentally knock it over or have visitors use it as a bong. The clips to remove the connectors at the fuel injectors are a "square horse shoe" that is difficult to get to. I'm sure there's a tool for them, too...sigh.

[royster]

Analysis From Evidence

I had suspected that ADDING TOO THICK OF AN OIL caused undue resistance on the camshaft during very cold temperatures, stressing the timing belt and causing it to strip out. Evidence shows this to be only part of the answer.

The center cam shaft bearing area has a "glob" of aluminum fused into grooves worn from any number of reasons, but suffice it to say that the oil passages in the cam shaft are very small, and thick oil (in cold weather) did not allow proper lubrication. Likely a dry spot on the bearing broke off (metal shavings in the drained oil) and fused itself into the bearing. This caused high and low points on that bearing area. (I say "area" because there are no replaceable bearings, this is the aluminum head and two-bolt hold-down machined to hold the cam shaft in place. RockAuto.com offers a bearing sleeve to repair just such damages, but that's another chapter).

This high point in the middle of the cam shaft caused even more resistance as the engine turned, making a "teeter~totter" affect. When the cam shaft is laid in the cylinder head craddle, I can move either end up and down due to the "bump" fused into the bearing area.

Very carefully scrutinizing the 2.0 cam shaft bearing holders, I can swap them to minimise the damage (and avoid ordering expensive parts) leaving me with only one damaged surface on the cylinder head, itself. I intend to use a Dremmel tool to carefully grind down the high point, then polish the surface. The cam shaft isn't damaged excessively.

This motor has 217,000 miles on it, and although these motors are pretty darned hearty, I only want to buy myself some time so I can locate a rebuildable 2.4 while this one still gives service. It is for this reason I decided not to go to the trouble and expense of replacing the water pump or oil pump: both seem to be in good service. However, I am taking the time to assure oil passages are cleaned, intake manifold and sytems are cleaned, and replacing sensors that affect the cold idle and choke: they hadn't been working since I bought the truck.

I wish I could take the time to do some gratuitous paint detail, but the days here are 40 degrees at best, 25 at night, and painting in an enclosed garage with a kerosene heater burning is about as smart as electing Sarah Palin for President. It can be done, but the results might not be satisfying.

[royster]

I'm thinking it might be because of the oil pump sprocket.. am I correct in thinking that there's a balance shaft behind it too? I was pretty sure there was 2, but not sure. I spent alot of time on the other side that has the balance shaft belt. I aligned the oil pump sprocket with its timing mark.. But that was it. Didn't think I really needed to do the next step.
http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...ull=1#post3764

can anyone tell me where exactly this bolt is? I looked on the drivers side of the engine and saw what I thought to be it back towards the starter. . . .Alright, well to answer my own question.. yes, there is a bolt back by the starter on the block. That is the access hole to the determine if the balance shaft is aligned properly. Skipping this step will only cause you headaches.

Thanks to blindeyed's posts, I was made aware of the other silent shaft access. I located the bolt and assured that's what it was. (The Chilton book mentions very little about the balance shafts, not sure how the Hayne's book measures up, but I find the book lacks in some simple areas like this. If we know, we can DO. If the feature is just shrugged off or casually mentioned, it doesn't help the beginner much).

On the passenger side of the engine it appears (gulp) the access is through a phillips screw, that I'm hoping to Gawd will come out without stripping. However it comes out, I'm going to replace it with a bolt of the same size.
[EDIT: these screws only access the bearings for the silent shaft]

I'm still working on the bench, so the block-in-truck work really hasn't started, yet. I got the 'bearing' ground down and polished pretty nicely, and successfully exchanged the 2-bolt hold down for that bearing area. I'm making sure absolutely ALL oil passages are clean.

I cleaned up the head about as good as it's going to get, and will start replacing valve seals tomorrow...good use of time while waiting for the replacement valves to arrive. I'll also order new hydrolic lifters from NAPA locally.

In the manifold and plenum, the EGR passages were really blocked, so I've taken great care to clean the passages out really good. Anal-retentive clean is what I'm aiming for in all aspects of the repair.

Before the head goes on, I'll drain the cleaning oil I had put through the motor. Once everything is assembled, I'll pour some more clean oil (10-30) around the whole assembly and crank the motor to push good oil through the passages, then drain that before the initial start up test. I think I'll be alright using straight 30 weight, unless one of you experts tell me not to.

