And so it begins.

I have been driving the car every day since the 2056 went in. It goes from Baltimore To York PA multiple times a day. I drive kinda quick and really enjoy the power. Of course there have been hiccups along the way, trying to slow me down. IE clutch pedal pin sheering off, exhaust falling apart, SNOW , and of course the usual D-Jet Gremlins. Until today.

I adjusted all the valves last week to spec "0" lash, timing is on point. Car is running awesome, comming down 83 when I get to the end of the expressway. Car starts running on 3 then I see the white smoke comming from seemingly under the car.

Pull over and pop the lid, there is a solid quart of oil dripping from the top of the lid, spatter on the side of the bay (driverside) pool of oil on the engine shelf (driver side) and a pool of oil in the middle near the filler.



I take it step by step, holding my chin up.

Wipe all oil away, remove breather box and check all vacume connections. AHHA! The connection from the passenger side port came off of the three way connector going to the air box. BUT WHY ! and why so much oil! and Why is number one no longer firing.

Closer inspection of #1 reveals the fuel pressure regulator in its position is soaked and dripping with oil from the bottom, but clean and dry on the top. Pull the plug wire and the plug is also dripping with oil from the top white area.

O.K. relax breathe

Go to pull the plug to have a peak.

NOPE

Will turn a 1/4 turn and then i can feel the extension start to flex. It is permantly attached to the head. I tried it all. S T U C K





I have a great running 3 cylinder porsche, number one is dead. I have no idea what happend, what I do know is that i have verified spark right down to the plug by putting another plug inline to ground. Verified fuel (switching injectors) and I cant verify compression with a plug in the hole



My Hershey Emergency is officially under way.

A Quick History of Hershey and Joseph for the Newbies


Emergency 2012

Emergency 2011

Emergency 2010

Emergency 2009

This is the

OFFICIAL 5th ANNUAL JOE's EMERGENCY THREAD

Might as well take it back to Tony

Man that sucks Joe. Hope you get it figured out but I have to agree, get some help from Tony to fix or at least lead you in the right direction to figure out where to start.
Weird that you can't get the plug out.

Okay...

You can turn the plug 1/4 turns.
Is there a heli-coil in that spark hole per chance? If so that could be binding.

Was the car making bad noises? Do you need help getting yourself or the car home?

Zach

Worse case is, a valve head broke off, banged repeatedly against the spark plug thus peaning the spark plug to the head which could be the reason you can't remove the plug. If this is true, you will also have a nice hole in the top of the piston. I hope I'm wrong.

Just got off the phone with Joe.
The car is running on all 4 and climbing up i-83 rapidly. Oil pressure is good. Temps are good.

But he is still loosing #1 at idle.

He said that #1 intake runner is hot to the touch where the others are cool. Sounds to me like an intake valve is slightly stuck open. But he just did a valve adjustment and everything was as expected with the valves.

Zach

At least it's running. He said he adjusted to "0" lash. Could he have adjusted one too tight?

Loosen them up.
better to hear the tick than burn a valve.

Hot intake runner, popping might be caused by a valve not closing all the way and hot gases going up instead of down.
rich

This is my theory as well. only thing my feeble mind can think of that would explain what Joe is seeing.

Zach

Brutal news Joe and the timing for Hershey is impeccable.

I don't understand the zero lash valve adjustment. Between air cooled VW's with solid lifters and T4 engines, I always thought there had to be some clearance with the enging cold. Does this change with a custom build?

I hope you get everything squared away. Keep us posted and let me know if you need a hand.

If you use the Chromoly pushrods, then the lash is supposed to be zero.
With stock pushrods, zero lash would be engine suicide.

It sounds like something drove your crankcase ventilation pressure way too high and blew oil all over the engine bay.
That could be a failed exhaust valve guide (unlikely to happen abruptly to that extent) or a failed ring (more likely).

Sounds like SOMETHING came apart in cyl #1

Stu

Using chromolly steel pushrods allows you to set lash to 0.
Since aluminum grows and shrinks at a different rate then steel, and the cylinders are steel, you have to have slop in aluminum pushrods. With the steel rods, they expend at mostly the same rate, so you do not need to have a gap.

That said, you don't want to be tight either. Usually you run the stem in finger tight. trick is not to turn the stem any tighter when you close the lock nut.

Zach

Plug is stuck permanently but its still firing

I checked the valves again and the intake valve on #1 was too tight just like you guys said. I backed it off 1 1/2 turn and got the adjustment. It fired right up and purrrrs again.

so now......

