My bonehead move

[martybose]

For the last month or so my 47 have felt wrong; not as much power, maybe a little vibration. Then 3 weeks ago it suddenly feels like half of the engine died, and I limped home. Pulled the plugs, maybe a little worn, put in a new set. Fire it up, sounds fine, go for a ride, drops cylinders as I go up the freeway onramp, then clears out again.

Go home, think maybe float levels? These are Carter-Webers, so pull off the top covers, adjust the floats just a little, check that the jets are really tight (Been there, done that, runs lousy if not real tight), they're okay. Take it out for another drive, still feels wrong.

So I make the fatal decision; time to go back to basics. So I pull the plugs again, they look fine. Get out my trusty compression gauge, no compression on #2??? All other holes fine, put the gauge back in #2 and try again. That's when I notice the adapter jumping around as the motor turns over. Pull it out and discover that I hadn't paid close enough attention, and left the long adapter installed that is right for my other car.

Big sigh, then start to pull the head off, and bigger than life, I've got at least one bent valve in #2 from hitting the the compression gauge adapter. The head gasket is perfect, so no issue there. I don't know why only #2 was hitting, should have been all of them!

I'll pull both valves in #2 next weekend, see if both are bent (I can already see that the exhaust is), and go from there.

The annoying thing is that I have no idea whether the compression in #2 was bad before, or whether it has anything to do with my problems!

Damn, I feel stupid! The only other possibility I can think of is ignition, and with the HEI there is not much to check; usually they either work or they don't, not much in between.

Marty, in disgust ...........

[blueskies]

Dammit Marty... rotten luck.

I know the one step forward, two steps back routine well-

Pete

[Plymouthy Adams]

1-2 cha cha cha...dancing with the flathead...ouch but that is a hard lesson to learn..I assure you I have seen this before...

[randroid]

Marty,

I'd sit back and smile while thinking I've never done anything like that to Pigiron, which I haven't, but then I reflect on the 50 miles I put on the VW Bug after I rebuilt the engine without setting the thrust on the crank. Had to pull the engine (which is only easy in a Bug when compared to our cast iron engines) and tear it down and start looking around inside. The thrust was off by .002", which is right on the cusp of being critical, but at least the cooling fan doesn't rub on the shroud now. Drove it for five miles yesterday and I think it's going to hold together, which is a very lucky break for me.

I wish you the same good luck.

-Randy

[Don Coatney]

Marty;

My engine with a conventional cast iron head has the spark plug placement directly on top of the intake valves on all 6 cylinders. Anything I screwed into the spark plug hole that was too long would bend an intake valve only and not an exhaust. Is your head different?

[P-12 Tommy]

I know that only too well.............

Tom

[martybose]

Marty;

My engine with a conventional cast iron head has the spark plug placement directly on top of the intake valves on all 6 cylinders. Anything I screwed into the spark plug hole that was too long would bend an intake valve only and not an exhaust. Is your head different?

Apparently! Actually my Edmunds aluminum head has the sparkplug located where it hits both, like this:

See the marks on both valves, not to mention the large gap at the far right side of the closed exhaust valve? That's bent!

Marty

[Niel Hoback]

Geez, I woulda thought that would pust the plug out of aluminum threads. Coulda been worse, eh?

[martybose]

Geez, I woulda thought that would pust the plug out of aluminum threads. Coulda been worse, eh?

No kidding; luckily, I've got timecerts (sic) installed, and they seem okay.

Marty

PS I wonder if I spelled that right ........

[pflaming]

Learned something, gonna check the length of my plugs.

Now here is something 'stupid'. Last week, replaced the pistons, had them and the wrist pins balanced, then new rings, put the pistons in, torqued the rod bearings, added and torqued the head, put in the plugs etc and all things required to start it up. All I got was a 'thump' and a locked up engine.

Pulled off the head and somehow a head bolt was 'hiding' in cylinder #5! The only harm done was my pride and a lot of work!

[dirty dan]

Learned something, gonna check the length of my plugs.

Now here is something 'stupid'. Last week, replaced the pistons, had them and the wrist pins balanced, then new rings, put the pistons in, torqued the rod bearings, added and torqued the head, put in the plugs etc and all things required to start it up. All I got was a 'thump' and a locked up engine.

Pulled off the head and somehow a head bolt was 'hiding' in cylinder #5! The only harm done was my pride and a lot of work!

I hate it when that happens!

[Jim Saraceno]

Man, I guess I was lucky!

When I first got Bluebelle, I did a compression check. For no special reason other than I had it I used an extension (with deep threads). Sure enough the valves peened over the threads.

I had to pull the head to get it out but there was not so much as a scratch on the valve.

Marty, I've read the same story on this forum several times. There are a few of us that have done the exact same thing.