Thread: ENGINE TEAR-DOWN - pics and need advice

Background of what happened: I was on the highway when cylinder 6 started misfiring. I must have been in boost at the time because the next thing that happened was a loud boom, smoke, the engine stalled. It started up again with lots of white smoke coming out the tail pipe and metal clunking noises; at that point I knew I wasn't going anywhere.

Here are some pictures I took tonight, as you can tell the push-rod is bent and the valve spring is broken.

What am I looking at here? What can I expect as I take the head off? This is the first time I'll be attempting to fix something like this so any and all advice is appreciated. Also, when I drained the oil, coolant came out first then oil mixed with coolant. Almost filled up my 15 quart oil pan......................

Either the lower intake manifold gasket failed and water got into the intake port and the crankcase, or you blew a head gasket, and the motor hydraulic action of the water cannot be compresses. Or the valve dropped down into the cylinder and punched a hole in the block allowing water into that cylinder. It looks like either the retainer or the keepers failed and allowed the valve to drop. Either way, don't waste time working on it, just replace with another known good engine.

a loud boom, smoke, the engine stalled. It started up again with lots of white smoke coming out the tail pipe and metal clunking noises; at that point I knew I wasn't going anywhere.

^^ This statement right here is why he should most likely be looking for a used motor. I'd be willing to bet that the piston is trashed once he gets that head off. Not saying that it's not saveable, but it doesn't sound good, especially if he was in boost. Higher RPMS+part failure= no good usually.

Why not just take the spark plug out and take a look in there to see waht the piston looks like before you even bother with taking the head off?

Originally Posted by addzradd

Why not just take the spark plug out and take a look in there to see waht the piston looks like before you even bother with taking the head off?

I fished out metal pieces from the cylinder thru the spark plug hole. So much coolant in the system and everything else I have taken off so far not showing any sign of letting coolant thru leads me to believe that the head gasket is blown or worse. So the head is going to come off either way. We will see.im hoping for the best! If anything ill be shopping for a used short block and head. Or a new motor. What do you guys suggest?