1996 2DR, 2WD, 16V Tracker

[CBCC12]

Hello fellow Sidekick/Tracker friends. Long story short, bought Tracker from lady who ran the car hot, car died and she suspected blown engine. I pulled the head and had it shaved and tested. Installed head/gasket, new water pump, timing belt, SP wires. Could not get her to fire up. Best compression in cylinder #1 & 4 at 170 but #2 & 3 never got above 90. Concluded engine trouble in the pistons, rings, etc. So, called it a loss and purchased a used engine from SWEngines and expect to receive it by the end of the month. They advertise an engine with <73K miles. See a lot of unhappy customer posts on the web so am hoping for the best. Anyway, I'm contemplating replacing ALL of the engine seals and gaskets before I put the engine in the car as this would be the opportune time. I'm reasonably mechanically inclined but given the fact it makes my head hurt to tread the "timing" section of this forum, I'm not sure I should gamble on the seals/gaskets. Any suggestions as to how to do the seal/gasket replacement without risking messing the timing up?

[fixkick]

weicome !
the timing really is easy, what is hard, if if they (others) can cause 2 or 3 errors here.
the cam cog has 2 false marks that can be wrong,
then the wrong rotor in distributor. or one that fails to index correctly.
yes , used engines are coin toss...

if you own a timing light, we can check it and if wrong, correct it easy.
i have photos there of 96 distributor, as i plant it, the correct way.

here is my fast plant
http://www.fixkick.com/IGN_timing/16v-pr...#fastplant

the photo .this is all you need. just 1 photo. see the marks in white.

http://www.fixkick.com/IGN_timing/16-rea...zy1c1w.jpg

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best time to time the distributor, is with valve cover off. so you can see #1 rockers (front 2) are loose. (telling you #1 is firing, )
or use a compression gauge, in #1 spark hole. see it build up, as you near TDC (hand spinning crank (CW, facing rear of car), that is #1 firing, not #4 (when you feel and see compression build there)

[CBCC12]

weicome !
the timing really is easy, what is hard, if if they (others) can cause 2 or 3 errors here.
the cam cog has 2 false marks that can be wrong,
then the wrong rotor in distributor. or one that fails to index correctly.
yes , used engines are coin toss...

if you own a timing light, we can check it and if wrong, correct it easy.
i have photos there of 96 distributor, as i plant it, the correct way.

here is my fast plant
http://www.fixkick.com/IGN_timing/16v-pr...#fastplant

the photo .this is all you need. just 1 photo. see the marks in white.

http://www.fixkick.com/IGN_timing/16-rea...zy1c1w.jpg

---

best time to time the distributor, is with valve cover off. so you can see #1 rockers (front 2) are loose. (telling you #1 is firing, )
or use a compression gauge, in #1 spark hole. see it build up, as you near TDC (hand spinning crank (CW, facing rear of car), that is #1 firing, not #4 (when you feel and see compression build there)

---

weicome !
the timing really is easy, what is hard, if if they (others) can cause 2 or 3 errors here.
the cam cog has 2 false marks that can be wrong,
then the wrong rotor in distributor. or one that fails to index correctly.
yes , used engines are coin toss...

if you own a timing light, we can check it and if wrong, correct it easy.
i have photos there of 96 distributor, as i plant it, the correct way.

here is my fast plant
http://www.fixkick.com/IGN_timing/16v-pr...#fastplant

the photo .this is all you need. just 1 photo. see the marks in white.

http://www.fixkick.com/IGN_timing/16-rea...zy1c1w.jpg

---

best time to time the distributor, is with valve cover off. so you can see #1 rockers (front 2) are loose. (telling you #1 is firing, )
or use a compression gauge, in #1 spark hole. see it build up, as you near TDC (hand spinning crank (CW, facing rear of car), that is #1 firing, not #4 (when you feel and see compression build there)

---

Thanks for the reply and information. Your input/feedback help build confidence. Knowing that used engines are a coin toss, do you think it's a good idea to replace the seals/gaskets or just leave it alone and hope for the best?

[fixkick]

when you did the compression on old engine was it done WOT, throttle blocked open and all sparks removed? I ask because with 2 engines, you might end up with at least one good head. (doing the compression dry then wet proves this at step 11)
http://www.fixkick.com/compressiontest.html#doitnow

on a used engine, (edited I left out, DO the lash settings FIRST ! and make sure the cam is timed right. see sneak-a-peek)
http://www.fixkick.com/t-belt/sneak-a-peek.html
I do compression test while is its on the garage floor. (battery here, cables, starter mounted,hot wire starter?,etc) or
or leak down test, I hate investing long hard labor on a dead (used) engine. (installed then removed, ouch.

both tests can be done, but the leak down only takes shop air (and the tool) and a 17mm deep socket wrench to spin the front crank nut.
i'd put in a squirt of oil first to each cylinder spark plug and turn crank sparks out, to get the rings, lubed. (TLC) step 11.

SIDE TRACKED: old engine.
i'd bet the old engine would run good, if you milled the head, yours is warped.
there is toss coin chance that just milling it you bet 170psi compression back, with mill.
id first, use steel rule on the head, and check the warp factor with a feeler gauge, shown in all automotive books in print.
set rule cross wise, and .001 per foot, warp is limit using a feeler . so ours is about 1.5 foot. so is .0015 max, FSM says .002" max (IIRC)
if warped, i next , use gasoline or any thin solvent and put that in the combustion chambers(head on bench upside down) this is the fast check that valves dont leak, the best fluid is Alcohol. , less flammable. (kerosene or diesel is too thick), if that test passes, mill the head if warped, if that test fails,, a new head exchanged is $400 (milling far far less)

id have run the old engine, but im off track now... end old engine, fix. but with 2 blocks and 2 head, id bet one good motor can result.... just saying...

back to new old engine. (just my opinion.. not worth much...)
then if the leakdown passes. i'd put on new Valve cover gasket set from Felpro. if and when compression/leakdown passes. if not, end of "pigs in poke sack", story.....

take of the cam belt cover,, set the engine to TDC #4 firing (see cam cog, that is E mark up. aligned to 12pm top slash mark.)

