I bought a clean 91 Trooper for $300 earlier this year to replace the 89 I've had for 15+ years(well over 300,000 mi, second engine, orig manual trans). I'm just getting around to working on it, there are two problems.

First, there is water in the oil, I pulled the plugs and couldn't see any difference between any of them, I thought I'd at least see some calcium buildup if it was burning it? Has anyone had a leak from a head gasket without it getting into the cylinder? Or is it probably a crack in the block?

I was originally planning on putting a 3.4 in it but I was thinking about just getting it going right now to make sure the tranny and everything in strong before I sell the 89, if there's any problem I'll just rob parts from the 89.

The second is something the guy I bought it from told me about, I haven't run it enough to have it happen. He said when you run it then stop, sometimes it wouldn't start until it cools down. He said it's maybe one time in ten but it seemed to be getting worse when he stopped driving it.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Oh yeah, it's a V6 2.6/2.8(not sure)

First, if it's a v6, then it's the 2.8 GM engine.

Second, starting problem when hot sounds just like the typical GM problem with their starters. They get hot where they are and don't work well like that. Let them cool down and they usually work just fine. They make heatshields for them. Local autoparts stores will have them.

Plugs, if it's getting water/coolant into the cylinder, the affected cylinder's plug will be considerably cleaner than the rest due to the water turning into steam and effectively steam cleaning the plugs.

Richard <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

All the plugs are very clean, not at all like a 155,000mi engine should have. They're not new though, they definately have some miles on them, the electrodes have some serious rounding. There isn't any water running though the intake manifold that could be getting in both sides is there?

It turns over fine, there's just nothing there. More like it's either missing spark or fuel/air.

Yep, I'd say the starter is overheating ...

Richard <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

Really?

What it is, is with the exhaust sitting so close to it, the starter just acts like a big heat sink. When the starter gets overheated because of that, it doesn't like to work. I noticed the same thing on the one I've got. Didn't do it with the previous one, but the starter that's on it now seems to be doing it. Hasn't gotten to the point of not turning over, but it gets really slow and even to the point of where I wonder if it is going to start. But every time the engine cools down a bit, it's fine.

Richard <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

Certainly could be the starter, check all your connections including neg cable to block.

The water in oil Most Definitely could be coming from a leaking intake manifold gasket, it's what killed the Trooper I bought a few years back and turned into a 'stroker' 3.1.

I'd be more inclined to think leaking intake rather than head gasket, since you say all the plugs read about the same. A blown head gasket would typically give you a few abnormal readings in the blown cylinder(s).

BTW if the coolant has been there for some time it's probably done the bearings damage already, that 3.4 in your other post is probably a good idea!


G'luck.......ed

I think we have some group-think going on here: <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Richard said:
Yep, I'd say the starter is overheating ...

Then Ed said:
Certainly could be the starter, check all your connections including neg cable to block.

But, the problem was described as:
It turns over fine, there's just nothing there. More like it's either missing spark or fuel/air.

I am not an expert by far, but if the engine is turning over, I would say that the starter is probably not overheated. I would suspect there is a problem somewhere else. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Michael

This is what I was going off of: "He said when you run it then stop, sometimes it wouldn't start until it cools down."

And since he hasn't run it enough himself to have this problem, to me that sounds like the typical GM starter overheat problem.

Richard <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

I have have been experiencing the same problem with my 91 2.8 hesitating when I stop and then try to start it! I was wondering what was causing this but with the temps being around 100 the past few weeks it makes sense and Richard...once again you solved one of my problems! Thanks! Now I will go and get a heat shield for my starter! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

This also has me thinking about the problems with the 86 2.3L that I just bought that has been sitting for 3 years. I was told that it was a cracked block but I changed all the fluids and it starts okay but won;t run long and I have a lot of white smoke coming out the exhaust. Now that you guys mentioned the possible leaking of the intake gasket I noticed that there are some new bolts on this one. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> I am planning on replacing the head and gasket. It seemed to run smoothly when we cranked it and all the plugs were pretty dirty. Suggestions? thoughts?