@eternally_troubled wrote:I wouldn't say it was
easy to turn the engine over by using the back wheel, but it shouldn't be too difficult.
As I recall it certainly wasn't a big problem to turn it over using the wrench on the alternator with the spark-plugs taken out and in neutral gear (so you don't have to turn the whole drive-train/wheel).
The turning felt
fairly smooth, but remember you are also turning the valve gear (assuming the chain/cams etc all are still connected) so there is still some notchiness as the valves are opened (as you overcome the force created by the spring).
It was a piece of pie with a ratchet on the alternator but almost impossible with the wheel. With it, it is completely impossible to align the marks - if I pull on the spokes hard, it will rotate but will be uncontrollable by how much. It feels like the wheel is locked till I don't pull hard on it... I did it in 6th gear and spark plugs out. A person told me that could be from pistons scraping the cylinder walls...\
Anyways I put the head off and have taken some pictures
Taking off the head while keeping the chain from falling down made me put one hand between the head and block to support the head while with the other I took the chain out of the head and put it on the side of the block where it was supported by its own weight. But with my hand between the block and head, I contaminated all traces from a head gasket leak by smearing oil and coolant around... It is really hard to say if there was leak.. The head is not warped also.
I checked if the valves are sealing properly with pouring some gasoline in the intake and exhaust ports - no leaks


On one of valve lifters(followers) on the picture below there is circular wear mark but cannot be felt with a finger or nail. Also I measured them with the straigth edge to check if they are flat and not concave - passed.





Some weird looking wear on the lobes on the picture below but nothing that can be felt with a finger.


I don't know if this is on the picture below is wear from the chain or was out from the factory like that.

On the picture below, I cleaned the pistons and cylinder walls a bit with gasoline dampened rag and smeared them with wd40 to protect them from rust for now. What it worries me are those vertical lines on the cylinder wall .. Piston scraping ? Early failure of piston rings ? Nothing ?

On the picture looks worse that it is in reality - nothing to be felt with finger and hard to see without good amount of light.

I got advised to check the water pump drainage hole for leaks if the sealings are busted. Well, as you can see from the picture there was something draining, but now was unfortunately dry.. So I don't know if the previous owner fixed it or not..


I have 3 theories how those combustion gasses get in the coolant.
1. The head gasket gave up. Unfortunately no signs of that and without the head being warped it is unlikely head gasket to go bad.
2. Crack somewhere - Highly unlikely on this engine as I read.
3. Pistons rings failing a bit and creating pressure in the crankcase, which leads to the seals of the water pump to give up and the pump is pumping combustion gasses in the coolant..
Today, I will open up the water pump