[98astroawd]

What started as a sputter turned out to be my nightmare...

Soo they finally got around to taking off the valve covers today, they were hoping to just see that the gaskets were bad, take the heads over get em machined and brought back. Nope..murphy's law is truly on my side.

#1 spot (ok i'm not mechanically fluent but you get the gist) the vavle was bent. not badly, mind you but just at the flat end so if you sat it up it looked like the leaning tower. They have no idea why, there isn't anything wrong mechanically with the piston (THANK GOD) but my mechanic said I will have to get the guide for the valve re-tooled (slightly) put a slightly thicker stem in and I should be good to go. (his words were..bring it to a machine shop..have em fix it and bring it back).

I had 2 really good mechanics looking at this engine with no idea why this exhaust valve was bent with no other damage done to any other part of the engie.

SOOo tomorrow I have to go find a shop that can machine both the heads and pray that the one isn't damaged. I soo can't wait to get this beast back on the road. I miss driving (and walkin to work in this cold isn't doing me any good). Have only had this 98 Astro for 6 mos and I think i've only been able to actually drive it for 3. (it stinks).

After all we've put into this astro I'll be practically driving a new car..just curious tho any idea or thoughts of what would/could bend this? They had a few ideas but nothing in the engine seemed to rock with their roll. If it was any kind of foriegn object they would have seen more damage in that section of the engine, but the only damage they seen was in the guide, the piston was pristine, no nicks or anything in that whole area. They took apart the intake vavle and it was as good as gold. Odd..

dunno..hopin after this i can leave my poor cold mechanic alone for a few months.

Thanks again for any imput!

Dee

'98 Astro AWD LS (what color was it again...its been so long since i seen it..i can't remember ROFL)

 

[astro355]

Hello,

How did the spark plug look?

Was the valve burnt?

Out of curiousity, who much is the machine shop going to cost? You may be able to find another used head for cheaper.

 

[98astroawd]

everything was in new condition (we just did a tune up on it not much more than 2 mos ago). Thats what has everyone baffled. There wasn't anything in the engine, in where the piston is..nothing. No damage...cylinders were mint condition. There was no engine ping, no slow deteriation of power..it was just one day it went, nope i'm not going any further. It started everytime i started it, in the cold even after it did this. so whatever did it..came in bounced around in that #1 cylinder and went out damaging just that first guide(slightly) which the machine shop guys said no problem fixing that.

There was a lot of carbon on the bent exuast valve and a "hot spot". That could be the burnt part you were talkin bout.

as far as how much its gunna cost to replace the one valve,surface and test them its only costing me 165$. If they have to replace any other valves ..12$. A new head for this one is going to cost me between 260-280. So these guys are pretty good, and they visit my place of work a lot so they will take good care of my car parts. Even went to the pull part store...and they said i'd still have to get it surfaced/tested because the person who answered the phone said that they don't do it there but can suggest a good machine shop that would do it (hrmmm..kickbacks?). That was about 75-90 for a used head then to be resurfaced/tested..myswell keep what I got and have it done.

The only thing they could come up with was something came in thru the airfilter...and went out the exhaust valve, and we were fortunate enuff for it not to do "MUCH" damage. I will know for sure this week. dropped off the heads this afternoon its #4 on the list of heads for them to do, and I should have it back by friday/saturday.

Will keep ya up to date on what they say...cross your fingers, toes and whatever else that this thing passes with flying colors.