Why did the adjustment change ?

what caused the massive amount of oil on the tin ? (would a hose removed from the crankcase vent cause that amount of loss at high speed)

The intake adjuster is now tight against the rocker arm, this is a swivel foot adjuster and the arm was ground down to get the extra play. The play is now Gone. Is that a huge problem for now?

My car has since run to Baltimore and Back with no more oil loss or misfires.

Joe, please have Tony look at it.

That engine should last you for years. But if you flog it while somehting is failing it may only last you for months or weeks. At the very least do a compression an leakdown test to make sure its still in the ball park.

Zach

Yes.

Could be a dropped seat. Could be a stretching valve. Neither of those things is anything you want to drive on. Not unless you like holes in the heads, the case, and so forth.

Could be less-dangerous stuff, but do you want to risk it?

Between the shrinking valve clearance and the plug that won't come out, I think the head needs to come off. Now.

--DD

I did not drive it today

Will drop it by Tony's so he can have a look.

You feeling Ok, Joe? You never take advise that you ask for

If you bring it over this weekend we could hookup my leak down tester and see ifthere are any obvious issues.just let me know.

Joe this is too weird. What Dave discribed..... "Could be a dropped seat. Could be a stretching valve"....is exactly what Tony told me last year with mine two weeks before Hershey if you remember. Running on three cylinders, valve would not adjust in or out......... it was a dropped seat. Glad you're not messing around and took it to Tony, you did the right thing and saved your engine by doing so, I think.

Doug

It runs fine again, most likely it was an over tightened valve that was left open.

Blow back into the heads and or case could cause high pressure in the case or valve covers that might be enough to blow one of the breather hoses off the smooth fittings, then oil blows everywhere.

Barbed fittings for the breathers helps to prevent that...

Stuck plug should be handled by your professional mechanic.
He will remove it and the helicopter coil, then fix it.

Rich

The seat was hammerd into the head.....


again.




Head is now at the machine shop, engine is on Tonys floor, Hershey is 11 days away.

Well that blows.
Was there any possible reason mentioned for the failure? Overheating or something like that?

Zach

what does valve hammer in head look like ?

Geez, I am wondering after reading the past threads through the years if these are the same 1.8 heads?

If so.....maybe they are bad castings and time to pitch them.

It has now been 52 days 2 hours and 17 min since my car went to TONY.


I am having serious withdraw.
I went to Tonys yesterday and stood behind a 912 while he was adjusting the carbs. The fumes did take the edge off a little.

The head was repaired, the crank was repolished, the bushings that Warrior made for the small end of the rods were bad. everything has been cleaned and I sent my exhaust to Chris for an upgrade on the muffler mount. My car is in the back of the garage waiting to breathe again.

Each week I ask Tony..... how long.....

Each week he always tells me "2 Weeks"



I am in good hands.


I am patient.




breathe



relax





I can,t take it.......


AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH !!!!!!











Joseph

The exhaust is ready to ship to Tony.

Such a nice guy

Nope,

these are 2.0 heads, I was switching back and fourth with 2 motors

I know how you feel Joe...I am waiting for my wheels to get back to Tony from the re-finisher. Waiting Sucks, especially this time of year. Car is on stands.....and it is 70 degrees outside. I want my wheels.......

Does that mkean our cars are hanging out togeather?

that does make me feel a little bit better. At least its not lonley

That's good news.
Did he dyno the engine? I'd love to know what it's putting out.
Zach

Maybe I miscommunicated

Everything is cleaned sitting in a pile waiting for reassembly.



It will be on the Dyno before he is finished

Hey Joe, like you told me last year, "the wait will be worth it when you see how good it's going to run after Tony gets done with it".

You were dead on, I never knew how much more fun a great running 914 can be and no more worries.

66 days 8hrs 7 min

still waiting......

I think mine was there eight months

UPDATE:


92 Days and counting since I drove a 914.

Have you choked anyone, yet?

........108..........






........... ...........






............................ ............................

[quote name='jsayre914' date='Jul 10 2013, 03:38 PM' post='1893094']
........108..........






........... ...........






............................ ............................
[/quote

108 days that's nothing......You should not feel that bad you could be me 3055 days since I drove my 914

Any word from Tony?

You need a spare engine Joe.

I gave it to Tony

Again...if it makes you feel any better I am still on jacks stands.....wheels still at the refinisher that Tony sent them to. This was a bad idea...should have just polished them myself.

Suck's don't it. My Tags and Inspection exprired when he had mine.
Waiting is frustrating though. Hang in there Joe.

In retro spec knowing what I know, if I had to do it again I'd still take it to him, his work is excellent.

Doug