And as was advised, I'll keep an eye on the mileage and re-torque the head at 500 miles. So all the wiring and such isn't going to get tucked neatly away, just yet.

I'm very thankful for all the information on this forum, and know how hard-earned much of it was...like blindeyed's experiences. It is my hope to present my own experiences (and that which I learned to avoid) for those coming down the road in their recently-acquired Mitsubishi trucks. I've taken pictures of many things during this process and when they're developed will post them.

[royster]

The engine compartment, note cylinder #3
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I HAVE to do a good job: I'm constantly being watched.
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Securing bolts in the order they go.
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An overhead view of the work bench. Note the small flashlight on the cylinder head: with the overhead lights off, this light reveals the high and low points by casting a shadow. Auto body work is done the same way, as is good drywall mud-work.
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Lots of cleaning to do...and lots of cleaning up getting done.
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[royster]

I was in Woodstock (Virginia) ordering hydrolic lifters from my NAPA friend. I told him that NOW I knew what he meant by those "jet ports", having just torn down a 2.0. He said what he used to do with the jet ports was to weld them shut. On the '90 with fuel injection, I don't have to worry about that.

As he has been a parts man and racing mechanic for over 30 years, I value his expertise. I asked his suggestion about preparing the hydrolic lifters for installation. He said a 50-50 mix of "Mystery Oil" or STP and transmission fluid. If possible, soak them overnight with the holes up. They will not need adjusting. It's cool to note on the 2.4 4G64 the lifters have rollers on them: there''s virtually no friction on the cam contact.

I am about done with Advanced Auto parts. And UPS: I have had orders left out on my driveway, and today the driver was in my neighbor's driveway, trying to figure out how to get off the hill in this snow, seriously pondering the most dangerous place to turn around. I asked if he had my part...(Advanced found it appropriate to send a thermostat gasket from a large order, by itself, in a ridiculously large container)...which he did. I then gave him back-woods advice as to how to get off the hill safely: there was no way he was going back the way he came. There's a road out if you continue down the hill, past my driveway. I hope he made it out okay.

RockAuto.com uses a variety of delivery services, and the valves I ordered are coming FedEx. NAPA has a warehouse not from from here, in Winchester. I'm essentially dealing directly with them, often getting next-day delivery at the store.

There are some parts you simply can't get from a supplier, any more, and you'll have to resort to making them yourself, or getting them from a junkyard. Timing belt cover seals aren't to be found. My NAPA friend said to bring the old seal/gasket in, and we can determine which material to make a new one from. This seal is important as it keeps dirt and oil off your timing belt.

[royster]

BIG Discovery

While examining the valve assembly still on the head, I found that the #4 exhaust valve seal was mid-way UP the valve stem. I had wondered WHY so much oil was at the rear of the engine, and now I have a good answer. The seal had worked its way up...faulty installation or whatever...and was letting oil go everywhere, particularly into the exhaust manifold. Therefore, every cold start included the serious smoking I had been worried about in the first place. [Thinking it was rings, I used thick oil to curtail the smoking. This caused the timing belt to strip because the camshaft couldn't move freely.] It seems lessons are learned every day, if you're really paying attention.

How else but by chaos would I have learned (and discovered) all of this?

The WAS no other way. Experience is often prompted by necessity, and necessity often comes from our mis-conceived ideas. We make mistakes in order to learn.
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The valve seals sent in this kit include 4 exhaust seals, and 4 intake "positive" seals. Both are going to take some reading up on before I am confident to make the repair.

Speak up, you experts, please: I could use some advice on installing two different types of valve seals. The "positive intake" seals have two aluminum rings around them. The exhaust seals are identical replacements. At present, I only have #1 intake valve out of the head, and its seal looks like the other 7.
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Don't know if the scan will show it, but the photograph does: #1 intake valve is out (for your orientation). The #4 exhaust valve seal can be seen higher than the others (if the scan picked it up). [edit: it did.]
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IN OTHER NEWS...
Once the parts truck was removed from the garage, I took the time to clean up real good, and also install these bargain cabinets I got for $40 from Lowe's discount aisle. Drawers and cabinet space in a garage are a real treasure.

