1989 Dodge Aries 2.2

I have a 89 Dodge Aries with a 2.2 engine. Automatic, air.
It belongs to someone else, but to make a long story short, They
had the engine removed, claimed they shaved the head which I imagine
they would have had to put in a new head gasket. They couldn't get it
started or they got it started and ran rough. So since I have a little
time, I told them I would look at it.
After only changing the old gas and checking the cam belt timing,
it fired up. Ran a little rough but it's been sitting. They did't
tighten the torque converter bolts and it brought one, I got it out
and put in four new ones. Then it started throwing oil out the oil
pan gasket, and I found the gasket was pushed out in two places. So
when I started draining the oil, I found it had some water in it.
Now, here is the question and what do I do?????????? I've
been reading that these engines have some kind of torque and stretch
bolts that shouldn't be reused. I'm assuming that when they went back
together with the engine, that they checked for cracks. And I'm
also assuming that they reused the old bolts and just didn't torque
them enough.
I took off the valve cover again, and used my torque wrench just
to test my assumtion, and found the bolts didn't even have 65 ft lbs
of torque. This would make it get a little water in the oil, "won't
it."
Do I need to buy a new head gasket and start over or just buy new
bolts and torque them to 55 ft lbs and then a quarter turn more?
Please answer this post.

On Sat, 27 Nov 2004, Robin wrote:

> I have a 89 Dodge Aries with a 2.2 engine. Automatic, air.
> It belongs to someone else, but to make a long story short, They
> had the engine removed, claimed they shaved the head which I imagine
> they would have had to put in a new head gasket. They couldn't get it
> started or they got it started and ran rough. So since I have a little
> time, I told them I would look at it. Ran a little rough but it's been
> sitting. They did't tighten the torque converter bolts and it brought
> one, I got it out and put in four new ones. Then it started throwing
> oil out the oil pan gasket, and I found the gasket was pushed out in two
> places. So when I started draining the oil, I found it had some water in
> it. I've been reading that these engines have some kind of torque and
> stretch bolts that shouldn't be reused. I'm assuming that when they went
> back together with the engine, that they checked for cracks. Do I need
> to buy a new head gasket and start over or just buy new bolts and torque
> them to 55 ft lbs and then a quarter turn more?

Hooboy. Sounds like people who had no business ever holding so much as a
bright green Playskool plastic My First Screwdriver assembled this engine.
If they didn't tighten the torque converter bolts and didn't put in new
TTY (Torque To Yield) head bolts, and messed up the oil pan gasket, it's
almost certain they also farqued up lots of other things on the job.

Yes, you need new head bolts and a new head gasket. I'm betting they're
far from the last things you'll need to get it running reliably right.

On Sat, 27 Nov 2004, Robin wrote:

> I have a 89 Dodge Aries with a 2.2 engine. Automatic, air.
> It belongs to someone else, but to make a long story short, They
> had the engine removed, claimed they shaved the head which I imagine
> they would have had to put in a new head gasket. They couldn't get it
> started or they got it started and ran rough. So since I have a little
> time, I told them I would look at it. Ran a little rough but it's been
> sitting. They did't tighten the torque converter bolts and it brought
> one, I got it out and put in four new ones. Then it started throwing
> oil out the oil pan gasket, and I found the gasket was pushed out in two
> places. So when I started draining the oil, I found it had some water in
> it. I've been reading that these engines have some kind of torque and
> stretch bolts that shouldn't be reused. I'm assuming that when they went
> back together with the engine, that they checked for cracks. Do I need
> to buy a new head gasket and start over or just buy new bolts and torque
> them to 55 ft lbs and then a quarter turn more?

Hooboy. Sounds like people who had no business ever holding so much as a
bright green Playskool plastic My First Screwdriver assembled this engine.
If they didn't tighten the torque converter bolts and didn't put in new
TTY (Torque To Yield) head bolts, and messed up the oil pan gasket, it's
almost certain they also farqued up lots of other things on the job.

Yes, you need new head bolts and a new head gasket. I'm betting they're
far from the last things you'll need to get it running reliably right.

"Robin" > wrote in message
om...
> I have a 89 Dodge Aries with a 2.2 engine. Automatic, air.
> It belongs to someone else, but to make a long story short, They
> had the engine removed, claimed they shaved the head which I imagine
> they would have had to put in a new head gasket. They couldn't get it
> started or they got it started and ran rough. So since I have a little
> time, I told them I would look at it.
> After only changing the old gas and checking the cam belt timing,
> it fired up. Ran a little rough but it's been sitting. They did't
> tighten the torque converter bolts and it brought one, I got it out
> and put in four new ones. Then it started throwing oil out the oil
> pan gasket, and I found the gasket was pushed out in two places. So
> when I started draining the oil, I found it had some water in it.
> Now, here is the question and what do I do?????????? I've
> been reading that these engines have some kind of torque and stretch
> bolts that shouldn't be reused. I'm assuming that when they went back
> together with the engine, that they checked for cracks. And I'm
> also assuming that they reused the old bolts and just didn't torque
> them enough.
> I took off the valve cover again, and used my torque wrench just
> to test my assumtion, and found the bolts didn't even have 65 ft lbs
> of torque. This would make it get a little water in the oil, "won't
> it."
> Do I need to buy a new head gasket and start over or just buy new
> bolts and torque them to 55 ft lbs and then a quarter turn more?
> Please answer this post.

Since you have water in the oil, get the head pressure checked as well.

"Robin" > wrote in message
om...
> I have a 89 Dodge Aries with a 2.2 engine. Automatic, air.
> It belongs to someone else, but to make a long story short, They
> had the engine removed, claimed they shaved the head which I imagine
> they would have had to put in a new head gasket. They couldn't get it
> started or they got it started and ran rough. So since I have a little
> time, I told them I would look at it.
> After only changing the old gas and checking the cam belt timing,
> it fired up. Ran a little rough but it's been sitting. They did't
> tighten the torque converter bolts and it brought one, I got it out
> and put in four new ones. Then it started throwing oil out the oil
> pan gasket, and I found the gasket was pushed out in two places. So
> when I started draining the oil, I found it had some water in it.
> Now, here is the question and what do I do?????????? I've
> been reading that these engines have some kind of torque and stretch
> bolts that shouldn't be reused. I'm assuming that when they went back
> together with the engine, that they checked for cracks. And I'm
> also assuming that they reused the old bolts and just didn't torque
> them enough.
> I took off the valve cover again, and used my torque wrench just
> to test my assumtion, and found the bolts didn't even have 65 ft lbs
> of torque. This would make it get a little water in the oil, "won't
> it."
> Do I need to buy a new head gasket and start over or just buy new
> bolts and torque them to 55 ft lbs and then a quarter turn more?
> Please answer this post.

Since you have water in the oil, get the head pressure checked as well.