Restoring an engine, internally.

midknight wrote: How much ATF to put down the spark plug holes? I've got an Astro and is a real PITA to get to the plugs, but It's been sitting for over a year and I'm trying to get it started up again. Also you mentioned refilling the radiator with vinegar? Diluted or straight? How long do you run it like that?

ATF - Set the pistons to where they are all roughly mid-stroke, or as close as possible, and then put a bunch in. In the civic, I set them all to mid-dead center (pretty sure I just invented a term) and used a whole quart evenly between the 4 cylinders. I don't know the 6 cylinder well enough to know how even I can get them. But more is better, as it will leak down and you ideally want the stuff sitting in ATF the whole time.

Vinegar - This is a new one to me. Given that I've heard about both Seafoam and Vinegar that "It's OK to use it as a flush but get it out of there quick before it does more harm than good", I'm only planning on running it for a couple of days / 20 miles give or take and then dumping it. Depending how nasty what comes out is, I may go for 2 rounds.

Alright, fresh battery got her running, topped of the oil with a quart of seafoam, flushed the coolant (fortunately not too much mud this time) and filled her with vinegar. Should be ready to flush the vinegar in a couple of days, and see how the seafoam is about loosening all of the schmang.

I ran 1 quart of ATF in my 4.0 XJ for an entire 6,000 mile oil change. When I topped up, I topped up with more ATF. The top end of the engine is pretty clean, but the gunk that came out was scary. I'm running some 10W40 now, and it's so much quieter and seems to make more power than it did.

For radiator flush, I used a sodium carbonate flush. I still get some nastiness in the coolant, but the PO ran clear water for coolant. I did the vinegar flush, too, and it also left tons of stuff behind. I think I've rusted out another freeze plug.

ummm rear main seal in a 4.0 depending on version can be done in the car in which case yep easier than a jy motor

KATYB wrote: ummm rear main seal in a 4.0 depending on version can be done in the car in which case yep easier than a jy motor

Yeah, I'm doing it in-car while I've got the pan dropped. Also need to figure out what the right application is to get the one piece rubber pan gasket versus the 4 piece cork gasket.

wish i could remember. but sadly i cant....

Derick Freese wrote: I ran 1 quart of ATF in my 4.0 XJ for an entire 6,000 mile oil change. When I topped up, I topped up with more ATF. The top end of the engine is pretty clean, but the gunk that came out was scary. I'm running some 10W40 now, and it's so much quieter and seems to make more power than it did. For radiator flush, I used a sodium carbonate flush. I still get some nastiness in the coolant, but the PO ran clear water for coolant. I did the vinegar flush, too, and it also left tons of stuff behind. I think I've rusted out another freeze plug.

Yeah, I'm hoping to nail the time when I drop the pan to that magic moment when the nasty gunk has dropped to the pan, but has not yet clogged the pickup...

currently i have ATF sitting in the cylinders. Friday or saturday morning ill be putting it all back together and doing an oil change and see if it made a difference.

Question:

Will it be safe to drive 2 miles up the road to the shop to do the oil change or should i just not start it and change oil in the driveway?

I hope this works

How much did you put in? Less than 1 qt total? Start it up. Let it smoke like a forest fire for about 15 minutes. Then drive it down the road and change your oil.

I like diesel fuel for stuck rings and oil flush. Put a quart in the crankcase and let it idle for a half hour, drain and refill with oil. Put two tablespoons in the spark plug holes for the rings.

ProDarwin wrote: How much did you put in? Less than 1 qt total? Start it up. Let it smoke like a forest fire for about 15 minutes. Then drive it down the road and change your oil.

Slightly less then a quart sounds about right. Sounds good. Thanks

I forgot to mention, crank it once without the plugs in so if there is anything loose it blows the E36 M3 out the top.

Derick,

What's the ratio of sodium bicarbonate you use in your flush? Thanks.

CarKid1989 wrote:

ProDarwin wrote: How much did you put in? Less than 1 qt total? Start it up. Let it smoke like a forest fire for about 15 minutes. Then drive it down the road and change your oil.

Slightly less then a quart sounds about right. Sounds good. Thanks

Just so you know, you're not expecting how much smoke this is going to make. You may think you are, but you're not, and your neighbors probably aren't ready for it either. We're talking "pea-soup fog-bank THICK white smoke"...just be ready for it and don't worry about it, because it's normal.

As a practical matter, it's probably a bad idea to drive it with the ATF in the cylinders just because it's going to create a smoke screen behind you.

Just so you know, you're not expecting how much smoke this is going to make. You may think you are, but you're not, and your neighbors probably aren't ready for it either. We're talking "pea-soup fog-bank THICK white smoke"...just be ready for it and don't worry about it, because it's normal. As a practical matter, it's probably a bad idea to drive it with the ATF in the cylinders just because it's going to create a smoke screen behind you.

truth