I also laid down 2 pieces of new Luann plywood for the next project (the one underway right now).
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View of my sitting area where I read the manual and have coffee. The steps to the right lead to a small storage room behind the garage.

Note the air filter in the canister: this is a ShopVac filter from Lowe's. It takes only placing a notch in the filter bottom rubber for it to be a perfect fit in the 2.4 4G64 air filter canister.
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[royster]

IF IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT, IT PROBABLY ISN'T
No "first-wife" joke here: it's too obvious.

The valve stem seals that came with my head gasket set didn't seem right...because they aren't. Having removed the exhaust valve I posted about, I compared the replacement seal with the worn one. I even set it place, expecting to hear a "click" as it snapped over the groove designed to hold it in place. The new seal doesn't have the ring that snaps into that groove. Several "first-wife" jokes could be used here. Like, "If I used these seals, they'd just be flopping around in there, doing no good."

One problem with locating replacement seals is the illustrations that most websites offer: they do not show a cut-away view.

So tomorrow, when I go to pick up my lifters, I'll ask my NAPA guy if he has these in stock, and if not, to help me locate the right part. I'll take the two used seals with me to be sure (one intake, one exhaust).

This frikken' 'journey' is frought with all KINDS of traps and pit-falls! It makes me even more appreciative of this automotive community.

The Chilton book mentions very little about the balance shafts, not sure how the Hayne's book measures up, but I find the book lacks in some simple areas like this. If we know, we can DO. If the feature is just shrugged off or casually mentioned, it doesn't help the beginner much)

This applies to the seals, too: the book simply says to put them on. No cautions, no what-to-look-for's, no first wife jokes. "Common sense" picks up where book-smarts leave off, and so the name of this post is "If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't." So stop and take the time to figure out how to make/do it right. Force doesn't always make something work. And just "hoping it works" is a fatal flaw. [First wife joke #197]
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The book tells you that if the valve doesn't spin freely on its seat, it's probably bent or warped. In most cases, this would be true. However, the exhaust valve I removed had become stuck in position due to long-term build up of carbon from leaking oil. The wire wheel on my Dremel tool cleaned that area to the point that the vlave once again fit happily, and rotates as it should.

I am reminded the book is ONLY a guide-line: it's up to us to THINK, and to proceed with focused attention.

And it's up to us to share these insights, or the experience is no good for anyone. [First wife joke #583]

[royster]

MY BAD

The valve seals probably ARE right: #3 and 4 valve guides ARE NOT. They've worked their way back out, over time, and are fully 1/4" lower/higher (depending how you look at them) than the other valve guides. (I took pictures. When this project is finished...will it ever be?...I intend to make a clean thread with nothing but the information and photos).

So the sequence of events is: the valve guides worked their way back out from how they were installed (I assume), and in the process, dislodged the valve seals, causing enormous oil leakage.

I removed the rest of the valves, bagged and identified them seperately, and put them in a box with the cylinder head: I'll take it to my NAPA friend tomorrow and see about having valve guides replaced, and maybe the seals installed, too. I'd suppose the valve guides are hydrolically installed. At any rate, I am not qualified to replace them or pound them back in with a framing hammer :D

So at this point, for now, the repair is out of my hands. I'll go on to other tasks while waiting. Seems like everyone on this forum spends 3/4ths of their time here waiting for parts to arrive.

I also decided that since I've gone this far, I have to replace the oil pump, too. Cha-ching. But it's the right thing to do.

I can sooooo understand why these engines befuddle old guys like me, whose Ford Falcons could be fixed with a brick and cooking oil.

[pennyman1]

For the weight of motor oil to run, use 10w-30, not straight 30 weight. The straight weight oil will cause problems with lubrication when the motor is cold, especially in the winter months, causing oil starvation. The clearances on these motors are much tighter than the falcons and other american iron you have worked on in the past, so the 10w-30 is essential for proper lubrication. Don't want to see you damage the motor after all you have been through to fix it.

[royster]

Thanks, Pennyman. After this major surgery, the smoking will be minimal, and I'll feel better about using the multi-viscosity oil.

The cylinder head went out for service this morning. My NAPA parts guy says they'll likely bore a slightly larger hole in order to put new valve guides in the two ports. I went ahead and asked them to install new valve guide seals, too: I understand the procedure, and it might be a bit of a cop-out to have someone else do it, but I'm a little fed up with constant glitches...as I'm sure each and every one of you are.

