There's a reason I'm doing this, a method to my madness if you will... I need an engine in the car NOW and don't have any disposable income to waste. Seriously, if it starts and moves the car 10 feet under its own power then explodes that's perfectly fine with me.

I've already dumped around $500 in repair and rebuild on this cylinder head with only 20k miles on it and am no longer willing to spend another thin dime on it.


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1336083463

If you were planning on using an Esslinger cylinder head on your Lima would you bother spending money on a cracked broke ass stock round port just to get the car moving temporarily? That's basically my plan to use a 99 cylinder head, and I doubt even in good shape I could offset enough of the costs selling the 95 head.


Will consider at least lapping the two exhaust valves myself, but I'm not sure I want to go through that ---- again.. Getting those locks back in might be easy for a professional but not me..


Not trying to pee in your cheerios or ignore your advice, I'm just not in a position to spend money on junk. If you knew what I was really up to with this, the head would be the least of my concern. :rofl:

A round port I prob would spend money on to fix, they seem to flow the best out the bok of the Limas, But a busted oval port.. nope in the scrap it would go. But I have about 14 or so lima heads, 20+ turbo blocks, who knows how many NA blocks, cranks and rods! lol

But I get where your going with this.

No money build, and you want to gimp it around the yard under its own power.

I thought you were tryin to patch up a DD

Try this then, on the leaking valves... soak with PB/WD or some sort of penatrant oil

Let it sit for an hour to over night, the longer the better.

hit the valve stem real good where it goes in the guide.

Blow it out.

soak again..

remove the cam, and the 2 buckets

Place the head on its side so the valves face into open air

Take a mid size hammer and a soft (copper/brass/bronze) drift

Place the drift on the valve tip, and wack with the hammer, 6 or 8 times, hard enough to open the valve, but not hit the valve seal with the retainer.

you can fluid test at this point again, hope the leak stops or slows.

If not try whacking it a few more times.

install buckets and cam

rotate the cam till the valves are full open, spray with more oil, and scrub the valve face with an old tooth brush to remove as much crud from the valve face and the seat.

Once this is done, close the valves and fluid test again.

I hope at this point the water will stop or just bead.

now for the head gasket, use a scotch brite pad, and a gallon of diesel fuel in a 5 gallon bucket, scrub all the black coating off both sides the HG.

once that is done, spray down with brake cleaner, to remove any diesel fuel.
Let air dry

Now with copper coat, spray both sides long ways a couple decent med coats, let tack

now on the head and block, spray copper coat the short way across the surface, couple med coats here too.

when its all tacky, assemble the mess, over torque the head bolts by about 10%

have a sammich, somke a cig, cuss the car gods for curising you....let a few hours pass, over night be even better, then add fluids

Is this enough of a redneck/backyard repair for you?

AWESOME. That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for! Will give that fix a shot tomorrow evening then 'block' the mating surfaces and report back.


:D





Trust me, the end should justify the means.


Teaser:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3...8/IMG_8175.jpg

DUDE!!!

Took the IM off and both cams/buckets out and peen'd all sixteen valves as you described, about 8 or 10 blows to the punch then tested. None of them leak now. Honestly, don't really know WTF that did, don't really care.

Did discover I have a metal dowel pin buried down pretty far in one of the bolt ports and not really sure how to remove it. Poked at it with an awl and flashlight attempting to locate a split but it does not appear to have such a thing as my 2.3 did. Suggestion to remove dowel?

use a large twist thread EZout...

Or start a tap in the dowel a few threads, then go to the other side of the head, use a 1/4 drive extention or an old head bolt, and knock it out

You had some trash on the seat or carbon build up on the valve stem that was cracking the valves open.