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RE: Pistons damaged again

To: "'Freese, Ken'" <Kendall.Freese@Aerojet.com>, "'healey'"
Subject: RE: Pistons damaged again
From: "Michael Salter" <msalter@precisionsportscar.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2007 10:47:45 -0500
Very disappointing Ken,
If you have a chance some more information would be a help.
1. You mentioned melted pistons 70K back, did you find the cause?
2. Are the notches only around the edges of the pistons (photo)?
3. Impact damage is usually fairly obvious can you be more specific.
4. Any impact damage inside the combustion chamber or on the valves?
5. Any signs of aluminium specks on the plugs or inside the combustion
chamber?
6. Any history of lean running (fuel pump, carb faults etc.)?

Michael Salter
http://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-healeys@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-healeys@autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of Freese, Ken
Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 10:17 AM
To: healey
Subject: Pistons damaged again

 I cleaned up the compression reading columns.
Ken

Saturday, I removed the head from my BJ8 to have steel valve seats
installed because of #4 exhaust valve recession and low compression. I
figured #4 was now burned enough, I should get it fixed. After putting
on the hardtop on New Years, I could hear rougher running.
Now I see that #2, 3, and 4 pistons have 1/16 to 1/8 inch notches
missing and I can see the top ring on #4. Preliminary inspection of the
notches don't show smooth melting. So, new set of problems. I figure the
causes are:
1. Swallowed debris
2. Detonation
3. Defective pistons
Incidental facts:
A - oil never filtered only changed for about the past 40000 miles due
to faulty spin on filter adapter.
B - last rebuild in 1982 and 70000 miles ago due to melted pistons

Compression 1997  Compression 2004      Compression 2007
165                     130                     110
155                     135                     90
150                     145                     70
150                     90                      70
155                     130                     115
175                     150                     145

Any thoughts on the cause until the pistons are actually out?
Ken Freese
65 BJ8




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