Dropped of the head, picked up the hydrolic lifters.

Next phase is to conduct a really good clean up. I do this on my construction sites, too: re-group between phases. Seperate the wheat from the chaff, so's to speak. Then it's time to get the front end up on jack stands and drop the oil pan in preparation for the new oil pump. When the engine is as far as I can get it until parts arrive, I can address another issue that cropped up while the truck was still on the road: a front caliper not retracting. Front brake re-build.

[pennyman1]

Since you will have the frontend off the ground, you might want to check out the lower control arm bushings, strut rod bushings, idler arm bushings, and the frontend in general. The lower control arm and strut rod bushings are available in urethane for the same price or better than the rubber ones, and last much longer. The idler arm bushings are available from NAPA - the other bushings may be as well or on ebay.

[royster]

This is excellent advice, Pennyman. When I first got the truck, I had all that work done, including an alignment. The exhaust system was replaced from the catalytic converter back, so it was very quiet. They had trouble locating the Pitman arm but finally got it right. That truck was wonderful on the interstate, and I look forward to days when he hums once again, only with a happier heart because his arteries aren't glogged!!

[royster]

Taking a break for a while: with below-freezing temps for the next few days, getting away from the wrenches will be a good pause. Keeping the kerosene heater going 24/7 gets expensive, and right now, I think I want to live life a little bit, outside of the engine compartment.

[royster]

I'll be ordering the oil pump kit today, and the oil pan gaskets. This whole operation has made me understand the importance of oil pressure, the right oil, and not cutting corners on repairs. And replacing the oil pump is a bit of insurance: how awful to put all this sweat into the engine only to have it all ruined should the existing oil pump go bad.

Had a good chat with BradMPH last night (along with mylittleshitty and rusty bitshi) and got some encouragement. Brad assured me that these trucks will give 300,000 if the work is done right, and having gotten into the engines, I can see that. I also see that they aren't a casual hobby.

Haven't heard from the machine shop about the cylinder head (I hope for good news) but again, Brad assures me that if I have to, I CAN replace the valve guides myself. All of this experience will go to good use when I DO conduct a complete re-build. As of yet, no replies to the ads I placed: everything is frozen here in Virginia, with an expected low of minus-one degrees tomorrow night.
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EDIT: I went ahead and ordered the input bearing (by recommendation) so I'll have it on hand.
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[lush90]

It sounds like you need a wood stove so you don't have to run that kerosene heater. I'm warming up by mine as we speak, there is no more comfortable heat!

[royster]

Wood stove would be great, but too late in the season, now. There IS no better heat than a woodstove. If I had an Englander 3500 out there, I could blow heat into the garage, and not worry about paint spray or solvents exploding.

Alas, a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do.

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This is the one I have in my kitchen. http://www.englanderstoves.com/28-3500.html

[royster]

BradMPH has provided a great information resource for valve guide seals HERE.

Oil consumption is discussed HERE.

And thillskier testifies HERE about oil consumption/smoking eliminated by replacing valve guide seals.

As so many of our problems seem to be from engines smoking heavily...many of them are up to a pack-and-a-half a day ...it has been my observation that 85% of the problems can be traced to worn valve guide seals. That is definitely the case with my 2.4.

I also discovered two valve guides have slipped out of place, and in the worst location: #4 and 3 exhaust, which are at the back of the engine in the area oil gathers most when the engine is shut off. These guides slipping down caused the valve seals to dislodge and become useless. The symptom was extreme engine smoking at cold start-up. Once the engine was warmed, the smoking was minimal: an occassional cigar at worst.

If your truck is smoking, and a nicotine patch isn't working, look into replacing the valve guide seals before you panic about an expensive rebuild. They CAN be replaced while the head is still on the engine, though caution must be taken to assure valves don't slip into the cylinder when the keepers and springs are removed. The Chilton manual suggests setting the cylinder you're working on to be set at just-before TDC, the spark plug removed, and the cylinder stuffed with nylon rope. Once rope is stuffed as much as you can, turn the engine gently to TDC. The rope will support the valve while you replace the guides. After each cylder is serviced, back the engine to just-before TDC and remove the rope. (See the book or ask here if this suggestion isn't clear).

