Pulled the head off my 88 2.6L SWB this evening, this is the first time I have pulled a head on a motor. My truck has 137K on the odometer and I have know clue if this is the original motor. My guess is that this is not the original motor. When I purchased the truck nine months ago the truck was eating coolant and a few weeks ago the Truck got hot and I immediately turned the truck off. When I opened the hood I noticed that the water pump bolts had backed out from the block and coolant had escaped from a gap between the engine and the water pump.
The car sat for two weeks before I removed the head. I know that I need to check the deck for squareness. The top of the pistons are black with what appears to be carbon. What should I look for on the cylinder walls or the underside of the cylinder head? The oil in the motor looks good with no trace of water. I am this far and the last thing I want to do is have a potential problem in the lower end and have it rear its head a month after I put the new head on.

Carbon build up on top of the pistons is normal, at least in all my experience it has been. I would look for any gouges on the cylinder wall. You would be able to feel them by touch. I would have the head checked by a pro. It cost me about $200 to have mine reworked. I would also install a jet valve elimunation kit. Those things are just trouble waiting to happen. Was there any build up in the piston that looked like antifreeze. Check your exhaust manifold also. These heads are bad to crack between the valves and leak into the piston and go right out the exhaust. Clean the bottom of the head with parts cleaner and check between the vavles for any possible cracks if you can't have it checked out. I would say that this is the perfect opportunity to have it checked out though and get a valve job. Taking that head of twice isn't fun and I only say that because I had to do it.

No kidding on that "doing it twice" thing. I was all set to fire mine up and go to work (years ago), when I realized that I had forgotten to install the cam plug on the back of the new head. This produces a fountain of oil. I took it back off because I thought I couldn't get the hard plug tapped in there while the head was on the truck - - only to find out that I needed to use the smaller, soft rubber plug instead - - which I could have installed in place. Oh well, I am pretty good at doing the head on a 2.6 now...

John B.

If you had blown a head gasket, the valves and head will look like it was steam cleaned, Because for all practicle purposes it has been. In the cylinder which got water in it. There will be black carbon ontop of the piston, and on the bottom of the head if no water has gotten in. Check the deck, when you peel the headgasket off. Most times, the residue from the gasket will look uniform. It supposed to be. If there is a spot that looks different from the rest of it, chances are it wasn't a very good seal. I just did my 3.0 V6. I remember it well....anything I can help you with, just let me know. If I can I will.......


Bobby

Guys thanks for your words of wisdom I am leaning on pulling the rest of the engine out at this point because I don't know the history of the motor. I have been calling around here in Los Angeles and I am get quotes between $750 to $1200 for a short block. Most of the shops will not give me a firm price until they see the condition of the short block. I can understand their reasons but once you drop the short block off how do you keep from getting hosed? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I'd be looking big time at the machine shop's reputation. Also consider checking through some of the local DSM groups to see where they take their engines for machine work. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I rebuilt my own and really went a cheaper route w/o replacing pistons, crank, and cam. I only had the cylinders honed, there was very little wear. I still spent over $500+ (including the head rebuild) and that was doing all the assembly myself and I did the cleaning also. I was getting quotes of about $200 to have mine cleanned, bored and surfaced. Plus the $200+ (I negeotiated the head rebuild down from $250 then gave the shop two other heads and got another $100 off for a balance of $100)for the head work. This was all prices based in Alabama also. All this being said I would think a good rebuild done by a good shop would run well over $1000. If they are not re-using any parts beside the block and head I would think it would be closer to $1500 - $2000. Especially in CA where Cost of living is much higher than down here. I wouldn't do it for less than that and warranty it. If you can pull the engine I would consider having the work done and assemble your self. Not to hard. I have put about 10k on mine since the build and it runs great. I also put in a Balance Shaft elumination kit. A complete kit from Auto zone here would run about w/o cam and crank is about $500 add another $250 - $300 for cam and Crank if you need them. My wife is still swearing at me because she says I spent to much. All this because I didn't change the timing chain when I should have. Moral to the story - Don't be lazy!!!!