Replacing Valve Guides on 1984 2.2L
 

Ok, I've come to the conclusion that I will have to replace the valve guides in this engine.

The engine has 271K miles on it and replacement engines have been few and far between.

It's also an early/low VIN which I understand makes it even rarer.

I've been shopping here for valve guides and both the intake and exhaust guides available say "first oversize."

However, I have also found on another website "standard" versions of the intake only.

What should I get?

BTW, I am burning oil like crazy and some of it doesn't even get burned and ends up on my bumper.

Also, do any of you know which and how many head bolts I'll need?

It appears that there are a couple options.

You are not a machinist...
find the best one locally and take their word on what to do.
Provide the FSM for them to read before work starts....
Don't go any farther without obtaining and reading a good copy of the FSM...... since you need THIS head to be fixed...... right...

If you find a good old one.. you may not need to replace the valve guides....
I know you are shocked that I would say that....
but old blacksmiths and machinists know how to take up the extra size you have in that hole... by PUSHING metal.... I am so old I can not remember the name of this procedures at this point in time......

So, does it sound to you like my problem is worn valve guides?

I've never done any head work so I have no idea what is involved in this process.

I'm pretty handy but it would be all new to me.

It certainly could be...
but it might just be the valve stem SEALs..
which would not involve taking the head off.... and they are cheap...
replace the springs and rotators if you get that far down into the head parts...

Knurling is the word I was looking for...

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/2003/12/valve-guide-reconditioning/

OK. I'll look into that.

I know that the previous owner had some head work done some years ago but I don't remember off the top of my head exactly what they had done.

It also looks like my head gasket is leaking oil down the block.

Could excessive smoking possible be caused by a blown head gasket or is that not likely?

This engine befuddles me.

I can go 200 miles with no oil burning or loss and then it starts smoking like a mosquito sprayer out of the blue.

When it does that I can lose a quart or two in 150 miles.

My bumper literally has droplets of oil on it from oil that gets out the exhaust but didn't burn.

The engine fires up first time every time.

It does have a little blowby from the oil filler hole but nothing all that major.

No blowby out the dipstick ever.

Do you happen to know where I will find the engine number on the block?

I do not have a FSM for your engine...
That is strange about the ' using not using' of oil.....
someone should show up that has some ideas to check out....

The head gasket trouble on this age of engine is quite common - often attributed to dissimilar metal corrosion

If it is leaking oil out of the side of the head gasket I am surprised you are not getting a creamy emulsion in the cooling system too. Are you sure it isn't leaking from the valve cover gasket?

The engine number should be at the front of the engine below the valve cover gasket - on the block - near to the injector pump.

The FSM link for the OM601 is here =>

Untitled Document

If you are getting oil out of the back of the exhaust and splashing on the bumper then you really ought to check the crankcase breather system. This (usually) consists of a pipe that connects from the valve cover to the intake manifold / air filter.

Blow by won't come out of a dipstick tube in these engines because the bottom of the tube sits very low down in the sump. Look under your car and notice how the sump sits down low in front of a cross member that holds the front wheels together. The tube for the dipstick sits in the bottom of this sodding great big "bucket". If you get blow-by out of a dipstick tube you will probably very shortly afterwards have a seized engine (ie no oil left)

I bet you can decorate next door's front porch if you remove the oil filler cap with the engine running!

Oh sorry to cut a long story short - check crank case breathing and report back!

"I bet you can decorate next door's front porch if you remove the oil filler cap with the engine running! " -- Stretch

He claims not.....

I missed that bit.

Oh well - maybe the cylinder bores and rings are OK after all then...

...well lets hope so for the osprey (who I guess also knows the Walrus?)

Would you clean that off your bumper and ' redeposit ' it ...and take pictures of it ?
Very strange...
Also.... at the low points in your exhaust system.... is there oil dripping from those spots ?