[royster]

I await the arrival of a new oil pump, will post about the experience next week.

[royster]

I await the arrival of a new oil pump, will post about the experience next week.

RockAuto just e-mailed a shipping notice. Not much I can do in this single-digit weather: I'm stuck in two rooms of the house: the kitchen or my studio. But I brought the valve cover over to the house with some aluminum polish and fine steel wool, to make good use of down-time.

Shortly after i got my D-50, I began to notice a gas leak, which was obviously at the tank. During the week I had the truck up on jacks in my garage, I dropped the tank, thinking it was a simple rubber connection gone bad. It turned out to be the metal tubing coming from the fuel pump: it has corroded through, just enough to start leaking.
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I ended up breaking the tubing worse while trying to repair it. I had 1/4" stubs to try and attach fuel line to. Using the concrete caulking I talked about earlier, I literally caulked new rubber fuel line onto the stubs, carefully hose-clamped them on, surrounded that with more caulk, and let the repair sit for at least 48 hours. I then made a "shell" over the repair area with Bondo, about 1" thick, to keep it from ever moving.

The repair was a success, though I need to get a higher rated pressure fuel line in.
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The cats helped me ready the garage for the truck repairs. I had the Sable in there for a week, replacing sensors and other engine fussing. When it came time to back it out of the garage, Castor steered, while his sister stood on the gas pedal.

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For those who know: yes, that's a Big Book on the Sable's rear deck.

Don't know if I shared this, yet, or not: They LOVE to drive...
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all three of the cats will go into the creek to hunt...
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and they are very adept at working on cars...
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[royster]

CYLINDER HEAD / VALVE GUIDE UPDATE

The machine shop just called me, the machinist, himself...Mark. He has been working on Mitsubishi engines for many years...how lucky can I be?

The EXHAUST valve guide pushing down, and disengaging the valve seal, was common to these (and other Mitsubishi) engines. The reason is simple: iron and aluminum...particularly the exhaust valve, where temperature causing expansion/contraction is more dramatic. He told me he bought a tool several years ago that scored a groove in the valve guide which allowed him to put a snap ring on top to keep it in place. He went on to say that Chrsyler eventually put snap rings on the valve guides at the factory to solve this problem, making his tool sort of obsolete. He said a mechanic's life is like that: things come and go in waves.

He proposed to push the existing valve guides back into place, and use his special tool to put snap rings on the guides. He said he hasn't used that tool in five years.

As I once had an '88 Dodge Caravan, I know about the smoking-at-idle, and knew enough to suspect valve guides. But in this past month, I've learned volumes about how the guides and seals actually work.

So it was all good news: no cracked head -HEY! CRACKED HEAD, not CRACK-HEAD! - and hopefully the head returns tomorrow...in time for the better weather and remaining parts to be delivered.

[royster]

When the time comes for a head rebuild, I'd be prone to cut grooves in the valve guides before replacing the assembly. Mark, the machinist, said that the snap rings were hard to come by, any more. Like so many things on these trucks, we have to resort to what's available.

I drew a picture to show how the valve guides fit, and where a groove-and-snap-ring would do the most good. Mark says that without the snap rings, the repair lasts only one year: the problem returns.

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More than being worried about The Beave, I'm suspicious of that Eddie Haskell. I've heard rumors about him.

[royster]

The Fed-Ex guy just left after dropping off my oil pump and other goodies.

I got the cylinder head back this morning and I have everything I need to get back to work on the Tin Can, including 50 degree weather for a few days, above-freezing at night.

In theory, when this engine is put back together, it will be better than ever...or at least, any smoking will be absolutely minimal: there's no question I've addressed the core problem of the oil burning.

Will be taking pics to post.

Time to fire up the kerosene heater!

[royster]

I started trying to install the valve guide seals, but was a bit stumped by the "o" rings that came with the package.

The book, again, says NOTHING about installing valve guide seals except "install them". Well, wonderful, but there's nothing to go by, except to look at the part, and the part it fits on. It should go this way or that, but no definitive instructions anywhere. I assume the plastic is all that goes in place (without the "o" rings) and that's enough to keep oil out. Guaging by the distance from the top of the guide to the groove the seal is supposed to fit on, it doesn't seem to match up. How far down do you go? Does that beveled groove self-tap the seal? I'd hate to go through all this trouble and have it fail...simply because I can't find a simple answer to a simple question.

