So my daily driver is now dead on number 3

Engine : Bone stock 1.8 liter w/ L-jet (1974)

2 days ago I am driving as usuall, pushing it pretty hard 4k rpm for about an hour in 5th gear, i notice a loss of power, number three is dead. I pull the plug wire while running and no difference.

so

I park it overnight and do a valve adjustment in the morning. Number 3 is still dead. I pull the plug and look at it. It is black as hell and not shiny or oily. dull black. I pop in a new plug. still dead. I switch the injector leads from front to back. still #3. I swap injectors from the same side. still #3

this means no compression right? I just did the adjustment the night before and it was .006 on intake and exhaust. How can the adjustment be perfect and the cylinder be dead.???

last note: on the dead cylinder, if i pull the injector lead from that one, the rpm drop fatally as if it were only running on 2. but as i said it makes no difference if the plug wire is on or not.

What gives??






i guess the motor is comming out again, but what am i looking for

Compression test. But you know what it is gong to say. Leakdown test will show you where it is leaking (head, valves or rings).
Is it rattling or knocking?

Of course I think you should stop effort into your doomed 1.8 and build the 2056.
Zach

.......Echo-.....is it rattling or knocking?(to give a more accurate internet diagnosis)

Was the #3 exhaust valve adjuster further out than the rest? Thats usually a pretty good give away of a burned/sunken valve. Ask me how i know..

Have you checked that your number 3 spark plug is firing by grounding out the body of the plug while cranking the motor?

How is the distributor cap?
How is the rotor?
How are the grounds for the injectors?
Are you getting fuel at that injector?
Sounds like it may be less complicated????

Rich

Plug wire?

engine is knocking.

plug is new, wire gives a good arc when touched to ground.

compression tester is lost in garage. (will find)

when i did the valve adjustment on that cylinder it was a bit tight but nothing out of the ordinary. It was really close




thanks for the imput

How does the starter sound? If you really do have a dead hole, the starter won't make noise when that piston is at TDC. So the starter will go "RR-RR-RR-..-RR-RR-RR-.." That's when I figured out about my last dropped valve seat.

--DD

Having had my hands on and in that 1.8 of your, I echo the sentiment I told you years ago. Build that damn 2056 already and stop pissing away time and money on that tired 1.8 grenade.

Motor comes out Tues evening

Excellent! I look forward to the 2056 build thread.

Thank you Zach (Vaca Rabbite) and Mike (Kirmizi)

They just offerd to rip into my car with me tommorow.


but,


I have a soccer game after school and its not gonna happen. It is amazing the things that club members will do for others. I didnt even ask for help


Thanks guys !!!

Next time Joe! Or better yet, have the 2056 built by the time I come back!!
Mike

Let me tell you Joe,

First you should not be enjoying the "Raging Bitch" while adjusting your valves. You could get some dirt in your bottle, or, you could totaly #$%# up on that paticular valve. Heck you could make both of the valves on #3 too tight.



Second, you should try the Captains method using a felt tip marker and doing the entire adjustment without even taking the distributor cap off.



Thanks Capt it now runs like a champ. I was ripping up the pavement on my way in to work this morning. I even passed a boxter going "slightly faster" then he was.


Its turning into a pretty good day






p.s.
This is the first time I have ever responded to my own post

dead again.... .... 300 miles later.



at least i only have 60 miles left to get home

Joe is brave. I have off and offered to tow him home but he elected to drive her back on 3.

again

Do you guys think its possible to adjust the valves on that one cilinder without jacking the car. It is paralel parked but i got about 2-3 feet in front and back, i am pretty sure i could squeez my head in front of the tire pop the cover and tweak the valve. assuming i am about to drop the seat, i would much rather go out with a bang than a put put put...

Dude.
You got 300 miles last time.

Its done. Pull it. Besides, I need the intake parts from it.

Zach

I would not give those 300 miles up for anything

you didnt answere my question....

can i do the adjustment somehow with all 4 wheels on the ground????

Nah, just put a few of these on

Thank you for the advice sir Evil, I have already bandaged this one 2 times and its still going..... kinda


Dead Thread # 2

Dead Thread #1

Um, ya I know. I helped once. Remember?

The numbers of the day....

Chamber 1 98

Chamber 2 93

Chamber 3 65

Chamber 4 127


This engine has been officially cancled

Zach, you are welcome to my L-jet, fuel pump, distributor, all parts you need. (as long as I dont need them)

Now, back to our regularly scheduled program.....

JOES 2056 THREAD

You probably need the fuel pump, unless you still have the pump from your 2.0.

Zach

I have been waiting almost a month to get my engine case back from the shop for the 2056 build, soooo .... I was playing with the 1.8 with the engine still in the car. Did a valve adjustment and set the timing, it fired right up.

Once it had idled for about 15min, I pulled the plugs and did a compression test with the plugs out and the pedal to the metal and a fully charged battery(s)

The numbers were

#1 130
#2 125
#3 65
#4 130



If I have to keep waiting and waiting, I have to work on at least 1 engine. Also to note all plugs were slightly white except #3 wich was black

What are all the possibilities of what has happend to the cylinder??






p.s. Zach how soon do you need these parts, how far did you get with yours??

c'mon guys...

Burnt valve?
Broken valve?
Seat?

What????

I know that the rocker arms are moving exactly like all the rest, and the adjusters are jut like any other cylinder also. What the heck could it be??

I am pulling engine this weekend, just want to know what to look for

I need the parts when you pull the engine, which I will help with if you give me lead time.

I've love to say I need them now, but I am neck deep in prepping the new nursery and making Theo's Christmas present. I am hoping to start on the engine in January.

zach

Oh, and the bum compression may be a valve seat that is failing. You can only tighten it up so many times before you will drop it.

Zach

Are these #s on the same tired 1.8?

broken rings/ring lands will bleed off compression and make a weak cylinder.

check the oil for gas in it.

YUP!
Im DONE !!

This engine has retired officially.... again

At least I tried








A picture is worh a hundred beers

Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment

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Was this the 2056?

NO

This was the latest bandaid on my 1.8 that I have been brining back to life every few weeks.

I am not ashamed of my stupidity, but... I will not put any more money into this one.

For now, I will keep drinking my Belgian Beer.

I am still waiting to get my case and cylinders back from the machinest on my 2056, once recieved, I am building that and slappin it in.

Ahem....

Told ya so. :-)

Zach

Oh, in that case....


I DONT CARE