[CraftHell]

Hi i have a close buddy of mine who's a mechanic tell me i might have a bad/blown seals on my 4th cylinder.. We changed the spark plugs (8 total) and the spark plug on the exhaust side closest to the firewall (4th cylinder) it had oil all over the end of it.. The partner of it didn't.. neither did the other 6 plugs.. is this a major problem like blown seals? The car does burn little oil here and there.. and sucks gas like crazy.. (200ish Miles on full tank).. also it has a very rough idle.. around 750-900 (was hooked up to a hand held odyssey computer to check exact idle..) Check engine light does come on after i drive it and warms up.. Checked it for codes and nothing really except ECU couldn't detect idle correctly code..

Any ideas is greatly appreciated...

heres a list of things i have replaced/checked..

oil filter, oil, air filter, tranny oil, tranny filter, pcv valve, spark plugs, spark wires, checked coil caps, checked all vacuum lines, fuel filter, took out the air tube silencer.. thats all i can think of..

haven't checked the EGR, IAC, MAF, TPS, O2 sensor, and the injectors.. i know my cat is really loud possibly clogged bad.. was going to get some headers off ebay and weld str8 pipe back to a flowmaster 40 muffler..

Thanks for your input!!

[b_chandler]

Mine did that after I rebuilt the engine. Come to find out I'd cracked a ring putting the pistons in. The deal was that oil was getting in there and fouling that plug and that plug only about once every week and a half to 2 weeks @ 40 miles per day.

I'd run a compression test. If the compression looks good, I'd consider valve seals. If the compression is low on that cylinder, it might need rings.


I was also thinking PCV until you mentioned you changed it (or did you just check it?) I've seen 351W's foul #8 because of a bad PCV

When does it smoke? A little when you first start it up cold? On deceleration? Acceleration?

[CraftHell]

I checked the PCV valve and blew it out with a air compressor.. the inside when u shook it still made noise.. so i figured its still good.. how do i do a compression check? and and it smoke comes out after a cold start sometimes after i drive it for a short distance and park it then crank it back up about 45 to hr later bluish smoke pops out exhaust..

[b_chandler]

Talk to your mechanic buddy about the compression test.

But if it's as you describe, it sounds like valve seals.

[CraftHell]

thats great.. well i have already been looking for used engines for sale that would be a direct replacement.. anything i should look for good/bad when doing this? how many miles is too much for how much money? etc.. thanks.

[b_chandler]

Replacement engine?? Whoa!!!

It ain't dead yet. You don't shoot a horse because it has indigestion.

Depending on the tools at your disposal, it can be done without removing the head. It's probably easier to some extent to do it with the head off of the car and on a bench or clean garage floor. Check your local parts store for a head gasket set for that engine. It should come with the valve seals in the kit. You'll need a new set of head bolts and now would be a good time to change the timing belt if you can't remember when it was done last.

The right person can tear it down Saturday morning and have it running absolutely no later than dark with basic hand tools and a valve spring compressor.

[CraftHell]

93 Ford 2.3, 4 cyl engine-

i found this close near me like 30 miles away.. 300 sounds pretty nice.. friend can help me install it..

[TOM RENZO]

I change valve seals without pulling the head. Here is how its done. Remove the valve cover and the rockers from the cylinder you want to change the seals on. Buy a spark plug air adapter and fill that cylinder with air from the spark plug hole. Remove the springs retainers and keepers with the ford tool and replace the seals. then reinstall the springs retainer and keepers on both I&E do this on all 4 cylinders. Install the rockers and install the valvecover and you are DONE. I can do a 2.3 in less than 1 hour. No need to remove the head unless you need or want to do a valve job. The air in the cylinder keeps the valves closed so you can change the seals right on the car Hope this helps TOM

[CraftHell]

ok when u says "remove rockers" and " remove springs retainers and keepers" do these require setting back up or i can just put them back in place? like i can just remove them and put them back without having to re adjust them?

[b_chandler]

There's no lash adjustment if that's what you're worried about.

Tom the only reason I mentioned pulling the head was that most folks don't have an air compressor. There's the rope trick, but if he screws that up he's pulling the head anyway.

[TOM RENZO]

Originally Posted by b_chandler

There's no lash adjustment if that's what you're worried about.

Tom the only reason I mentioned pulling the head was that most folks don't have an air compressor. There's the rope trick, but if he screws that up he's pulling the head anyway.

Totally understand chandler. I have read about that rope trick and cant understand how anyone can do it. I totally new you new how to do the air method. No dought in my mind. I realized after that you were right a compressor may not be available. Funny thing if he brings it to a shop they will probably do the air trick and charge for an R&R. Maybe his friend has a compressor and that will save a lot of time. Funny in your post you admitted you broke a ring during a rebuild. Takes a real stand up guy to admit that. I will tell you right now I NEVER BROKE A RING IN MY LIFE. I also have a bridge in brooklyn for sale. Year good story right DEEN there a bunch of times. I am headed to the shop and i am going to mike those 2.3 rings. I think they are 5/32 5/32 3/16 hang tight and i will post later.

[CraftHell]

ok i would totally feel more better if i took the engine out. redo all the seals with a rebuild kit... put it back together and it should be good lol?

[b_chandler]

If you'd feel better pulling the whole motor out, who am I to stop you? Go for it. Some things will be easier that way, but it's like going around a mountain instead of going over the top. Quicker over the top, but easier to go around make sense?

At the very worst (and I doubt this will be the case) you'll already have the old motor out to swap in it's replacement.