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Re: Heads off, what next

To: Trevor Boicey <tboicey@brit.ca>
Subject: Re: Heads off, what next
From: "William M. Gilroy" <wmgilroy@lucent.com>
Date: Fri, 27 Nov 1998 21:07:04 -0500
Trevor Boicey wrote:
> 
> 
>   You can probably pin the problem down with some simple
> DIY tests. Take a small gas can to the corner station
> and buy a few liters of diesel fuel.
> 
>   Spin the engine until all the pistons are about the same
> height, and fill all the bores with diesel fuel. Time how
> long it takes for the fuel to run out. It should stay in
> there for an hour or better, but likely more obvious
> will be that 2 and 3 might be empty when 1 and 4 are still
> full.
> 
>   Other test, balance the head on something so it is
> upsidedown and flat, and do the same test with the
> combustion chambers, fill each with diesel fuel or
> paint thinner and see how long it takes to drain. These
> should hold overnight, but a bad valve will drain
> before your eyes.
> 
I took Tevor's advice and gave it a try with the diesel fuel. I 
positioned the pistons 1/2 way up the bore and filled the rest with
diesel fuel.  The second cylinder drained in about 1.5 hours, 
followed shortly by the number 1 cylinder.  After about 2.25
hours the number three cylinder was empty.  Number four, the 
cylinder with the good compression had only leaked down about 1/2".
After 5 hours cylinder 4 had leaked at most 1 inch, if that.  Now
the cylinders drained in the following order, 2,1,3 and 4 held
the diesel.

I also filled the intake and exhaust ports with diesel.  None of
the exhaust valves leaked.  The intake valves on cylinder 1, 2, and
3 leaked.  They leaked slowly and the ports never drained.

Looks like I will be pulling the engine over the next couple of 
weeks and getting it rebuilt.  This really should not suprise anyone.

The only problem I encountered was how do I get the diesel out
of the number 4 cylinder and the head ports.  Being the day after
Thanksgiving I decided to use my wife's turkey baster.  Worked like
a champ.  No I did not return it to the kitchen, and yes you all must
keep this a secret.

Bill Gilroy
77 Midget - about to lose its engine
90 Shar-Pei

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