common problems with d24/d24t??

[anders]

So I just picked up 2 D24T engines, wishing one will be a good runner to install in my 83 244. One of the engines had "oil in the water" as the seller stated. Now would this be from a faulty engine oil cooler? Or could it be worse and have a crack in the engine oil journal to a coolent passage?
The other engine has low compression. Do the intake valves get gummed up from carbon form the EGR valve causing low compression? Or do the cylinder walls wear out faster than other diesel engines? thanks..

[piper109]

Quite often when you find a D24T engine, it has not been run on synthetic oil and the piston rings are very worn.
Hard to start, smoky, high oil consumption. Mine had 1/4" piston ring gaps on good bores. The top end will probably also need an overhaul, new valve guides etc.
Cracks in the cylinder heads between the valves are commonplace but they rarely cause problems and can usually be ignored. Pressure testing would be advisable however.
You need a good set of glowplugs and no 5 and 6 are not easy to replace.
Put new timing belts on before you do anything and you will find holding the crank is not easy. If you have access to the flywheel end then it would be easy to bolt a plate between the flywheel and bellhousing.
If it has been sitting a long time, quite likely the IP will have fuel leaks.

[Jason]

What Steve said!

Also, the cooler could be leaking and causing the oil in water. If not that, it won't be a crack anywhere, but more likely just a blown head gasket. The blocks are pretty tough, I haven't heard of one with a crack in it. As for compression, the engine I'm building right now was as Steve described, good bores but rings that were worn the hell out. Suprising really that it started at all. Most were broken or paper thin, with huge gaps. If thats the case, it makes for a fairly cheap rebuild. Rings, some bearings, and freshen up the head and it will last a long time if you run good oil and let it warm up before running it hard!

Jason