engine and drivetrain Opinions Needed

[devotion]

OK, I need some opinions from you all...and I know you all have one! So Im an idiot and didnt hook up my electric fan on my 76. Let it "warm up" to long, and blew a head gasket (at least). Small amounts of oil in coolant...but no coolant in oil (yet).  Car ran like a top before this little mishap, and still runs like a champ.  After the overheating, I let it sit, and had to drive it home...didnt skip a beat.  Did a compression test today and 1,2,3 cylinders were all at 100, and number 4 only got to 60. So this apparently indicates worn lower end. Like I said, it still drives fantastic (Not that Im driving it till I at least change the head gasket and have the head worked over)>

 

I guess my question is, what would you all do in this situation...keep in mind I have limited funds. Ideally I know I would like to pull the whole motor and do a bottom up rebuild, but that just isnt going to happen with my bank account the way it is. This is a daily driver. So, do some head work, replace gasket and drive?

 

Like I said, still drives just as good after overheating than before. 

 

For what its worth, when I was getting this car going after sitting for 5 years, I noticed oil leaking out right under the spark plugs (where the head gasket is), so has the gasket been shot this whole time? valve cover gasket weeps too.

 

READY, SET, OPINIONS PLEASE!!!

[Tommy]

It ran ok, limited funds...sounds that for the moment just do what you have to. Upper end gasket set and check the head. You get to fix the oil leaks and it should be fine again. The oil leak from head gasket is nearly impossible except at the timing cover area. What you should check are the exhaust manifold studs as they may leak oil. Now it would be easy to take them out and glue back with loctite.

 

  Tommy

[Guest_anonymous]

Of course you know the answer here is full build. And I know your thinking that a top end set is only $70. The cost now because you need the car to run now will nag at you for a spell. "Should have just.......when I was in there"

You absolutely need to.have the head checked by a machine shop including pressure testing the head because of the overheat situation. Give them the upper timing case cover as well. This will determine your next set of questions.

[Hans]

You could try a wet compression test: squirt a small bit of oil in the spark plug hole before taking reading. That will confirm whether rings are the culprits. But assuming #4 is a gasket issue, and that you can live with 100 across the board for now, try just doing the head. It would be false economy to not get it checkedfor warp or crack.

[devotion]

Totally planning on getting the head checked...it would be silly to do the gasket, and put it back together only to find out the head is warped! Now for the big question...total rebuild cost estimate, what is a guy looking at for something like this (Assuming the head is not warped and/or cracked).

[gliding_serpent2]

Your story sound like mine in 2012. For me however, you could hear cylander #1 scraping away. If you delay a rebuild you will suffer from false economy.

You probably have a 40yo engine. For me i had everything gone over, anything working saved as a valuable spare. New water pump, rad (uprated core) amthermo, temp sensor and rubber. New pistons, new hardware, new bearings, machined block, head needed leveling, new valves and guides (needed), new springs, rockers, cam (likley not needed, but while you are in there...). New warmup regulator. Took the opportunity to have old fuel injection rebuilt and swapped out 40 webers. New fuel pump. New oil pump (old one fine, but spare). New starter. Pretty much the entire engine. Painted engine bay while engine was out. Machined flywheel. Fresh clutch too "while we were in there".

Suspension was fine, but original. New bushings, control arm and tie rods. New bearings. New engine mounts. New shocks and springs and adjustable roll bar. Cnew subframe mounts. Everything painted. Fixed odometer, voltage regulator replaced. New hood insulation and hood rubber.

New carpets, coco mats. New door seals... New modern tires and wheels (2 sets). I sm sure i forgot more.

Now not all came at once... But the engine and suspension did. Restoration is a disease.

[Guest_anonymous]

That of course is entirely up to you and how much R&R you perform yourself and the components you need and the products you choose.

Start with getting the head off and speced you will know more then. In the meanwhile you can do a leak down test and run a vac gauge.....this will give you more external diagnosis and help you if you choose to leave the bottom end.

Edited February 1, 2014 by daron_in_Va