If you need help with replacing a starter on your car, or home repairs, this blog will soon have it all, from how to replace and install the cylinder heads on your '99 Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable, to a leaking faucet. to making a concrete slab. With over 20 years experience as a do-it-yourselfer, you'll find all the right solutions here.
I recently purchased the Stanley 15" / 380 mm, 8 TPI, Sharptooth saw, so after testing it out, I decided to make a review on it. If you are looking for a good saw, this is the one to go with!
If you're in the market for a saw like this, you can get it here:
After my father was diagnosed with cancer in 1993, he was sent to a military hospital which was his choice to die. Since he was the one who made the decisions when it was time for tune-ups or car repairs, I was now left with that job. Only I didn't know a thing about tune-ups and car repairs, but since my dad was unable to make those decisions now, I had to make those decisions. The time came when it was time to get my car smogged, which is a requirement in California, every other year. I had no choice if I wanted to continue to drive. Well of all times for my car not to pass, this of course had to be it! I had to find out why it wasn't passing, and I only had a few days. I took the car to a Shell gas station mechanic, where they told me my car wasn't passing smog because I needed a tune-up, and it was going to cost me $600, because I needed new wires! I had no idea what "wires" he was talking about. I thought he was talking about the electrical wires! Something by the way the guy was looking at me, told me that something was wrong! So I got out of there, went to the nearest auto parts store and bought the repair manual for my car. I looked up tune-up, and the next day I went in to buy my new spark plugs. Since I didn't know what "wires" the shop manager was talking about, when I was in the parts store, I decided to play the part of knowing what I was talking about, so I asked the clerk for my spark plugs and wires too! That's when I found out that "wires" were the spark plug wires! As far as costing me $600? I knew that many people fixed their own cars to save money, but I saved about $560.00!? Was that possible? Sure was! The shop manager at that Shell station garage, figured me to be stupid, and thought he could get one over on me. Well I was stupid when it came to cars, but smart enough to know how to teach myself! I eventually found a decent mechanic who ran a re-smog for me at no charge, so had I paid that $600, I still wouldn't have passed smog!
I had work on the car a year earlier, where the freeze plugs rusted out, and the transmission had to be taken out to reach them. When the mechanics put the transmission back in, they forgot to re-attach one of the vacuum lines! That's why I didn't pass smog! So I made the decision from then on, to do whatever repairs I could on my own. So the question is, how did I know which parts to buy? By reading and experience, and of course because I have always opted for the best, whenever possible. Well that was then, this is now, and over 20 years later, when I choose a part for the car, I still choose the best when possible, but I also have a lot of experience. I can feel the difference in performance when I install a certain type of plug or wires. Since I know what to expect from a certain brand of spark plugs or wires, I choose to stay with that brand. So with all that said, here are the spark plugs and wire sets, I choose to go with from the best, to the good but more affordable:
If you're new to DIY Auto Repair, and have no idea how to find the part numbers you need, I made this short little video for you! When you're done watching, you can order your parts and sound like a BOSS!
Removing the cylinder heads on a vehicle is not an easy job, and it certainly will not get done in one day. However, if prepared with all the proper equipment, supplies, and parts, you can get the job done much faster. I will include in the coming days links to the recommended tools, equipment and supplies for this model vehicle.
The first video in the series to follow discusses the Prepping steps to make the job much easier:
Diagnosing a
cracked cylinder head can be diagnosed in three ways.I will try to explain the diagnosis steps in
easy terms, so that you can identify the warning signs and save the remainder
of your car’s engine from further harm.
First, what exactly are cylinder heads?
Cylinder heads
are the detachable portion of the engine, which are usually fastened to the top
of the cylinder block, and contains all or most of the combustion
chambers.On overhead valve engines
(OHV), like with this ’99 Mercury Sable Wagon, the cylinder heads contain the
valves and their operating parts.On
overhead cam engines, it contains the camshaft as well.
A Cylinder
block is the main structural member of an engine where the cylinder heads are
found, crankshaft and other principle parts.
The cylinder
heads contain all of the moving parts of the fuel and exhaust valves, springs,
and push rods that operate the fluctuation of fuel and exhaust throughout your
car.When the heads develop a crack due
to wear and tear in your engine, it allows the oil to mix with the cooling
system of your engine.
What Causes Overheating?
There could be a few reasons causing the car to overheat.
1.Insufficient coolant in the system
2.Drive belt defective or not adjusted properly
3.Radiator core blocked or the radiator grill may be dirty and
restricted.
4.Faulty thermostat.
5.Cooling fan not functioning properly
6.Radiator cap not maintaining proper pressure.Either pressure test the cap yourself, or
have a repair shop do it for you.
7.Defective water pump
8.Improper grade of engine oil.
9.Inaccurate temperature gauge
If your
vehicle is experiencing unexplained coolant loss, as in you see no visible
leaks, there may be a few causes…
1.Overfilling the system
2.Coolant boiling away due to overheating
3.Internal or external leakage.
4.Faulty radiator cap
5.Cooling system being pressurized by engine compression.This could be due to a cracked head or block,
or by leaking head gaskets.Have the
system tested at a repair shop for combustion gas in the coolant.
