Troubleshooting lower engine

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Fred - 27 Oct 2005 02:39 GMT

My 93 Aerostar blew a head gasket on the freeway, smoked
like a house a fir, then coasted to a stop. When I turned
the ignition on, I could hear the starter turning but not
turning over the engine. Solenoid, etc. were all OK.

Then, after opening it up, I saw that the timing chain was
OK, but a couple of teeth were gone. I'm pretty sure that
the valves, etc. are OK, but that's as far as I can get
without going to a shop.

The question is.... what's the chance that the cylinders,
etc. down below might be in bad shape? Seized, etc? Any
way to tell without actually removing the head?

Thanks!

Fred

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Fred - 27 Oct 2005 02:43 GMT

PS - I can't check the compression as is because of a blown
head gasket.

> My 93 Aerostar blew a head gasket on the freeway, smoked
> like a house a fir, then coasted to a stop. When I turned
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Fred

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Bob - 27 Oct 2005 05:10 GMT

> My 93 Aerostar blew a head gasket on the freeway, smoked
> like a house a fir, then coasted to a stop. When I turned
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Fred

Sorry Fred but I think your best bet is to take it to someone who knows more
that you about Aerostars. The timing chain is OK but a couple of teeth were
gone? WTF kind of logic is that? None of the engines used in 93 Aerostars
were known for timing chain problems, but it wouldn't hurt if you mentioned
the engine you have.
Bob

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Fred - 27 Oct 2005 08:22 GMT

> Sorry Fred but I think your best bet is to take it to someone who knows more
> that you about Aerostars. The timing chain is OK but a couple of teeth were
> gone? WTF kind of logic is that? None of the engines used in 93 Aerostars
> were known for timing chain problems, but it wouldn't hurt if you mentioned
> the engine you have.

Howdy Bob. What I meant was... the chain itself was intact
(not broken). The reason it was slipping was that the teeth
on the shaft were broken off. That sounds odd to me - I've
always seen the chain break. Engine is 3.0.

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BOB URZ - 27 Oct 2005 19:39 GMT

> My 93 Aerostar blew a head gasket on the freeway, smoked
> like a house a fir, then coasted to a stop. When I turned
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Fred

Don't quite know why your asking this in this manner.
Its obvious if you blew a head gasket the heads have to
come off. As i see it, you pull the heads off first and check
for valve and piston damage. If they look good, you take the
heads to a machine shop and get them gone through. Then
you change the timing chain and gears and see what you got.

You could put the timing chain and gears on first and do a
compression test, but why? If the head gasket is gone
your going to get bogus readings in those cylinders anyway.

Now, if your not doing this yourself and paying a mechanic to
do it all, it comes down to how good of condition the truck is
in and how much you like it. Talk to some independent shops
and ask them for a ESTIMATE on how much to do the heads
and the timing set. Keep in mind this is a guess, and that
the actual damage will set the final price. If i were doing
it and the truck was in good shape, i would have the valves
ground and new guides put in.

Bob

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Fred - 27 Oct 2005 23:04 GMT

Thanks, Bob.

Update....

I just got back from the garage. Turns out the timing chain
had loosened and worked itself off the sprockets. Chain and
sprockets were OK, but in the process the head gasket had
blown.

They installed a new timing chain instead of going the
head-route first. If we had replaced the head gasket first,
we still would have had to install the timing chain before
we could check the compression. Turns out doing it this way
saved me mucho denaros in the check-out stage.

After they put on the new chain, they said there was some
noise coming from the lower engine but couldn't tell what it
was. Said it probably wasn't worth the money to go any
further. (These are decent, honest mechanics I have been
using for 10 years. They could always be wrong, but I trust
their honesty.)

Anyway, this is where I am....

I can't justify paying anyone else to work on the van. I'm
a weekend shade tree mechanic and could pull the heads as
long as I don't have to pull the engine out of the car.

QUESTION IS NOW..... How hard is it to pull the heads?
This engine is way back there up under the dashboard. Would
I need to pull the engine out of the van or could I remove
the heads with it still bolted down?

Fred

> > My 93 Aerostar blew a head gasket on the freeway, smoked
> > like a house a fir, then coasted to a stop. When I turned
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
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BOB URZ - 27 Oct 2005 23:30 GMT

> Thanks, Bob.
>
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
>
> Fred

I have never pulled the heads on a anteater. It all comes down
to access toward the firewall side. It will be tight.
So, you have a good timing chain now, but still have a bad
head gasket? did they do a compression check? Is it running?

Bob

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dmtaurus - 29 Oct 2005 08:01 GMT

I had an Aerostar and still have a Chiltons manual for it. According to the book the
lower suspension and the frame have to be removed to get the engine out in order for
the heads to be removed. This is a major undertaking so I would think that a job of
this size would warrant a new shortblock. Body and transmission condition would have
to be considered given the work and cost required. As a byline, the transmission
planetary gearsets on these were underbuilt till the '94 model year. They came apart
and metal shavings would destroy the transmission. I caught the problem in my '89
before it actually came apart. Repair guy showed me the removed part and showed how
loose it had become and how it would come break apart.

> > Thanks, Bob.
> >
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
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Fred - 29 Oct 2005 23:56 GMT

Thanks, folks. Appreciate the info. Sounds to me like its a
good time for me to bail out.

> I had an Aerostar and still have a Chiltons manual for it. According to the book the
> lower suspension and the frame have to be removed to get the engine out in order for
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
> > >
> > > I can't justify paying anyone else to work on the van.

I'm

> > > a weekend shade tree mechanic and could pull the heads as
> > > long as I don't have to pull the engine out of the car.
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> > http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
> > ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

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Fred - 29 Oct 2005 23:56 GMT

> > Thanks, Bob.
> >
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
>
> I have never pulled the heads on a anteater. THANKS, BOB!

THAT'S A GREAT HELP!! It all comes down

> to access toward the firewall side. THAT'S WHY I WAS

ASKING BOB. It will be tight. THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!

> So, you have a good timing chain now, YES BOB but still

have a bad

> head gasket? YES BOB. did they do a compression check? YES

BOB. Is it running? NO BOB. IT HAS A BAD HEAD GASKET,
REMEMBER?

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