Sure, I am interested! I live about 30 miles south of Aberdeen on the coast (Near South Bend). Basically what I need is a turbo head for a 95 850. If you can find one in good shape (hasn't been overheated or run out of oil) I'm definitely interested. Basically what I would like to be able to do is get a decent head, new gaskets, and just slap it on the car and let the boy drive it. Not a fan of machine shops if you know what I mean. THANKS!!

Glenn

 

Ok folks, Here is an update. Got the new (used) head and tore the motor down and put the different head on, plus new gaskets, thermostat, plugs, wires, fresh oil and antifreeze. Car starts ok, no noises, no oil or water smoke out the tailpipe, etc. However, it runs and idles rough with a check engine light. Scanned the code and I have a misfire on cylinder #2. You can feel the misfire at idle but it revs fine and above 2500 RPM you really do not feel the miss. Driving it you can definitely feel the miss until you get above 40MPH. I swapped the plugs and wires and the misfire is still there, so it is not the plug or the wire. Wire also meters out at 1.4K ohms. I also notice a bit of smoke out the dipstick tube now, and also smoke out of the oil filler cap when running.

Any ideas on where to go next? This car has 241K on it and the wife does not want me throwing a lot of money at it right now.

Thanks,

Glenn

 

Did you have the head checked, valves done, surfaced or just cleaned it up and bolted it down ??

 

The person I bought the head from said they had the head checked and valves done about 10,000 miles ago before the car got wrecked. I looked at the head and it looked like it had been to the shop so I trusted them and cleaned it up, checked what I could my self and bolted it on.

 

That's a tough position to be in as you're trusting the seller.

You actually saw the head where I'm just sitting on my butt and guessing If it looked like it was in good shape I'd be hard pressed to send it out if I thought it was good too.

I suspect you might have a valve that isn't sealing fully but as the revs increase it's effect isn't as noticeable. The problem isn't really going away as you get past 2500 rpm it's just not as noticeable. That's just a guess. Since you swapped over the ignition stuff and it's still tripping that cyl 2 code I might try swapping the injector to see if the code moves with the injector.
If it's still on #2, it might be good to do compression and leak down tests to see if you come up with something solid showing a physical problem with #2 or others.

 

Hey, Thanks for the tip. I totally forgot about swapping over the injector to see if that might be the cause! I would kick myself if it was something that simple. I'll give it a shot in the AM and see what happens. On the flip side, if that doesn't work, I think I am facing pulling the head off and checking for a stuck valve. It had a very mild lifter tick, but that went away as it warmed up. If I have to pull the head, what is the best way to check for a stuck valve? It is not backfiring so I would assume if one was stuck open it would most likely be an exhaust valve. Can you push down on the valve/spring with a piece of soft wood to check for smooth movement without hurting anything?

Thanks for working with me on this one. I really don't want to throw in the towel as it has been a really good car for us and the kids, but the wife does not want me throwing money away on it either.

Glenn

 

I'd do the two tests and then decide on if , , , IF the problem is with the head. Hate to pull it and not find anything.

 

Well, with my work schedule I will most likely have time to do the injector swap, but it will be several days before I get the time and tools to do the compression test. I'll keep everyone posted if you are all willing to hang in there with me!

Glenn

 

Ok, latest update and questions.

Swapped the injectors between Cyl #2 and #3 and started the car. Started the same and you could tell it was still missing. It took a while longer but the check engine light came back on again and I got a P0302 code which is cyl #2 misfire (still). So it looks like it is not the injector. Next I pulled the connector off injector #2 and started the car. I immediately got a P0202 code which is "cylinder #2 injector circuit open" I cleared that code, plugged the connector back in and that code never came back. So that tells me the wiring to the injector is ok also (correct?)

Since I swapped in a different plug with no help, that tells me the plug is ok. I didn't have a spare plug wire, but I metered out the plug wire and it read out at roughly 1.1K ohms, so I am assuming the plug wire is ok also. Outside of a bad distributor cap (which I doubt as it is brand new and was working fine before I put the replacement head on) I think I am down to an issue with the head.

I'll be doing a compression test in a few days. I have to get a new tester as it seems mine has gone missing, so once I get that I will be update further.

Can anyone think of anything I missed testing, or have any reason to think the problem still might be fuel or spark related, or do you think I have pretty much ruled those issues out? I'm starting to think a possible stuck/burned valve at this point, but again a compression test would be needed for that.

Glenn

 

You can get a tester as a "loaner" from oreilly or autozone if you'd rather not buy one.

I can't think of anything else to test or try at this point other then the compression and leak down.

 

Ok folks......Here are the compression numbers for cylinders 1 -5 (left to right)

Dry: 165, 0, 160, 165, 160

Wet: 175, 0, 170, 175, 170

Cylinder #2 is definitely dead. no compression at all. It was working ok (even after being overheated and blowing the head gasket). After putting on the (new to me) head, it is now dead. What do you think, stuck valve, bent valve, burned valve?

Guess I am taking it off (again) and going to a machine shop.

Question though (as I am running a little short of cash) When I eventually put it back together, will I need a new head gasket, intake, and exhaust gaskets as well as new head bolts. The reason I ask is that the car has only been run maybe 45 minutes to an hour and up to operating temp about 4 times. I don't want to half *** it, but like I said cash is a bit tight right now and a set of head bolts is about $75!

Thanks for sticking with me on this.

Glenn

 

collapsed lifter

 

I believe the valves has springs on them that force them back up into the lifters. I thing a failed lifter will not force a valve open.

 

Woops, I need to set the crack pipe down and take a break.

 

Well, I have it about 1/2 way torn down again. The saga continues. Bad news is I MAY have to take off the turbo. I was removing the ground strap bolt and it dropped. I head it hit something metallic but I cannot find it. (of course I had the pipe off the turbo and forgot to stuff a rag down it) Once I get the head off I will look all over for the bolt. If I cannot find it I will pull the turbo and turn it over to dump the bolt out (if it is in there.....) Any good write-ups on pulling the turbo?? Geez talk about feeling like an idiot.....what a newbie like mistake <grrrrrr>

 

Getting it off is easy, just a few bolts and a couple of lines. Put a magnet down there to see if it catches a bolt.

Did you pull the lifters and look at the top of the valves? See anything strange?

 

Man, I'm sorry to read that the head you got is bad. You may want to go back to the person that sold it to you and get some of your money back if you paid more than $100 for it. If the head is NOT removed properly, it can warp coming off. You just cant pull the bolts out 1 at a time without taking them loose in the proper sequence.

A shop should check the head for you for about $125.

 

Got dark on me, so I am right at the point where I am going to pull the valve cover tomorrow and look at the valves and see what I can find. If I have to pull the head I will take the bolts out in stages and in reverse of the installation sequence.

 

I put a magnet down it and nothing. I will try again in the morning. If I don't find the bolt I am going to pull the turbo and turn it upside down/hand spin the compressor just to be SURE it is not in there.....

 

Put a vacuum cleaner on it. If that doesn't do it, I would leave it. LOL