Remove the belt, per Tbelt page. then cam cog off , locking the cog using my 10mm hex "Allen" key trick. (16v only trick)
new cam seal, done
cog back on. key to "E" slot.
take off crank cog, locking crank first. and remove cog, and put on new crank seal. Check for crank snout damage in side old cog hole.
new gates belt (cam) tensioned to spec. done. see my Tbelt page.

and then the 2 new distributor seals. o-rings. see buy parts page,for subs, both o-rings will be bad, and for sure VC gasket.
i then do the compression test again. (just to be sure i didnt mess up above) self checks pay back,.....

[CBCC12]

when you did the compression on old engine was it done WOT, throttle blocked open and all sparks removed? I ask because with 2 engines, you might end up with at least one good head. (doing the compression dry then wet proves this at step 11)
http://www.fixkick.com/compressiontest.html#doitnow

on a used engine, I do compression test while is its on the garage floor. (battery here, cables, starter mounted,hot wire starter?,etc) or
or leak down test, I hate investing long hard labor on a dead (used) engine. (installed then removed, ouch.

both tests can be done, but the leak down only takes shop air (and the tool) and a 17mm deep socket wrench to spin the front crank nut.
i'd put in a squirt of oil first to each cylinder spark plug and turn crank sparks out, to get the rings, lubed. (TLC) step 11.

SIDE TRACKED: old engine.
i'd bet the old engine would run good, if you milled the head, yours is warped.
there is toss coin chance that just milling it you bet 170psi compression back, with mill.
id first, use steel rule on the head, and check the warp factor with a feeler gauge, shown in all automotive books in print.
set rule cross wise, and .001 per foot, warp is limit using a feeler . so ours is about 1.5 foot. so is .0015 max, FSM says .002" max (IIRC)
if warped, i next , use gasoline or any thin solvent and put that in the combustion chambers(head on bench upside down) this is the fast check that valves dont leak, the best fluid is Alcohol. , less flammable. (kerosene or diesel is too thick), if that test passes, mill the head if warped, if that test fails,, a new head exchanged is $400 (milling far far less)

id have run the old engine, but im off track now... end old engine, fix. but with 2 blocks and 2 head, id bet one good motor can result.... just saying...

back to new old engine. (just my opinion.. not worth much...)
then if the leakdown passes. i'd put on new Valve cover gasket set from Felpro. if and when compression/leakdown passes. if not, end of "pigs in poke sack", story.....

take of the cam belt cover,, set the engine to TDC #4 firing (see cam cog, that is E mark up. aligned to 12pm top slash mark.)

Remove the belt, per Tbelt page. then cam cog off , locking the cog using my 10mm hex "Allen" key trick. (16v only trick)
new cam seal, done
cog back on. key to "E" slot.
take off crank cog, locking crank first. and remove cog, and put on new crank seal. Check for crank snout damage in side old cog hole.
new gates belt (cam) tensioned to spec. done. see my Tbelt page.

and then the 2 new distributor seals. o-rings. see buy parts page,for subs, both o-rings will be bad, and for sure VC gasket.
i then do the compression test again. (just to be sure i didnt mess up above) self checks pay back,.....

---

The head was taken to a respected repair shop and milled along with the leak down test performed. The problem with performing some of the tests was that the engine wouldn't start. The compression readings were with all spark plugs removed, full charge battery and strong crank. Don't know if I ever got to the recommended 800 RPM for the compression check but again it was all I could do with engine not starting.

At any rate, I'll do the seals and gaskets using your procedures. Thank you for the valuable input.

Craig

[fixkick]

yes the spec, is hot (warm) but the cold does 170psi. easy
the next test is with oil to see if the valves leak or rings, if it's rings, (passes 170 now) then then you have a good head, something great to know and worth $400. that head if good.
if the head fails, the oil test, stays, at 90 or i real low , id do the alcohol test in the combustion chamber, test. just to see if the valves leak or maybe a cracked head?
just so I know what it is , for future usage... say i see 2 burned exh. valves... and leak... bad....
the rpm is usually 300 cranking, its not a bench mark only that the battery is not weak or spark left in, during the test.

and set the lash to spec, many heads are lost due to not ever setting lash and burning up valves. (60k service checks)
so make sure lash is good first. i forgot to say that , do that before all things,,,,,,, or all is a waste of time. doing checks.

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what is hard working old parts. is not knowing the engine history.
one bet is that most engine are never ever serviced, only oil if lucky.
giving that, LASH is 1st.
then #2 the TSB check on the front crank pulley, is the bolt at 94 ft.lbs or loose, if Found loose. there will be damage.
the TSB is retro active from 1998 back to 89... all G16s.
the damage this causes is here, and is common. and 10x that if was A/T transmission behind it, prev. mech too lazy to read TSB or use crank locks.

http://www.fixkick.com/t-belt/tbelt-index.html

in fact, id have the pulley and cog off , on arrival. just to see if the engine is even usable at all. (some are wrecked snouts, too much damage)

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btw, i call that cog check a day 1 check.
if found 17mm head bolt loose. i dig deeper.