Eeee Gads... starting this year off right.
started the 80 Pinto I just got and all was well, ran good, took it to the car wash to get the snow and ice off it and it started running really bad. I didn't hear the change in the way the engine ran as there were good tunes on the radio and had it turned up loud. Once I turned it down I noticed it was running rough and it got worse. Sounded like it was running on 2 cylinders.
So I get it home and check all vacuum lines and such looking for problems, pulled the plugs and all looked used but good. Noticed 1 plug had cracked ceramic so replaced the plugs and no change in how it ran. Got out the compression tester and low and behold... back 2 cylinders have no compression and front 2 are real low at around 50psi. I did get the second one to read 70psi when I retested all cylinders. Also the last plug had oil on it when I pulled it to do the compression test. This is the same plug that was cracked and replaced w/new. It was dry previously.
so... what do you think? simple? major?
Hey Cookieboy
The first thing I would check is coolant in the oil, this could be a leaking head gasket which could be
blown between cylinders causing 3&4 to be low. This would be my prediction as you stated
that it started all at once. It doesn't sound terminal to me, thats my opinion-- but remember that
my opinions & $5 will get you a cup of coffee, maybe. Keep us posted & good luck
Dick
CookieBoy,
I have experienced a head gasket breech between 2 and 3. Maybe yours is breeched between 3 and 4. It just kind of burned it's way though there. This type of breech will not nessesarily put oil in your coolant. As far as the other cylinders are concerned a dry cylinder with a good piston to wall clearence won't really pop to attention like a cylinder being tested with some oil in it. Keep us informed.
High_Horse
well.. I checked for oil in anti-freeze and found none and I pulled the dipstick a few times and wiped on a clean sock and saw clean oil. The motor did run a bit before I did the compression test, warm but not hot. I could still touch the motor without getting burned, low compression on the first 2 front cylinders is understandable. I still wonder where the oil came from that gooped up the forth plug. I guess at this point a head gasket might be considered a good thing.
gonna have to get the 80 parts car out of here.. it's taking up valuable garage space.
Hey Cookieboy,
Yes sounds like head gasket,
How does the coolant test for protection??-10-130 for your area..
From Pintony
Hey Tony, haven't checked the protection level. Have to keep adding coolant because the radiator needs replacement. The radiator from the 80's parts car was returned over the holidays while I was out of town. Wasn't cold enough to freeze anything here, We got a boat-load of wet here yesterday, if it had been a little colder we would have had several inches of snow. As it was w/the warm weather we have a layer of water on the bottom covered by ice and then very wet snow in the back yard. nasty stuff.. I was on the roads yesterday for more than 6 hours to drive 220 miles home. Very slippery and wet, lots of cars in the ditch and a very slow drive home.
Finally got the time to start the head removal last night... never done this so it should be "interesting"
drained the anti-freeze and absolutly no oil... had to stop lastnight earlier than I wanted because I don't have a 1/2 inch drive 13mm 12 point socket. I tried the 3/8" drive 13mm socket and couldn't get the bolts to break free. I'm gonna go tool shopping today.
Once I have the head removed I'll hopefully be able to confirm a head gasket failure. I will also have the head checked before I put it back on, might as well as long as I have it removed. I will also will be swapping out the starter and radiator. Maybe even repaint a few parts as long as they have been removed.
wish me luck...
Yippy!!!! It's the head gasket, easy to tell w/head removed...
noticed that a few head bolts on the exhaust side were very hard to break loose... I didn't think I was gonna be able to break a couple of em' loose. All the bolts the intake side were easy to break loose.
New starter and replacment radiator installed... head pulled and ready to be checked... only broke 1 socket... didn't loose any nuts or bolts... couple minor cuts and scrapes... all in all... this was a good day ;D
CookieBoy,
Thats the same thing that happened to me except between 2 and 3. Cake walk.
