Bought an 88 trooper that sat in the Wyoming dust for 2 years without running. Owner tried to do maintenance then saw oil in the coolant and threw up his hands and gave up. So I managed to buy it with 190k miles for $600! We love the car and are willing to put a decent investment into keeping it alive. Should I assume head gasket is blown and go from there or focus on getting it running first?
After flush Before flush
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Yeah. You’re most likely looking at a head gasket. thing is, since you’ll be getting elbow deep in that you’re gonna wanna replace a buncha other stuff too while you’re at it or you’re just going to end up taking it apart over and over. Best to do it right, yknow?
Let us know when you run into problems. I’m sure the more knowledgeable folk will chime in soon too.
And welcome to the site 
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Welcome. You’re in the right place here.
As the Admin of IsuzuPup.com (@WestheWelder , please forgive the brief digression), it’s difficult to have an “Introductions” category without posts morphing into technical discussions. I don’t have an answer for this, although adding the appropriate tags can benefit later readers.
Jack
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Wes could start his own “Bringing My Trooper Back from the Dead” etc thread and that would solve that.
Wes, glad to see you found your way over here from Reddit! Say what you will about Reddit, at least they aren’t censoring links to other sites, and that’s what Draconian Heavy-Handed VerticalScope is doing over at Planet Isuzoo.
They’ve ruined 23 years of fantastic information, problem solving, and camaraderie. Well, that’s not going to happen here!!
Many of The Planet’s Old Guard are here and more are coming every day! You’ll get plenty of help and that will definitely keep your Wife happy. It is HER Trooper after all!! 
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Welcome Wes,Welcome Home,Sir..!!
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So, what’s yer status with the Trooper? Did you confirm the combo fluids in the wrong places in the motor?
BTW, Welcome.
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We have officially gotten the head off! A lot of dry rotted hoses that felt impossible to get off and little metal clips for the wiring harness that really sucked. That copper pipe behind the head for the EGR? Fuuuuuuuck that thing…. Only found out about the bolt and clip holding it on to the back of the head. Haha Stripped the exhaust side nut too. gonna try and figure that one out.
ANYWAY. Confirmed obliterated head. No need for a machine shop this baby is obviously cracked, warped and worked to the bone. Talked with the wife long before we got around to grunting our way through getting the head off but we are going to invest in the more expensive option.
Do you think cracks were first then warp then gasket destruction? Idk the state of it looks pretty bad. Water (obviously) in the pistons but it didn’t seem like the carnage on the piston walls as I was expecting to see.
How much of this am I saving? Took apart all the rockers and took out the cam shaft. Valves themselves seem a little too blown to keep. But should I go through the trouble of taking the valve springs apart?
2+3 seem obviously the worst. How much attention should I give the block and piston heads?
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Depending on the replacement head, you may need to re-use your rockers and rocker arm shaft assy’s.
Mike
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