My 95 SR is smoking a bit....

mtnblue

Observer
The '95 SR I recently bought is smoking a bit at start up and is most likely (as per everyone's common comment) the valve guide seals. I need advice:

This Monty has 105k miles on it and is in immaculate condition- it looks like it was garage kept.... BUT as we all know, it is 22 years old. The previous owner's records show
that the timing belt, water pump, etc was changed by a Montero Dealer at 70k miles. But it doesn't appear they changed the crank bolt. If I were going to
tackle the valve guide seals, what else should I consider doing, or looking at with this amount of miles on it? I've searched previous posts but nothing really
addressed this vehicle with these (relatively) low miles on it. The previous (original) owner said he only used it when it snowed. 22 years on those valve seal
guides could mean they are ready.... Suggestions? Should I look at the injectors? Radiator? I probably don't need to do the timing belt as it only has 30k on it...
but if I am going to go in that far... should I replace the timing belt too?
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
The downside to a low-mileage rig is that is sat, only 105k miles means it sat A LOT and seals do not like that. There are some threads on here regarding the topic, one of which I recall was about using the Ford synthetic blend 5w20 with some success, there are others about using various oils with varying results.
 

mtnblue

Observer
The downside to a low-mileage rig is that is sat, only 105k miles means it sat A LOT and seals do not like that. There are some threads on here regarding the topic, one of which I recall was about using the Ford synthetic blend 5w20 with some success, there are others about using various oils with varying results.

Can you give me thread subjects so I can search. I spent about an hour last night looking up the valve seal topic, but those discussions covered just the replacement and not vehicles that have sat around.
 

mtnblue

Observer
It looks like the timing belt, et al was changed at 74,000 miles in 2002. So in the last 15 years, the guy drove it 31,000 miles. Any feedback on cracked seals etc to check would be helpful. Would the timing belt also "wear" from non-use? If I were to do the valve seals, should I just throw another belt on anyway and do all the timing belt replacements since I am in there anyways? Same with injectors? Do they 'wear" from non-use? I am not terribly mechanically inclined (I can do simple stuff but I say away from tearing engines down), so if I were to pay for someone to go in there, I'd like to do it once and be done with it for the next 70k miles. That being the case, does it make sense to pull the heads and take them to a head shop, or "if' it's not broke, don't fix it" ? I plan on driving this vehicle into the ground and I want it to be very dependable as I will be going into very remote locations.
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
It looks like the timing belt, et al was changed at 74,000 miles in 2002. So in the last 15 years, the guy drove it 31,000 miles. Any feedback on cracked seals etc to check would be helpful. Would the timing belt also "wear" from non-use? If I were to do the valve seals, should I just throw another belt on anyway and do all the timing belt replacements since I am in there anyways? Same with injectors? Do they 'wear" from non-use? I am not terribly mechanically inclined (I can do simple stuff but I say away from tearing engines down), so if I were to pay for someone to go in there, I'd like to do it once and be done with it for the next 70k miles. That being the case, does it make sense to pull the heads and take them to a head shop, or "if' it's not broke, don't fix it" ? I plan on driving this vehicle into the ground and I want it to be very dependable as I will be going into very remote locations.

As long as the belt is not exposed to chemicals from a leaking seal I would leave it alone.
 

mtnblue

Observer
What is the issue with the crank bolt? It apparently wasn't changed when they did the timing belt.... the dealer did the job in 2002; I am sure the dealer in 2002 knew it was a problem, is it possible they put the old bolt in and used locktite to ensure it didn't back out? Would locktite be a solution to that problem- or does an entirely new bolt need to be used? And mileage wise, typically when does that bolt become a problem?
 

Salonika

Monterror Pilot
Someone on here probably knows the whole story, but I've heard both defective design on the bolt, and under-torquing at the factory as a cause. At any rate, I don't believe locktite is a good solution in this case. If torqued correctly and with a good bolt, thread locker shouldn't be needed imo.
 

mtnblue

Observer
Smoke seen? I didn't really notice it much, but I was out wheeling a couple of days ago and my friend who is a mechanic was driving behind me and he said on start up there was a bit as well as upon acceleration. He suggested valve stem seals... I do burn through about a quart every 3 tankfulls. So it's not actually belching out smoke all the time... but it was very noticeable to him, and from my reading on the subject- it doesn't help the cat con to be burning oil. I'd like to do what I need to do now, once an for all and not worry for the next 100,000 miles. I am concerned about the crank bolt too.
 

jeep-N-montero

Expedition Leader
Smoke seen? I didn't really notice it much, but I was out wheeling a couple of days ago and my friend who is a mechanic was driving behind me and he said on start up there was a bit as well as upon acceleration. He suggested valve stem seals... I do burn through about a quart every 3 tankfulls. So it's not actually belching out smoke all the time... but it was very noticeable to him, and from my reading on the subject- it doesn't help the cat con to be burning oil. I'd like to do what I need to do now, once an for all and not worry for the next 100,000 miles. I am concerned about the crank bolt too.

So a quart about every 1100 miles, that is a bit much.
 

SD_Montero

Observer
I would just do the timing belt with a nice one one. And do the valve guide seals for sure and all coolant hoses. Mise well throw a new aisin water pump in. Camshaft seals and all that. I regret not changing all my coolant hoses when I did this and am doing them one by one now.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,527
Messages
2,875,535
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top