I think something bad happened...

[Zultane]

So, I'll make long story short. I randomly got a bad noise in the engine bay today.

After much time, I took off the valve cover... looking at the engine, the far left rocker, on the closest side to the firewall, had came off. Intake cam.

I took off the pieces that holds down the cam. Again, I don't know their name, but I know their function. Well, on 2 of those, they are chewed up, gouged, and whatever other word you want. They are BAD. on the cam, same thing, they are really chewed up.

I didn't take apart the exhaust side, but, visually, everything looked ok. I suspect this would be what was causing my terrible idle, that I haven't been able to tune out.

I was forced to leave the car at my parents who I was visiting. I'll have to go back out there this weekend.

Somebody bear me the bad news, what am I looking forward to? Bent valve(s)? Clearly need new cams, which means springs as well. May as well take the head off and inspect the innards?

Or am I better off buying a new 6-bolt and keeping mine for parts?

 

[crash89]

Post some pictures, be easier for us to actually see what you are trying to explain.

 

[DROPthatCLUTCH]

At very least you'll need new can caps to replace the ruined ones, which means you'll need them align honed by a shop. And new intake cam.

 

[Zultane]

Cam caps. And a new intake cam sound easy enough. I'll take the head off this weekend. I still think I have a bent valve.

I'm unable to post pics, unless there's a way to from ab phone that I'm unaware of.

 

[IrishBeatdown]

Be sure to inspect the head underneath the cam journals, if that is all chewed up the head is effectively shot.

 

[Zultane]

I am just going to buy a new head. Getting this remachined, honed and aligned, plus new cams is going to cost me more then a used head.

I'm not entirely familiar, if someone could please respond before I buy. I have a 6 bolt engine. Are the heads any different from a 6bolt and 7 bolt?

 

[BogusSVO]

The 3 main differences are
1) 6 bolt heads have the large intake runners
2) 6 bolt heads have .500 head bolt holes for 12mm studs bolts.
3) 6 bolt thermostat housing mount is slightly different from the 7 bolt

 

[BurrowZ]

The 3 main differences are
1) 1g heads have the large intake runners
2) 1g 6 bolt heads have .500 head bolt holes for 12mm studs bolts.
3) 1g thermostat housing mount is slightly different from the 2G

Fixed.

 

[Zultane]

To make sure I understand correctly, I need to make sure it's a 1g head that I get?

 

[IrishBeatdown]

Fixed.

1G 7 bolt heads have the same stud holes (11mm) as the 2G 7 bolt heads. You are confusing the issue with your "fixing".

 

[BogusSVO]

To make sure I understand correctly, I need to make sure it's a 1g head that I get?

Yes, As long as you have a 1g/6 bolt in your 1990 DSM, make sure it has the .500/13mm head bolt holes.


http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/new...-6-bolt-non-turbo-head-6-bolt-turbo-head.html

 

[BurrowZ]

1G 7 bolt heads have the same stud holes (11mm) as the 2G 7 bolt heads. You are confusing the issue with your "fixing".

You are correct, I was wrong there. OP you will need a 1g 6 bolt head, if you get a 1g 7 bolt head you can just drill out the bolt holes however if you can't find a 6 bolt.

 

[gixrman]

Is it me or are we forgetting the big picture as to why this happened in the first place? Oil starvation, oil pump failure, dirty oil, blocked port, etc. replacing the head is a short term fix. If you smoked the cams and caps you have metal circulated around the entire engine and you should be thinking about replacing it.

 

[slickers111]

Is it me or are we forgetting the big picture as to why this happened in the first place? Oil starvation, oil pump failure, dirty oil, blocked port, etc. replacing the head is a short term fix. If you smoked the cams and caps you have metal circulated around the entire engine and you should be thinking about replacing it.

Exactly. You should find the cause of the lack of oil. The entire motor needs to be cleared of metal shavings, or you will experience another failure down the road.

 

[Zultane]

I bought a used head from a guy today. As for oil starvation, I believe that was a possibility in the past. The oil pan was dented on the bottom. From what I understand, the oil pickup is really close to the bottom of that pan. And when changing oil, I didn't see any metal chunks inside it.

I just bought this car a few weeks ago. Just still finding. And fixing all of the problems one at a time.