Death of a 4.0

[Atrain]

I know you were. [beer] And I know you're a car pro so I welcome your input...even if it's a kick in the nuts [balls] . Surely there are things I could learn from some of the gearheads here and that's why I posted this mess. If anyone can think of anything else it might have been, let me know so I can check it out and avoid this kind of catastrophe in the future. In the meantime, I'll be looking for a good machine shop and parts for the 4.6 stroker build-up.

[Gman]

Now I'm curious. If nothing "froze", what was the problem?

[JohnTRourke]

Trust me nothing "froze" but believe as you wish. :mrgreen:

uh huh :roll:
who's car is still running?
and who's car is a smoking heap of a ruin?

[poke]

[HunterCO]

Now I'm curious. If nothing "froze", what was the problem?

Thermostat stuck (this is just my most logical guess). First off he checked the coolant and it was normal I am sure he would have noticed if it was frozen. I doubt in those temps even if the cooling fan was not working it would have ever reached the temps that it did. When an engine over heats at that level it creates air pockets as the coolant boils. When that happens the sending unit for the gauge and or light will not read even close to what the actual temp is (hence why he says it never over heated again or so he thought).

With out looking at it I can't say for sure (possible head gasket depending on how it blew) but I can tell you one thing the last time I seen pistons melt was because of a lean NOS condition. Last but not least the radiator in that vehicle has phenolic tanks it would have split them if it froze. All I can say is he got that thing hotter than I thought possible for a stock vehicle.

I was also just messing with him about it being "Froze" he melted it down. [pirate]

[Gman]

OK. I was thinking it was the thermostat. I've definitely seen them choose to stick when the temps are at such wide ranges of heat under use and the extreme cold temps. It's just too bad that it didn't stick in the open position.

Failed the emissions test on my old Chevy Lumina. It looked like a complicated fuel mixture/emissions problem. New $5 thermostat and passed like a charm. Thermostat was stuck in the open position and threw everything off.

[Atrain]

I can tell you that the coolant was not frozen when I checked it in Divide. That's why my guess was a stuck thermostat.

[Atrain]

Hmmm...this is very tempting: http://www.golenengineservice.com/sp.../4_6l_260.html

[Mista Bukit]

I know you were. [beer] And I know you're a car pro so I welcome your input...even if it's a kick in the nuts [balls] . Surely there are things I could learn from some of the gearheads here and that's why I posted this mess. If anyone can think of anything else it might have been, let me know so I can check it out and avoid this kind of catastrophe in the future. In the meantime, I'll be looking for a good machine shop and parts for the 4.6 stroker build-up.

I have great machine work done at with Gunn (no kidding).

[XJ]

Have they gotten over all of the computer hassles with the "modern" engine controls? I don't keep up with NAXJA forums anymore but a while back the advice was to find one with the older ignition system.

[HunterCO]

Hmmm...this is very tempting: http://www.golenengineservice.com/sp.../4_6l_260.html

You could spend half that and do it yourself. I use Heads by Paul they are the first shop in the state that had a Serti. They do all my work for me personally as well as my customers.