This is one situation I DON'T want to learn from failure: these seals not working right means tearing this thing down again. I was unable to locate any threads here regarding the actual process of installing valve guide seals.

Help



And for all my careful bagging of each individual valve assembly, I somehow lost two or three spring bases. WTF? That's when I knew it was time to walk away for the night before I started

Tomorrow I will start by doing a good clean up and organizing everything: stuff's getting scattered and misplaced. I must say, in good faith, that I'm glad to be back out there after the freezing weather. And getting frustrated is no way to enjoy the project, OR do good work.

EDIT: This was of some assistance: thanks Brad MPH~
http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...uide-Seals-101

[royster]

Here's a video I found that helps to understand the process. (Another video explained what to listen for regarding the sound of when the seal is properly seated).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVMbFA8cy-E

I noted the importance of making sure the seals are well lubricated.

For the experts, this simple task is second-nature. For those who have never been through the process, it's baffling.

The videos show a few specialised tools, the Chilton book uses everyday available tools...like using a deep socket to tap the seal into place. I did not like the minor damage this did to the seal top, so I'll locate some tubing to match the hard surface top of the seal: mine are metal-jacket for exhaust, 'rubber' for intake.

The confusion about the "o" rings was cleared up by BradMph's valve seals 101 post: knowing the difference in "umbrella" type seals and "positive" helps me to comprehend the task in front of me. I do not have "umbrella" seals in the 2.4 .

Without any feedback about installation, I went ahead and installed one seal WITH an "o" ring...not knowing better. Consequently, I destroyed the seal...more so when I removed it. I learn as I make mistakes. Sharing those mistakes is beneficial to others, so here you are.

I want to take the time, again, to thank BradMph for providing information useful to keeping these engines in good order

In looking at the parts catalogues, I found each set of replacement seals comes with a plastic installation sleeve, that fits over the valve stem. This is great for protecting the seal as it is lowered into place, and the sleeve slides off easily after the seal is finger-pressure tight on the stem. What confused me about the head gasket set the seals came with is now obvious: the set is designed to accomodate several engine types. A small plastic sleeve was provided for the jet valves in the 2.0 engine. Not having jet valves, I do not need the sleeve.

FOR THOSE WITH THE 2.0 JET VALVES:
A racing mechanic told me that the jet valves can be removed and the holes welded shut. The jet valves are more trouble than they're worth. I expect forum experts to correct me if I'm wrong on details such as this, or validate their positive usefulness.

Beginners, such as myself, need to get over a couple psychological blockages: we cling to the book in regards to ordering parts: yes, ours' is a Dodge D-50, but Mitsubishi originally manufactured the vehicles and their engines. It's okay to order Mitsubishi parts instead of looking for D-50parts...in some cases, a better choice is getting the Mighty Max equivelent of D-50 replacements. Funny little glitch, but one I'm sure many have encountered.

An old timer long ago relayed the story of how simple and un-demanding 1930's flat-head engines were. With a rod bearing gone out in the middle of no-where, he dropped the pan and used a piece of raw bacon to fix the bearing long enough to get to the next town. The engines we work on today are a bit more demanding than that, and many of these engines cannot ingest pork products. Turkey bacon does not have the same lubricating properties as pork bacon, so this is a theology issue best addressed on another forum altogether...
Perhaps "Jesus And Lubricants: Is Lucas Oil Kosher?"

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EDIT:
One has to wonder why a guy was in the middle of no-where with a package of raw bacon. I'm not even going to speculate on the issue: he's dead, now, probably from eating too much fat and suckin' on Lucky Strikes.

[royster]

I went ahead and installed one seal WITH an "o" ring...not knowing better.

What led me to think the o-rings belonged in there was looking inside the old seals. It appeared they had o-rings. But when a cotton swab was used to clean the inner surface of the old seal, I realised I was seeing oil, not rubber. I then understood that plastic provides the actual seal between the valve stem and flow of oil.

A magnifying glass is extremely usedful in your tool collection...especially if you're getting up on years. Oh no: I'm...I'm...

I'm becoming an and dithering solenoid! GHAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!