External coolant leakage
Check for deteriorated or damaged hoses.Loose clamps at hose connections
Water pump seals defective.In this case, water can be seen dripping from the weep hole in the water
pump body.
Leakage from radiator core or expansion tank. This will require
the radiator to be professionally repaired.
Leakage from the coolant reservoir or expansion tank.
Engine drain plugs or water jacket core plugs leaking.
Leak from coolant temperature switch.
Leak from damaged gaskets or small cracks.
Internal leakage
Internal
coolant leaks can often be detected by examining the oil. Check the dipstick and inside the rocker arm
cover (valve cover), for water deposits and an oil consistency much like a
milkshake. Some of the causes may be due
to…
. Leaking cylinder head gasket.Have the system pressure tested or remove the cylinder head and inspect.
. Cracked cylinder bore or cylinder head.Dismantle the engine and inspect.
3. Loose cylinder head bolts.
How to
Diagnose a Cracked Cylinder Head:
1.Remove your radiator cap and start the engine. Wait for the
engine to warm up enough for the thermostat to open. The circulation of water
will tell you if oil is in the water by simply dipping your finger into the
fluid.
2.Remove your oil stick from the engine block. Closely inspect the
dip stick for beaded water droplets on the surface.
3.Visualize the flow of the water being circulated through the
engine as it runs. If you see bubbles floating in the coolant it could mean
that a crack has formed within the engine block. It will also make the engine
run hot, so do not run the engine for a long period of time.
These
three things can help you identify a cracked cylinder head on your car, but it
is always best to take your car to a licensed professional to have your engine
coolant tested for adequate pressures.
Your
car's performance will tell you when a cracked head appears out of nowhere. The
car will idle sluggishly and the engine will run hotter than a normal
temperature during operation. The engine could also stall due to protective
modules placed throughout your cars system to prevent damage to the motor.
It is a good rule of thumb to have your car placed on a
diagnostic machine that goes through your cars computer to identify problems
that may have caused the crack to form. The repairs to cracked heads can be a
costly problem, but if you identify the problem ahead of time, other problems
can be prevented. Cracked heads can cause Valve guide wear, Piston rings to
seat (Thus the loss of compression to engine), and the engine to run hot and
possibly seize the engines cylinders. The mix of water and oil inside the
engine block can cause the rod and rod caps to break and blow through your oil
pan beneath the engine in some cases. The main culprit to cracked cylinder
heads is poor cooling from your cars system. Improper fluid levels let the
engine heat up and then cracks appear.
In this ’99 Mercury Sable Wagon, the car had been overheating, and
upon visual inspection of the water pump, I could see that there had been
leaking from the weep hole.I replaced
the water pump and the thermostat.When
the old water pump had been taken off, I could see the significant amount of
rust damage to the pump.
Signs
of a Cracked Cylinder Head
1.Unexplained
loss of antifreeze.
2.White
smoke from the tailpipe.
3.Sudden
overheating.
Always
keep coolant or antifreeze in your car, not water.When replacing the water pump (if that is the
cause of overheating), always replace the thermostat as well.If your system contains a lot of rust, flush
out the system thoroughly and replace with antifreeze.
If your cylinder heads are indeed cracked, keep up-to-date with this blog, as I will have videos up showing the disassemble procedure, and explain why some of the components are removed, as I have noticed not everyone removes these particular items. There are plenty of videos on the way.
What started out as something for my own benefit, has turned out to be what other's need as well.
In an effort to save on labor costs, that and I had no help from anyone, I wound up having to remove the cylinder heads on a friends car, after both heads cracked. Thankfully I was not new to basic driveway auto repair, but this job was going to be more intense.
I had never performed a job like this, as detailed as this, but I had to learn. So, I grabbed my repair manual, netbook and my little cheapie pocket camera, and went to work. See, when I began to take photos and videos of my work, it was actually for my own benefit, so I could remember how to put everything back together the proper way. Towards the end of my project, I decided to do a search on YouTube for help with this make and model of vehicle, a 1999 Mercury Sable wagon, 6cyl. OHV. Turned out I found nothing. I advanced my search a bit more, and recalled that a Mercury Sable is another version of the Ford Taurus! There still wasn't much, so, I decided to contribute.
Though I am not a professional mechanic, I do have years of experience, and now with the process of removing and installing new cylinder heads.
So my goal is to start from the beginning; diagnosing cracked cylinder heads, step-by-step removal of the cylinder heads, and step by step installing new cylinder heads.
Now, much of my footage was lost on two SD cards, so it is impossible to replace that lost footage without going over the procedure again. As it turns out, I must start the project again, as the "help" I had was from a self-proclaimed expert. Yes, trouble arose. However this time, I can do the job myself without and disturbance.
There are numerous steps involved in the removal of cylinder heads, and it's not just the cylinder heads. There are a whole slew of components that need to be removed, cleaned and/or replaced, resurfaced, and whatnot. Meaning, there is a lot of work, writing, and video editing to put together.
As I got to the installation of the new cylinder heads, I got lucky and was able to purchase a brand new HD camera.
So sit back and keep an eye out for CJ's DIY, there is a lot in store for this blog!!!
Sincerely,
CJ Grace
The following video is a taste of some videos to come, and though this and others are on YouTube, pay no attention to those, I need to redo everything!!!
.jpg)