My $5100 2003 WG HO just got dearer

[ruffy01]

Well, the Overland drove home from Sydney to Geelong (950Km) no problem.
Awesome.
2 weeks later, after still driving fine, head gasket let go
It never went over 100deg and was running like a charm. One morning it wouldn't turn over and I diagnosed number 5 cylinder was hydrolocked!

That was about 3 weeks ago. I have very little free time at the moment and wont have for another 3 weeks, but I've made a start.
Left hand head off (about 10 hours work), yep, gasket's gone but on top of that I found small metal pieces rattling around in the intake manifold!
I'm not certain yet but I think the intake valve seat on #5 may have broken apart.
I'll send the head off to the machine shop tomorrow and wait for the prognosis.
Ohhhh, the joys of a great, cheap buy

[oldon]

That's a bugger A, hope it doesn't turn any nastier. Maybe replace with LS1/2/3, I've thought of that combo, just lacking money, time & skill. Good luck with it mate. Regards oldon.

[layback40]

maybe egr valve disintegrated.

[alfaitalia]

Its a common thing....seen it twice myself. You don't need to overheat them many times (some say at little as once!!) before the valve seats fall out of the head(s). Many of the folks who rebuild heads use modified and pinned valve seats to prevent that problem in the future. Yet more piss poor Chrysler design! This makes interesting reading. http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f310/...-poll-3076905/

[ruffy01]

Originally Posted by layback40

maybe egr valve disintegrated.

I don't believe there's an EGR installed.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Originally Posted by alfaitalia

Its a common thing....seen it twice myself. You don't need to overheat them many times (some say at little as once!!) before the valve seats fall out of the head(s). Many of the folks who rebuild heads use modified and pinned valve seats to prevent that problem in the future. Yet more piss poor Chrysler design! This makes interesting reading. http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f310/...-poll-3076905/

Just reading that now, thanks.
A brief quote from one of the posts:
"...valve seats are made of a powdered metal, and as the metal expands, the valve seat breaks into many pieces leading to piston, cylinder wall, valve and cylinder head failure. This metal has also been known to fly back into the intake manifold..."

Although I have the head off, I don't have a valve spring compressor and it's quite hard to inspect the seat with the valve in place, but it doesn't look good and the metal pieces I found certainly resemble valve seat remains

Fortunately the bore and piston look good.
I'll know more in a few days.

Thanks guys.

[ruffy01]

A local head reconditioning workshop (well respected) confirmed what I thought, dropped #5 intake valve seat.
What did surprise me was they said they could reman the head BUT no guarantees on the valve seat not dropping again!

I've found a remanufactured complete HO head from the States (USA) for AUD$870 inc. post, seems reasonable ($1500 was the best price in Aus).

Any other suggestions?
Anyone have a left hand HO head laying about?
I'm currently in no hurry.

[bodgie]

Originally Posted by ruffy01

A local head reconditioning workshop (well respected) confirmed what I thought, dropped #5 intake valve seat.
What did surprise me was they said they could reman the head BUT no guarantees on the valve seat not dropping again!

I've found a remanufactured complete HO head from the States (USA) for AUD$870 inc. post, seems reasonable ($1500 was the best price in Aus).

Any other suggestions?
Anyone have a left hand HO head laying about?
I'm currently in no hurry.

While it is apart I'd pull the other head and do it at the same time, it may save you a shed load in future.

No sense half doing a job unless you are going to get rid of it.

Jason