High_Horse
#226
no... no... no... for me I hope it's a "cookie walk" ;D
head is at the shop getting checked... gotta hurry on this... should get the 73 back next week...
taking it apart is one thing... getting it back together and running is another (for me = motor newbie)
most of this is way above my skill level... but I"m willing to try.
got the head back... I didn't have them disassemble to check "everything" and just wanted them to give it a once over for obvious issues. They did shave the surface a bit to give me a flat surface and they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. I worked last night to get most of the major parts cleaned up for the reassembly. I painted the head, valve cover, thermo housing and exhaust manifold black. The rest I used a wire wheel to remove paint and rust and that all had such a nice shiny brushed metal look to it decided to paint them in clear just to seal them up. Should be an interesting look when done.
ALL DONE.... I hope ;)
Got it all back together and running last night, test drove and tweeked it today. All looks good, runs as well as before, had it running for quite some time and put on a few miles, no leaks (excepy tranny - known issue) or funny sounds.
Ohhh... and some before and after pictures.
Nice work Cookieboy!!!
CookieBoy,
Congradulations on a job well done.
High_Horse
Thanks Guy's.... that was a lot of work (for me) and I'm really surprised it went as well as it did. Last time I did any motor work was about 13 years ago when I replaced a rod in a dodge slant 6. Feels good to know I can do it if needed.
Now I have to put it away in preperation of getting the 73 back. I don't think I'm gonna stress the 80 with these winter temps (-29 degrees this morning) for awhile and need to get something out of the yard as I'm out of room. Was gonna have the 78 towed out of here and stored but since the 80 runs and I don't wanna drive it until it warms up a bit, it will be easier to get it to the storage location.
I decided to ship the 78 off to storage and keep the 80 at home to drive and figure out what the issue is w/the starter. During the head gasket replacement I replaced the starter with a ?new? one the previous owner gave me. Same thing with the ?new? starter... grinds a bit and starter doesn't catch. Eventually it would start but the grinding sound wasn't good. Today I took the 80 out for a bit of a ride and all is still good, no issues and ran great. I pulled the starter off the motor and tranny off of the 80 I scrapped, cleaned it up and had it ready to install in case the ?new? starter I installed during the head gasket replacement was the problem. Proceeded to remove the starter and this time I inspected the flywheel... Problem Found! it's the flywheel. Lots of teeth are chewed up bad and no question... flywheel needs replacement.
Here's an odd thing... original starter and the ?new? one I installed were both a little chewed up on the gear and would grind while trying to start it. The one I pulled from the 80 scrap car looks excellent... gear looks perfect. Now with the one from the 80 scrap car installed it doesn't grind but acts like the starter is failing and has trouble engaging.. it will catch and start but.. looks like I can't use it.
Anyhow... off to a shop to have this fixed... I needed to take it back to the tranny guys to have them find the leak (dip stick tube) and fix it so might as well check to see what they would charge to do the flywheel too. I'm not! gonna replace the flywheel myself. 73 should be coming home this week or next weekend so no more garage space to work on the 80 till spring.
CookieBoy,
I never ever put in a starter that I have not set the start contact myself. Odds are it was trying to engage to soon. I don't care if it is brand new. I always pull the starter apart and lube both end bearings then the bendix and finally I set the start contact so it engages just a rc hair before the pinion is all the way out.
High_Horse
Hey High Horse, the starter currently in the car is the one from the 80 parts car I stripped. I knew it was a risk putting it in since I had no history on it, just thought since the gear looked better than the other 2..
I'm afraid I don't have the knowledge on how to do any of what you suggested with the starter.
anyhow tonight I will most likely put one of the other starters back in as it's easier to start the pinto with them. I stopped in to check with the tranny shop this morning and looks like it will be 2 weeks before he will be able to squeeze me in.
Hello Brian,
I have a NEW NOS flywheel if you have need...
From Pintony
New! Flywheel Installed ;D
They pulled the tranny, replaced flywheel, all gaskets and seals replaced on the tranny, new tranny cooling lines, u-joints and rear end inspected/nothing needed. Excellent! Now it runs good, flywheel fixed and hopefully no more trans leak.
Now I should be able to drive it daily or as needed ;D