Some of you know that I pulled the head on the 22RE-B Gen2 this last week due to some coolant burning. Turns out #1 had the fire ring seperate towards the exhuast cooling passages both top and bottom. More than likely a defective gasket....but still better than any Felpro I have used.

Anyway upon teardown I fumbled the head and smashed into the drivers timing guide sending its remnants into the pan. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> No big deal since the throwout bearing was whining recently...I'll just pull the motor, deal with the throwout bearing and drop the oil pan to retrieve debris.

Noticed some odd markings in the #2 cylinder wall at 90* about 1-1/2" below the block deck. Uh-oh...wonder what happened there?? So I pull the shortblock out of the truck and mount her to the stand, pull the oil pan and seen something in the sump area resembling a keyring. I knew exactly what I was seeing and got a sinking feeling in my guts. Pulled the #2 rod cap and extracted the rod/piston assembly...yup the piston pin keeper had ejected from the piston on the backside and ended up in multiple pieces in the oil pan. This was not a recent occurance based on coloration of the remnant and the "curing" of the freshened cylinder surface. But who knows how long it would have been before the pin wore to a point that the piston and rod woould seperate and send things horizontal through the side.

EB says Im lucky as hell that I get anal about the slightest problem with my engines. If I hadnt of decided to pull the head at first signs of a HG failure I could have ejected the rod assembly while doing 60+ along way from home!

The fix: All 4 cylinders will get a light hone, new rings and rod bearings. The head and block deck are perfect. In fact I pulled the timing cover without disrupting 20 month old gaskets, same for the intake. This is my daily driver with 25K+ miles on the engine. Quality parts and paying attention to details during assembly is worth my butts weight in gold. Parts should be in next week (rings are special order) and the 88' should be back on the road next weekend. Gotta love my EB engines...and btw even I got the much talked about support when I mentioned to him what I had found. LOL. The Street RV head is as clean and perfect as the day Tod built it too. Gonna be a simple reassembly. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

~Darin <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/baby.gif" alt="" />

PS- EB says this is the FIRST time he's heard/seen this happen on these engines... and was surprised it wasnt discovered via a catastrophic BANG!

hot damn, thats some luck I'd say. anyone else would've been stuck on the side of the x-way starin at a puddle of oil................Karl

p.s. bust out the digi-cam

Man, that was luck. Am still expecting to find some oblonged cylinders myself.

>>>*Still curious about tha wrist pin clip. Likely I either over tweaked it setting it in place or didn't get it set all the way, either one is a sure failure.

Besides, your engine is an experiment and should have blown up by now anyway.

Head gasket, no clue. I don't believe in "defects" that last for thousands of miles, there is always a reason for a failure.

Take and post some pics of the UNDERSIDE of those pistons, I want to see if they are a tad towards chocolate colored on the underhead..we are looking for extra heat...if it's there, then we go hunting to find out why..

Or load her up and bring it doen here.....*EB

Where are the pics Darin? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

I just hit a snag w/ the head gasket replacement on my '85. Had the head torqued and chain all hooked up and was feeling pretty good. Went to bolt up the water pipe to the EGR cooler at the back of the head and the [email]F@#$ing[/email] bolt snapped as I was tightening it. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> Now I have to pull the head and get the broken bolt out. Hopefully it'll come out easy, yeah right. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Anyone ever notice the difference between someone who tries to cover his tracks, and someone who takes ownership right away? The fella covering his tracks is trying to avoid blame, but ironically draws suspicion like a carcass draws flies. The fella who takes ownership right away, especially ownership of a SOLUTION, which is what most folks really want anyway (more than a scapegoat), usually ends the matter post haste, and build trust for when they say it really WAS the customer's fault.

You'd think some of the industry's customer service professionals would have a lightbulb go off on that sort of thing, wouldn't you? [SOAPBOX_MODE: OFF]

Good on ya, EB.

I'll get the pictures taken as soon as I can get some good light on the pistons. All 4 assemblies are out and the other 3 were in great condition. There is no color differences on the pistons themselves...all shiny aluminum on one side and not really chocolate on the other side of the pin...more of a tea color. (Thief outta know about that LOL) just kidding mate. Tea is on the exhuast side of the pin on the underside....but thats the only place there is difference- consistant for all 4. Interesting pistons thats fer sure. Inserts for the pins kinda like bearings? Some kind of horizontal reinforcement thats also underneath on the side walls....cool pistons.

Not sure how much time I will have to play today...got 6" of snow and its starting to fall again. My favorite rig is minus her heart and the wife is telling me we are on a mission to the store! Wooohooooo this means I get to take her out and shake her down! $runner's first snow run. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> Maybe I'd better make the wife stay home.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Pictures soon...

~Darin <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/baby.gif" alt="" />