Engine Broken....

[Corolla Test Pilot]

Delivering pizzas quite happily the other night. On the way back to the store from the last del of the night, engine starts to run rough, as if it was weak on one cylinder. I think, "Meh, probably just some carby bullshit. It'll fix itself." Get back to the store, less than one km, "Oh shit." What looks like smoke, coming in quite a copious fashion from the exhaust. So I surmise the worst, that the rings are f@$ked and a full rebuild is required. Baby it home, next day take a look. Do compression test, phew. Its all good. Look in radiator, it is sans coolant. Look at dipstick, it is covered in creamy sludge. Aaargh! The mysterious white cloud from exhaust was steam. So am I correct in guessing I require a new head? Or, at the very least, hopefully just a gasket? A experienced mechanic who hasn't seen the car, only had me describe its condition over the phone, feels that head corrosion is the likely culprit. Is this something anyone else has experienced?

 

Just to remind everyone, the car is a '75 KE30, with 3K-H.

[7shades]

Could be either. Grab a new head when you get a new gasket anyway... shouldn't cost you more than a 6 pack.

[Corolla Test Pilot]

And of course, there is the logical follow up question: if the head has got to go, what is the best option for a replacement? Would I go faster with a 4K head bolted on? Would it even bolt on? The 4K's extra displacement was stroked out of it, not bored, correct? Should I do a dodgy backyard port job on it? Talk to me people...

[7shades]

I'm not too well versed on the whole 3k/4k head thing... many on here are though. regardless I'd take whichever head you get down to your local reconditioners and get them to give it a nice once-over for the hell of it... can't hurt.

[oh what a nissan feeling!]

I once had this happen and it actually corroded through in behind the water pump in the front caseing, so don't forget to check this if you can't find the spot.

[Medicine_Man]

Why don't you just get a whole 4K to throw into it..

[towe001]

And don't forget to use coolant next time cause using straight water will corrode the head.

 

Btw for a home done head job http://www.materials.unsw.edu.au/~sford/

and for the different heads this will give you some idea

Head Difference??, How to tell a 3k or 4K head?

[camerondownunder88]

mm witha 3K if u pput a 4K head on it will drop compresion I think..if it does shave a 4K head down they are the same as a 4K froma KE70 is 10 yr newer so less likely to be crapped.

 

Also with ur 3K-H head can you add the number that is between the 3rd and 4th spark plug into my head difference? topic threadd. link above this message as I don't have a3K-H one yet.

 

But heads can be sourced for free to big $$ ar wreckers so look around some one will fix you.

 

Cameron

[love ke70]

pull the head off

have a look

move past go, collect $200

then come back and tell us your findings.

it could just be a headgasket, which is a 20 dollar gasket, 45 dollar head skim and a few hrs of your time on the weekend

[Corolla Test Pilot]

Hey kids. Head is off. My first major excursion into an engine, and it was scarily easy...

And thanks for the advice towe001... of course I use bloody coolant: nice, fresh, correctly diluted Tectaloy.

The gasket was overrated, so no worries there. The problem is very likely what nissan feeling said; a number of the water channels were almost full of rust coloured sludge, and one or two had some calciferous deposits almost blocking them.

I'd say its had the head off before, but not for a long time.

 

Any way, on the topic of bloody wreckers. Bought the trading post, and it had an ad for whole k motors from some place at Wacol, $150. Go to Redcliffe wrecking, "How much for a Toyota 3K head, mate?"

"Ahh, don't know if we got any that'll be any good, but it'll be $125."

I snigger a bit, and reply, "Are you bloody joking? Place at wacol, you can buy the whole bloody motor for $150, and you want $125 for the head?"

He looks stupid for a few moments, then realises that he looks stupid, then replies, "Yeah... well good luck trying to find one that doesn't smoke like a c**t."

"Seeya."

 

Much better reception at the other wreckers on Grice st, don't know the name of the place, but they have a green fence. Their price is still $85. Not many options though.

[love ke70]

get pics, i don't see how u get malt milkshake oil if your h/g was still good....

unless the head was corroded?

[Corolla Test Pilot]

Yeah, that was the conclusion. Is that something that can be fixed though??? It would seem like an awful lot of dicking around to try clean up and weld up any hole inside the head.

I've pretty much resigned myself to the wrath of the wreckers price tag.

Unless... Nick and co live round burpengary way, don't they? How rolla nuts are those guys? Do they have Kmotors around that they use as jackstands or what? Do they turbo the shit out of 4Ks just to watch them burn?

Could they hook me up?

[love ke70]

yes they do live in that vacinity. you could always talk to them. don't think nick has any spare motors, but some people might.

if the head was corroded i would expect it to be so in the combustion chamber. i don't think it would be anywhere else.

i really think its the HG. maybe you missed some damage to it? :)

[Medicine_Man]

Too_Quick had a 4K he took out of his old KE70 for his 4AGZE conversion, Not sure if he still has it, PM him and find out..

[Des]

I have no k motor stuff left, But if you want a running 4k and k50 in a ke70 wagon there is one here at the wreckers for $350 and its in OK condition. :) :)