Xavier Smith II

In search of a replacement M156

Jasonoff

Because of the worn cam pics you posted? If so, I will take that engine off your hands for cheap since it's no good.

Xavier Smith II

i am told that the Journals are bad in the Head, and that I need New head. Given the state of affairs in local shops regarding Covid and whatnot, getting it machined will cost more than a new engine. Hence me looking for a new engine.

BLKROKT

Why not just get a new/used head? There are a bunch on eBay < $1k. Is it just one side?

deadlyvt

Have they looked at them, because the parts in your picture aren’t the journals you have to take the bearing caps off and the cams out to see how the journals look.

Xavier Smith II

I was told that if I replace just one side I need the deck machined and shimmed(Engine has never overheated)

Jasonoff

Sounds like a crock of 💩 to me.

skullbox15

I doubt you'll find another engine without any problems. You'd likely get one with more problems than you already have. I'd go BLKROKT route and get a new head.

deadlyvt

What are your symptoms ? And why did they put the cams and caps and everything back together if it’s shot? It doesn’t add up. If the journals are shot you would leave the cams out to show you the damage and then why would you pay to have it reassembled if they are toast?
Get it actually looked at before changing the head if you havent alteady seen the damage yourself. If it’s just cam lobe wear then you are only looking for a cam or cams and lifters which is the common issue in these cars, not many with journal issues I’m aware of.

roadkillrob

It looks like u just need cams and buckets to me not even heads but like others have said take the bearing caps off to see if journals are bad but not heard of too many of these having shot journals.

Xavier Smith II

3 headbolts gave on the passenger side

Cams were refitted in an attempt to do a leak down test, cam wear is such that leak down isn’t possible. Compression test came back fine.

Jasonoff

I see you're in Ohio which is about a 6h drive for me. I will be fully vaxed next week and can travel to the US.

How much do you want for your current engine?

BLKROKT

Whatever Jason wants to give you for it, I’ll give you 50 bucks more. USD, not that Canada funny money.

E55Greasemonkey

You need a replacement repair shop, not an engine.

roadkillrob

I am confused by this, how is the cam wear impact a leak down test, it's not like the cam wear is going to stop a valve from sealing. Also how did they do a compression test with 3 popped headbolts, if the compression is still good then the head gaskets are still even sealing ok.

Everything about the shop seems suspect to me. Obviously we are all trying to diagnose this from our armchairs, but a lot of people have been through similar things with these engines. Your cam wear looks normal and not actually that bad, cams and buckets should be all you need. Is it possible journals are damages, sure but I have literally never heard of it on an M156, even the one Taso's had where the cam oil holes were not fully drilled to feed oil to the journal bearings got enough oil not to wear the journals.

Headbolts heads coming off happens fairly often, and typically does little damage, the heads don't usually go anywhere and bounce around the engine, typically you just remove the heads and bolts and new gasket and bolts and you are good, even people that have had coolant loose after the head gasket has been compromised typically just redo the bolts and gasket, unless it got hot, the head probably doesn't need resurfacing, but can be checked for true when removed. The only gotcha with broken headbolts is sometimes getting the head off as clearance is tight and depending which bolts broke may make it hard to remove the head in the car.

If it was me, I would be getting another opinion and would want to see why they say the cam journals are done and if there really is an issue with the heads, no need to do a full motor swap.

VektorPerforman

I 3rd the second opinion route. Some things are just not adding up here.

BLKROKT

Obviously we were just fooling around with you. Take it to another shop, wherever you’re taking it doesn’t know what they’re doing.

Xavier Smith II

Lol I picked up on that. The story has now changed to he did compression on one cylinder got 80PSI and stopped. Don’t know which bank.

This going to the shop known as my driveway so that I can figure out what’s actually wrong and if that doesn’t work it’s 3hours to dealer.

hachiroku

pull the heads...assess the damage. ensure your mechanic check the TDC height of each piston using a deck gauge to ensure no rods are bent.

Xavier Smith II

How do I check for a true head when I pull it?

deadlyvt

straight edge. Then you take a feeler gauge to determine how much warpage you have and then you remove material so the lowest point is now level to the entire heads face

Xavier Smith II

Thank you

Xavier Smith II

Heads of the bolts are still attached at least somewhat.

Xavier Smith II

I’m hoping the engine is okay,

getting back hopefully between Monday-Wednesday

roadkillrob

Going back to the beginning, why did you take it to have it looked at, you said 3 headbolts gave out, but what made you take it in, was it the headbolts and it was loosing coolant or smoking white smoke, just curious what the initial reason was that they pulled it apart? Sounds like compression was low on the cylinder they test which I assume was the one where the headbolts were bad.