89 4.0 miss, runs rough, need ideas!

[Ecomike]

Well we finally got around to pulling the head off. Sure enough the head gasket was blown directly between cylinder #4 & #5, and no where else.

Also found huge 1/2 inch thick layers of dry carbon deposits in the valve rocker arm low areas on top of the head.

Also found sludge deposits just above the lifters on the front half of the engine.

Now the question is why did the head gasket fail there?

 

[Ecomike]

Finished the head gasket replacement monday last week, fired it up and it's been terrorizing the local roads since then.

It was running at 230 F. Had to replace the radiator, alternator and IAC, but it's running at 205 rock solid now. It has 195 Thermostat.