98WS6 Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 So I just purchased a 88 Isuzu trooper with 2.6l 4cylinder in it. It needs a headgasket. Are these a pain to work on. Does anyone have expirence with these cars. The car will strictly be a winter beater. I paid $300 for the car and it has brand new bfg all terains 1 owner. 116k miles. I have read that the heads have tendencies to crack and if that's the case I'll scrap the car and sell the rims/tires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 I've spent time working recently on a 1983 Chrysler LeBaron that has the Mitsubishi 2.6L in it...might be the longitudinal-to-transverse application Chrysler did to make it work in a K-car but it's not my favorite engine and it's a pain to work on. Is the Trooper carb'd or FI? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeto67 Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 I had a buddy in high school with one. It was an unkillable engine if it is the 2.6L SOHC FI engine. Head gaskets are a known issue and if I remember correctly there are 3 options: 1) replace the gasket and hope for the best, 2) inspect the head and if not cracked have it decked and hope for the best, 3) if cracked replace the head and hope for the best. The cracking, I think and I could be wrong, comes from overheating the engine after the gasket has let go and people continue to drive on it. The hardest part is going to be paying for a head if you need one. They used that 2.6L as an american market engine in damn near everything so they are easy to find but the bad news is they cost as much as you paid for the truck. A quick scan of ebay shows everything from bare heads to complete rebuilt ready to go heads for around $300-$380. The good news is a quick search of timing belt/head gasket kits are $50-$60. I say save it. those old troopers are quirky old trucks and even if you spring for the full boat $360 rebuilt head you should be able to get more than a few winters out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeto67 Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 here is a reman head with a 1 year warranty for $366+core: http://www.ebay.com/itm/88-92-Isuzu-2-6L-2559cc-L4-SOHC-4ZE1-Cylinder-Head-/272325166279?hash=item3f67d844c7:g:NgEAAOSwLpdW9Epu&vxp=mtr as for working on it? well if a high school kid could keep a janky old one running in the days before the internet..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98WS6 Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 I've spent time working recently on a 1983 Chrysler LeBaron that has the Mitsubishi 2.6L in it...might be the longitudinal-to-transverse application Chrysler did to make it work in a K-car but it's not my favorite engine and it's a pain to work on. Is the Trooper carb'd or FI? It's FI. I got the head off last night and cleaned up at work and found cracks in cylinder 2 and 3. Im debating on keeping it and sinking the money into it because it's an ugly vehicle but cool looking. Plus I can't drive my TA In the winter. I've been doing some reading and people have swapped the late 90s model heads on them because they upped the compression and where not as prone to cracking when hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeto67 Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 I forgot to ask, is it a 2-door or a 4-door? If you have one with a decent body, it's totally worth saving. put a head on it and drive the heck out of it. If you get 3 winters out of it then it cost you $200 per winter to not have to drive your TA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98WS6 Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 I forgot to ask, is it a 2-door or a 4-door? If you have one with a decent body, it's totally worth saving. put a head on it and drive the heck out of it. If you get 3 winters out of it then it cost you $200 per winter to not have to drive your TA. It's a 4 door. The body and interior are mint but the frame has seen better days. It would for sure need patch work after this winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98WS6 Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Here is a picture of the truck. The body is really nice. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160802/5fe4fea4e1477410e638d92fc24fb913.jpg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted August 3, 2016 Report Share Posted August 3, 2016 Damn you, salty roads! That's a good looking truck. I'd throw another head on it like Kerry said. Unless you're gaming the system you'd be in over the cost of a reman'd head just in tax title and license on another winter beater! RockAuto has headgasket kits for $38 (with other intake/exhaust gaskets and seals)...I'm guessing that it shouldn't be too difficult to replace with that open engine bay... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98WS6 Posted August 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2016 Damn you, salty roads! That's a good looking truck. I'd throw another head on it like Kerry said. Unless you're gaming the system you'd be in over the cost of a reman'd head just in tax title and license on another winter beater! RockAuto has headgasket kits for $38 (with other intake/exhaust gaskets and seals)...I'm guessing that it shouldn't be too difficult to replace with that open engine bay... I got a felpro gasket kit that came with the vehicle brand new un opened. I'm not worried about tax and title as I only paid $300 for the vehicle as it sits. Just the price of a reman head on average is roughly $375-$450 plus a radiator as well and a timing kit. I'm sure I'll have less or a little over a grand in the car. My issue is, the time to get it there because funds are limited, plus working 2 jobs in the mechanical field...the last thing I want to do is work on a vehicle on my 2 days off. I have been trying to figure out if the 93+ cylinder heads are a direct bolt on, it's also a 2.6 but the combustion chambers are different. It will add a little more power and those generation heads are not as prone to cracking. I registered on some trooper forums but still no response from anyone. If the head is a for sure bolt on no modification then I will sink the money, I just don't want to have to deal with this issue every other month with the older style heads. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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