The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop major help needed on 235 damage repairs. HELP!

as I said in the topic, I need help.
I overheated badly. so bad that the oil almost caught fire. maybe I should have not been towing that fully loaded 12' uhaul going that fast with a loaded truck without a working temp gauge. but a man sometimes does things he should not do.

I took 5 days to build up courage to assess damage. everything I can see looks fine. no oil in the coolant or water in the oil (so no blown head gasket), I only lost 2 quarts of coolant (so no coolant leaks). I decided to start it, to see what would happen. it turns over (so not stuck), it runs (that's good news) but after about 30 seonds it dies. it also doesn't run as smoothly as it used to do. plus there's a little bit of black smoke puffing from the exhaust. so I pulled the spark plugs and they're black and have carbon deposit. 9 days ago they were nice, greyish and clean. so the engine was burning oil when overheating.

now here's the question (I think, maybe I'm on the wrong path): should I just put a fresh set of spark plugs in and burn the cylinders clean, or should I not do that and install new rings (which will be bad, I have never done that, and not the $$ to have it done, and no one to help me except for my dear fellow bolters)
help with this is highly and greatly appreciated. thanks!!

If you're blowing black smoke you are running rich. The smoke would be blue if oil was the problem. The intake manifold is in intimate contact with the exhaust manifold. You probably cooked something in the carb. Kitting the carb would be my first step.

oh that would be great! I've done a few carbs, I can actually do that. I hope this is the solution, you'll have saved my day, week and probably month. thanks!

seetz,

I'm with you. I would install new plugs and change the oil and see what happens. The plugs could be so fouled and coked from the high temps that they are not firing properly or completely. This might show as incomplete combustion in the form of black smoke.

Sticking new plugs in is pretty inexpensive and might just get you out of the woods...try it first.

As Tiny mentioned, be sure to at least look at the carburetor and any hose or wire that might have suffered with the high temperatures. That's my two cents worth.

Stuart

Check your compression before you do anything.

If you have low compression, it may be rings, or its more likely that you cooked an exhaust valve if you aren't getting blue smoke. A cooked exhaust valve will result in rough running, low power, and black smoke. You should also check your valve lash before you run it much more, since if the valves get too tight they will quickly burn the seats.

Any and all the above is something you may want to do. But, as Atomarc said, change the oil first. If you ran that hot, you fried the oil and nothing but more bad things can happen if you don't change it.

I might change the oil too...

Check the fluids. Change to motor oil and make sure the water level is up. Change spark plugs if needed and get it running. Yo may be suprised on the out come.

'''''that fast with a loaded truck without a working temp gauge.'''''

while you're at all the above check into a new water temp gauge or getting yours rebuilt. if my memory is working the gauge must match temps w/ the sender.