I am new here but I thought that I would share my adventures with the first ram truck I have ever owned. If you have read my post in the new member area you would know that I was given a 1990 Dodge Ram 50 truck. its got the 2.4 4cyl with the 4 speed manual trans. the body is perfect but needs motor work.

I knew that the head gasket was no good when the truck was given to me. Spitting coolant out the spark plug holes. So I started the repairs on father’s day. After getting the head off I found that the number 3 and 4 cylinders were seized with rust. The truck had set with no spark plugs for 2 years. So I filled the cylinders with Krol and let them soak for two days. I came back and with a few loving taps from a 3 pound sledge and a 2x4 I got the motor to spin!! WOO HOO. As I was leaning over the block I placed my hand on the #1 piston and heard a thud. Humm ….turn over motor by hand and press on piston again ... thud... Looks like I will need to do the rod bearings also. Could be a wrist pin. I'll find out soon. Luckily I can pull the oil pan with out pulling the motor. I am also going to do a ring job on it because the #1 and #2 pistons lost all the penetrating oil that I had put in them. #3 and #4 held theirs. I am going to look into getting a bottlebrush for he cylinders walls. I have heard that they are more forgiving. This is my first major rebuild.

I will post more as things develop

Mark

 

well for the folks that are following this I finaly toke the time to look at the mileage on the truck 280,763 !!!!! no wonder it has so much wrong!! I decided to pull the motor and trans out yesterday. So I started getting it ready for that lastnight. Not a whole lot to do because of all the other stuff I have allready removed. I did find that the carrier baring is shot also. I hope to have a engine puller today (it belongs to my father-in-law). would it be wise to send the block off to have it checked ? To check the matting surfaces for the head and the cyl walls? Also while I have the motor out should I do anything to dress-up the engine compartment? Paint or just pressure wash and leave it be? also I would like to paint the block also. I have not been a big dodge person over the years not by choice just wasent in the cards until now. What color does most dodge pepole use. I know that ford had blue and chevy had orange what is the proper color to use with a dodge ?

Thanks for reading!!

Mark

 

I have photos in the gallery now.

 

Well after a few weeks of being slamed at work I finally got to get the motor and trans out over the 4th weekend. I have the block stripped. The number one rod bearing was shot! it was more then half gone!!!. The rings on the pistions are shot. There was so much mud (water + oil) in the oil pan that it took 30 mins to drain. I finally got so tired of waiting that I just took the pan off to help it along
well I guess it is time to send it off to the machine shop.

 

I'd get the block cleaned and checked, then have the bores smothed out properly if you want it to last. Get a rebuild kit and have the rings/pistons ordered to fit.

 

horatio102 - Thanks for the reply and the tips!! I have found a rebuild kit w/o the pistions at a local shop. I guess I will have the machine shop meassure the bore for the new pistons and have them ordered.

 

Bingo. I don't know a lot about rebuilding engines but I think you want to order the rings after it's been measured as well, but I could be wrong.