1864 cleanup, test drive, and leak found

[dodge trucker]

another tip; If there is a gasket available for something, USE IT!!! DON'T substitute RTV for a gasket.

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by dodge trucker

another tip; If there is a gasket available for something, USE IT!!! DON'T substitute RTV for a gasket.

Depending on application, I would. The RTV that is made now is good, and there are other sealers. I haven't used gaskets on the rear covers for years. No leaks since switching.

The newer engines don't have many gaskets. Most of a Duramax diesel is sealed up with silicone. The rest of the gaskets are stamped metal, no "gasket" material used. Silicone is becoming the common sealant used.

[CubDieselFan]

I work at a engine plant. We use Three Bond FIPG and we use robots to dispense it. It is different product for oil or water. There are a few gaskets but not many. We spray water on the lower oil pan to help it cure faster. We thought it was the dumbest idea we had ever seen, leaks went to zero. There was not enough time between leak test and lower oil pan installation.

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by CubDieselFan

I work at a engine plant. We use Three Bond FIPG and we use robots to dispense it. It is different product for oil or water. There are a few gaskets but not many. We spray water on the lower oil pan to help it cure faster. We thought it was the dumbest idea we had ever seen, leaks went to zero. There was not enough time between leak test and lower oil pan installation.

There it is! That's cool.

Can you say who's engine plant? Gas or diesel? What engine? Anything? I'm curious now. In Tennessee, I'm assuming either Nissan or GM.



Not to get off topic or anything, but as a mechanic, I've always found it amazing the mass production process of assembling an engine. Just really amazing that they assemble them so fast and they run as long as they do. Comparatively, it takes forever to do a good rebuild of a motor in a shop. Sure, a lot of that is parts cleaning and machine work.... but even if you have everything sitting there it still takes quite a while to assemble one. You mechanics know what I mean. I mean.... how many motor are assembled in the factory a day? Hundreds right?

[sorner]

I pulled a late night last night and got this thing installed and filled up. Plumbing is all reconnected and linkages too. I went down to look this morning for leaks and so far its bone dry. I'll recheck the bolt torques to check for carrier and rear cover gasket crushing and make sure they're still snug.

IMG_3639.jpg

It's about ready to put wheels on and push it outside to pressure spray areas I couldn't get to with the fender on before I reassemble any further.

[sorner]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

There it is! That's cool.

Can you say who's engine plant? Gas or diesel? What engine? Anything? I'm curious now. In Tennessee, I'm assuming either Nissan or GM.



Not to get off topic or anything, but as a mechanic, I've always found it amazing the mass production process of assembling an engine. Just really amazing that they assemble them so fast and they run as long as they do. Comparatively, it takes forever to do a good rebuild of a motor in a shop. Sure, a lot of that is parts cleaning and machine work.... but even if you have everything sitting there it still takes quite a while to assemble one. You mechanics know what I mean. I mean.... how many motor are assembled in the factory a day? Hundreds right?

I've often wondered that also. I have a Dodge Intrepid that originally came with a 2.7L engine which were junk. They have a water pump issue that when the pump starts to go it leaks antifreeze into the oil pan directly and you don't know it unless you're either lucky to catch it or your motor is blown. I bought it from my company (it was a company car) and the engine blew at 51k miles. The best way to fix those is to replace it with a 3.2L which doesn't have this issue. It's almost a direct swap. The first time I did it was when I got the car in 2004 (it was a 2001). The second time (after I put 160k on the replaced motor) in 2014 something let go internally. I tried taking the top end apart and it took me 3 days just to get into the valves because of all the crap bolted to the top of the engine. I gave up and did another engine swap. I swapped the whole engine in 3 days. The same amount of time it took me to get inside the engine, and I still wasn't far enough to see anything. I see engine design and assembly as something of a masterpiece I guess, and I curse that masterpiece almost every time I have to work on something on it because it's either impossible to get to or rusted tight. I don't know how they do it... But the car is still going strong now with almost 240k. It doesn't look or sound a mile over 100k.

[ol'George]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

There it is! That's cool.

Can you say who's engine plant? Gas or diesel? What engine? Anything? I'm curious now. In Tennessee, I'm assuming either Nissan or GM.



Not to get off topic or anything, but as a mechanic, I've always found it amazing the mass production process of assembling an engine. Just really amazing that they assemble them so fast and they run as long as they do. Comparatively, it takes forever to do a good rebuild of a motor in a shop. Sure, a lot of that is parts cleaning and machine work.... but even if you have everything sitting there it still takes quite a while to assemble one. You mechanics know what I mean. I mean.... how many motor are assembled in the factory a day? Hundreds right?

Sealants have cut assy time drastically as well as robotic application of them as mentioned.
And that is why a crate engine today, is less costly than rebuilding by a "mechanic"
I've seen a tremendous change in things just since the early 1960's
(sorry for the hijack)

[CubDieselFan]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

There it is! That's cool.

Can you say who's engine plant? Gas or diesel? What engine? Anything? I'm curious now. In Tennessee, I'm assuming either Nissan or GM.



Not to get off topic or anything, but as a mechanic, I've always found it amazing the mass production process of assembling an engine. Just really amazing that they assemble them so fast and they run as long as they do. Comparatively, it takes forever to do a good rebuild of a motor in a shop. Sure, a lot of that is parts cleaning and machine work.... but even if you have everything sitting there it still takes quite a while to assemble one. You mechanics know what I mean. I mean.... how many motor are assembled in the factory a day? Hundreds right?

I started a new thread in the general talk area for those interested.

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by sorner

I'll recheck the bolt torques to check for carrier and rear cover gasket crushing and make sure they're still snug.

Do not do that. Those gaskets do not need to be crushed further. Kohler head gaskets are the one of the few things that need retorqued. Everything else is fine after the first time. Just leave it alone.

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by sorner

I've often wondered that also. I have a Dodge Intrepid that originally came with a 2.7L engine which were junk. They have a water pump issue that when the pump starts to go it leaks antifreeze into the oil pan directly and you don't know it unless you're either lucky to catch it or your motor is blown. I bought it from my company (it was a company car) and the engine blew at 51k miles. The best way to fix those is to replace it with a 3.2L which doesn't have this issue. It's almost a direct swap. The first time I did it was when I got the car in 2004 (it was a 2001). The second time (after I put 160k on the replaced motor) in 2014 something let go internally. I tried taking the top end apart and it took me 3 days just to get into the valves because of all the crap bolted to the top of the engine. I gave up and did another engine swap. I swapped the whole engine in 3 days. The same amount of time it took me to get inside the engine, and I still wasn't far enough to see anything. I see engine design and assembly as something of a masterpiece I guess, and I curse that masterpiece almost every time I have to work on something on it because it's either impossible to get to or rusted tight. I don't know how they do it... But the car is still going strong now with almost 240k. It doesn't look or sound a mile over 100k.

Well..... your not a mechanic either. Believe me, it doesn't take 3 days to get to the valves on an Intrepid. Maybe 4 hours.

And your wrong about the water pump failure that only leaks coolant into the engine. While I agree it is a poor design, there is a weep hole from the pump to the outside of the motor. What usually happens is some guy who thinks he's a mechanic changes the water pump and puts silicone on the gasket. That plugs up the weep hole, then when the pump fails the coolant can't go out where it's supposed to and ends up in the motor. I have seen it a few times that it was no one's fault.... like somehow dirt got in the weep hole on the block and plugged it up. But usually it's a previous mechanics fault.