Win some, lose some...

[Rattlenbang]

I pulled my head today and this is what I found.





The good news is the head gasket for the Dodge Ram is correct; it looks identical to the one that came out of the van. The bad news is the head is cracked in each cylinder between the valves, and in cylinder 3 between the precup and exhaust valve. The latter looks ugly and I suspect the head is toast. I'll show it to my machinist and see what he has to say about it. I suspect that isn't where the coolant was getting into the engine though; there was waaaay too much white smoke, and I doubt there is a coolant gallery there anyway.

I also discovered that Belt B was broken, although there's a sticker on the belt cover saying the timing belt was done 50k ago. Is it possible some lunkhead would do the timing belt but not the other one? Lucky it didn't trash the engine by taking out the timing belt. My turbo also needs a rebuild as its got significant oil leak issues. No bearing play, which is good.

[thedjjack]

Is it possible some lunkhead would do the timing belt but not the other one?

Surprisingly common unfortunately (also not changing the tensioners or I have even seen people trying to sell old tensioners )

Good luck with the head...

[konadog]

...although there's a sticker on the belt cover saying the timing belt was done 50k ago. Is it possible some lunkhead would do the timing belt but not the other one?

I wouldn't trust a sticker - a mechanical receipt, ok, but not a sticker. Sadly sloppy belt changes seem fairly common. When buying a bus - especially one you plan on driving for a while - with an undocumented history changing the belts is generally money well invested.
Good luck with your fix.

[Rattlenbang]

Makes me wonder why bother replacing it...no idea how long that belt has been broken, but I didn't notice anything unusual vibration-wise from the engine with only the one belt.

[konadog]

Makes me wonder why bother replacing it...no idea how long that belt has been broken, but I didn't notice anything unusual vibration-wise from the engine with only the one belt.

I figure that cracked head is a good sign that belt is important. Replace all the belts and tensioners and consider some of the engine seals in behind there that can fail and leak on the timing belt.

[thedjjack]

balance shaft I believe turns a second oil pump if I remember right???

[Rattlenbang]

The bad news is the head can probably be repaired, but not for less than a replacement. Challenge now is to try and source one for significantly less than a grand. Anyone know who wrecks Delicas in Vancouver area?

[Rattlenbang]

Ordered a new complete cylinder head (with valves, cam etc) from the UK for $620, and that includes a head gasket kit and shipping. I wonder about quality, but time will tell I guess. Hopefully beats $1000.00 for a used one...

[Growlerbearnz]

Makes me wonder why bother replacing it...no idea how long that belt has been broken, but I didn't notice anything unusual vibration-wise from the engine with only the one belt.

Yeah, but once you get those balancer shafts running again you'll wonder how you ever coped. The engine goes from just another shaky diesel to oooohhh... at least until you get used to it again.

Doesn't go any faster though

[Rattlenbang]

I've read on other forums where guys just delete the second belt, which if you aren't going to maintain the thing, is the only rational thing to do. Having had a good look at this engine, it's clear that at 100,000k they did the valve timing belt and idler, but ignored the other belt and idler. What a crazy thing to do, and if done by a shop, irresponsible and unethical. That's a bomb waiting to go off. It's a lot of work and money to get to the stage where the belts are accessible, and a belt B costs me $15.00. Even if you don't change the freaking idler, at least do the belt. Or cut it off. But if you leave it there it WILL break, with the chance that it will take out the other belt, and the engine with it. I'm sure the belt job was hundreds of dollars, and maybe an extra 100 for belt, idler and labour. An ethical mechanic would refuse the job unless he could do both. I mean, they replaced the cam belt idler as a preventative thing, they replaced the water pump as a preventative thing, but leave the belt B untouched??? I'm scandalized

[yojimbo]

Yeah he should have done both, and he should have cut it off if he couldnt replace it, if he knew what it was for. However, if he did have a belt and fitted it without a new tensioner, the tensioner may have failed rapidly with a tight new belt and when that happens it tends to get pretty messy with bearings shooting out all over the place. The tensioners are prone to early failure as it is. But in short they should have just done it all even if they had to wait for parts.

[konadog]

they should have just done it all even if they had to wait for parts.

No kidding... Sloppy or slack work effort. As Rattlenbang said it's a lot of work just getting in there anyway so wtf?

[Rattlenbang]

New head. Just swapping over some bits like injectors and glow plugs.




Head came with full head gasket kit. That's $150 savings I don't regret! I was grateful the boys at JB took their gasket kit back.




I love shiny new bits on a motor!

[thedjjack]

Looks so shinny....

[Rattlenbang]

Today was the big day - 500km return trip to Mt. Washington alpine village. She sure had to work hard on that last 18km up the mountain. I was dainty on the pedal and kept my revs up, but it was still a tough slog up those 8% grades. But she ran flawlessly and got decent mileage to boot, so I'm happy. Here's hoping it stays that way.