Really Really Stuck! Head gasket issue and more...

[Bjorn]

New to the forum, first real post unless you count the new member section.
Vehicle Specs: 1995 Mighty Max 4 cylinder 2.4l 4G64 EFI
5 speed manual
belltech levelling kit (springs, blocks, and shocks)
~275,000 miles (motor supposedly rebuilt in December 2018 @ 255,000)

Bought this truck almost 3 years ago and its never had an engine related issue until now...

So this nightmare all started a few weeks ago when it was running completely fine one day and literally the next morning cylinders 2 and 3 were dead, was only running on 1 and 4. Compression test at the time was 145, 65, 60, 125, so I figured it blew a head gasket in between 2 and 3 and I was right.

Took it apart, cleaned everything best I could, replaced the head gasket (and intake gasket since that ripped on the way out) with Fel-Pro gaskets. Put everything back together again, torqued head bolts following the Haynes manual steps. Made sure timing belt and distributor were exactly where they were when taken off, TDC #1 (I didn't completely remove the timing belt, I slipped it off the cam sprocket and held tension on it with a bungee cord so it would stay in place on the crank sprocket, then just slipped it back on lined up with the marks I made).

Double then triple checked everything, went to fire it up expecting to have my truck back and it's now somehow worse, I'll do my best to explain what it's doing. It doesn't idle, it will start up, rev to around 2500-3000 and immediately die. It pisses coolant out of the exhaust, not smoke, liquid coolant. (there is a small hole in the flex pipe by the manifold that's how I know). if I feather the gas pedal it will barely stay running, really shaking and low RPM. Seems like vacuum leak but it really doesn't have many vacuum lines

Pulling my hair out over this one, no ideas. Any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[geezer101]

I'd get the head checked out. Either warped or there's a crack in a combustion chamber. Not everyone agrees with me on this one which is a fair call but as a rule of thumb I'd never get a head skimmed if it is out of spec. Especially the 4G64 heads. They can be temperamental and seem to be more prone to warping than other Mitsubishi heads - to the point where cams have been snapped from binding up. If it's just a bad head gasket from new (it does happen) or you had installation issues, you should see a spot on the deck of the block or the tops of piston/inside of combustion chambers where coolant has scoured the surface clean. If it's as bad as you say it'll be pretty obvious.

[tortron]

coolant out the exhaust is the head/gasket
probably the head is warped or cracked, or you had some smoo on the block/head when putting the new gasket in
it will be running on less than 4 cylinders so thats why its running a bit when revd up

did you run a straight edge over either of them? just a steel ruler on its edge and look for light underneath it. i believe there are instructions in the manual
in any case its gona be head back off and redo it. New heads are so cheap its barely worth rebuilding one (but i understand swap the rockers over because the new ones arent as good)

(maybe the gasket is on the wrong way too i guess)

[Bjorn]

Thanks for the reply, the surface of the block looked damn near new when I was done cleaning it so the head is probably warped. Rock auto sells a new head for around 300 bucks, just the bare casting no cam/valvetrain. I've rebuilt motorcycle heads before but never one of these, really not looking forward to tryna get this fixed since I've done so much to the truck since I've owned it...

Any chance those "head sealer" pour-in type formulas will do anything? Usually that stuff is a waste of money and I know a magic cure-all in a bottle doesnt exist but I'd wanna try whatever I can without tearing the whole top end apart again. Sucks cause I'm moving at the end of the month and I dont have my daily driver!

[Bjorn]

It was a fel-pro head gasket I got from rock auto, gave it a look over and compared it to the old to make sure every hole and edge matched. What are the chances it was just a lemon gasket from the factory vs. a warped head? Pretty slim in my opinion.

Any chance those "head sealer" pour-in type formulas will do anything? (like the blue devil stuff for example) Usually that kind of stuff is a waste of money and I know a magic cure-all in a bottle doesnt exist but I'd wanna try whatever I can without tearing the whole top end apart again. Sucks cause I'm moving at the end of the month and I dont have my daily driver!

[Bjorn]

Also just a quick thought, I've seen other people with DOHC swaps on their 4G64's. Would this be a better avenue to go down since the current heads probably junk anyways? How complicated of a swap is it for a decent mechanic (like me)?

[dash]

couple buddys vouch for Blue Devil. I mentioned to another recently
His Camry 4cyl ran fine, then all of a sudden ran rough. Water shot out of cyl #2 when cranked with plug removed
Followed Blue Devil instructions (but only used half the bottle)
I witnessed that Camry purr like a kitten when he left the shop an hour later

sounds like the old truck behaved well for 3 years. Deserves a new head maybe. DOHC is a pita vs..

[geezer101]

I'm grabbing my foil hat on this one. Any 'additive' that can 'fix' a breached head gasket or leaking radiator is doing the same thing in places you don't want it to. When it comes to actually 'fixing' it afterwards, you have your work cut out trying to clean this crap out of the block and cooling system. If I recall correctly the twin cam 4G64 is configured differently (intake and exhaust is swapped) and the manifolds are different too (?) unless you get something off like an old Kia Optima. You can use a 4G63 head but you need to make sure it's the same generation of block (6 bolt crank/7 bolt crank). Check sites like Project Zero G for compatibility (I think we have the same resources here but I can't remember where it's hiding...) Fat lotta help I am!

[tortron]

the head repair stop leak stuff tends to build up in the gallerys in the block and the water pump doesnt seem to like it, but its great for and old cars last ride, one thats not going to be economical to repair otherwise (i.e the body or something is also starting to go). Engine recon guys always seem to be complaining about it (but everyone complains eh)

A vechicle im planning on keeping id do the repairs, but if it works, it seems to work for a few years at least (most cars i have seen it put in are sold on in a year or two, have heard of one still going strong after 5 years)

[Lon Moer]

Also just a quick thought, I've seen other people with DOHC swaps on their 4G64's. Would this be a better avenue to go down since the current heads probably junk anyways? How complicated of a swap is it for a decent mechanic (like me)?

http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...ap-information
http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...DOHC-swap-info

[SubGothius]

Somebody sent the Mod team the following message as their "reason" for Reporting a post above. I won't out the (ir)responsible party here, but word to the wise: hitting the Report icon () is not how you post a Reply to the forum! Please use the Reply icon () instead. Anywho, here's what they wrote:

I had a similar issue. Found a hairline crack between #2 and #3. Second head ran for about a week and the cam locked up. Whoever had it on whatever before me let it run dry on oil and it scared up the area where the cam normally rides in the oil film. So the third head was actually off a 2.0. Had a little trouble figuring out how to block off the fuel pump port but after that it’s ran like a champ since last July. And a word of advise. Take both timing belts and throw them away and replace both of them and the tensioner and time it. It’s not hard to do. I can do a head gasket from start to finish in under 2 hours now. And that’s retiming it also. Just take your time and don’t be afraid to mess up. Worse it can do is exactly what it’s doing now.

[camoit]

Drop a new set of bolts or even better ARP studs into it. Studs are the best way to go. Just make sure to fallow directions and lube them. You will need to make come oil cover mods but it's just some cuts with a die grinder to remove some material.