blown engine??

[Jarred]

mmmk.

so I was driving home tonight from the pub (designated driver!) and just dropped Josh off, when I pulled away, like normal, then flogged it a bit like normal down a street and stopped and then end of the street to turn, and my engine stalled. started it back up again and it started making a really tapety, infact worse than tapety noise. sounded like something(metal) was floating around in the engine.

anyways, popped the hood (an exercise in it's self) and looked around, checked the tubes in the carb, and everything, but it all seemed to be ok, no fob or loose stuff etc.

started it back up (after I turned it off again) and now, well bascially it sounds like a WRX, the idle speed started dropping and getting erratic, and when I went down a street (driving home) it conked out again (but not when I was going up hill, or level) Also when the engine first stalled I was going down hill. So i nursed it home.


SO


Smart experienced people, have I blown my head gasket?!?!?

anyone with some advice/knowledge?

[Blitzen]

Sounds like you are running on a pot or two less...Have you had a significant power drop? Maybe you have buggered a spark plug, a HT lead, or a problem in your Dizzy. Worse still, you may have burned out a valve. Just my opinion...Get it checked out though.

[mollins]

could be a range of probs man.. we need more info....

in the morning check for oil in water ... check oil levels and look for shiny things in the oil

check for loose/broken things under the hood once its light.. check the dissy if its loose.. pull the plugs and look for oil/water

if your still stuck, drop your oil out and check for water and shiny bits

also maybe pull off your cam cover and have a looksee for abnormalities

i wouldnt suggest driving it... hehe

good luck mate

[Golf Loon]

Check the vacuum hoses. especially the one from the brake booster to the manifold.

[Jmac]

Yep like loon says the brake booster pipe on the inlet manifold mate at number 4 cyl makes them choof and run on 3, common fault on these.
Jmac

[GoLfMan]

bring it round this arvo mate, dont worry i've got the 1.6 i dropped out of my baby that works fine if you have lunched it and we'll do it in a weekend with lots of swearing and cold bevvies..
better now than on the way to up Nats

[Jarred]

I'll have to go have a propper look this morning (after brekkie) to be sure, But i *think* the vaccum was all good.

it did sound like it was running on 3 or 2, as it sounded similar to Josh's before he got his running propperly.

There sounds like there is something rattling around in the engine, loose, which concerns me.


Spark plugs should be fine, they wouldn't be more than 2 weeks old, the leads and coil, I'll check later on. I checked the oil yesterday, and it seemed fine, no water and a good level.

Could I have burnt out a valve? Cause I didn't thin out the air/fuel yesterday arvo (after getting two tanks of 13L/100km,) I figured I was still running rich, but I havn't driven it far on the new tune, I also advanced the timing ever so slightly yesterday (by ear, but the timing was good. cant have been out as if drove proper and no back firing)


Actually. josh - rememeber that noise? the loud bang on the way to the pub? sounded as if something shot through my hot dog... hm.

[Jarred]

well. looks like it's lunch time.












(Thats a stuffed up spark plug, just incase you weren't sure)

[velly_16v_cab]

could be the bottom end gone if its rattling.

have you check to see which one its missing on? (try the leads) then try swaping the leads to make sure you dont have a broken one.

[Jarred]

I think something must have gotten into the 4 cylinder (the spark plug, shown above is mashed, and from cyl. 4) I think something would have to be bouncing around in there and buggered up one of the valves maybe.

Either way, this engine's lunched. just glad this didn't happen on the way to nats! hahahhaah

mum and dad are going to have a field day. damn.

[abreut]

can you get a telescopic magnet in through the sparkplug hole? Maybe you can move it around and pick up whatever it is.

[velly_16v_cab]

get the head off and have a look at the damage......but doesnt sound too good

[Peter Jones]

Yeah , Bummer.

Yank the head off and have a look, Grab the head off Josh's motor and slam it on with a new Head gasket or if the bottom end is stuffed transplant the whole motor.

Pete

[Jarred]

can you get a telescopic magnet in through the sparkplug hole? Maybe you can move it around and pick up whatever it is.

I tried, but the magnet arm wasn't long enoough, or the collar on it was too wide.

I had a "good" look through the plug hole with an LED torch and I can see that there is a chunk that's been taken out of the top of the piston. and is floating in there with the other unknown thing.

get the head off and have a look at the damage......but doesnt sound too good

I though about ripping the head off. but. I donno If i can be bothered. it's pretty much just going to tell me that that piston is stuffed. I do have spare heads which I could put on, but they aren't in the best of shape. I'm pretty sure the valves are probably damaged too. (All only cyl. 4, the rest seemed fine) Do i really need to confirm that that one piston is buggered?


Honestly, it's still the original engine, and it's not in the best of nick. whereas Josh's old 1600, is a pretty good runner, and besides, me and Josh are getting better at dropping in engines! If I do that, I know I'll have a good donk, that should be fairly good nick, and is a strong runner. Mine was tappety, and at 300K+ I'd expect that.


In the long run (ie, end of the year, where I have some dosh) I'll look at putting a new engine in. Unsure what exactly. Cause I have a 76, I've heard the laws are different regarding engine conversions, but I'm not exactly sure. Hopefully I can put a 2.0L in it no worries, (ie no engineered cert) and I might do something to that. I'll probably go Kjet, or EFI/aftermarket ECU if it's easy and cheap enough. I'm not sure yet. I have to research these things more!


anyways. Looks like I'll be doing a swap soon! Why am I not upset or angry at all???


Thanks for your help guys.
Also interested to hear opinions on a later engine swap too

[Peter Jones]

I wouldn't bother too much about the legalities of the motor swap, it's more a concern for the NSW crew as they get checked every year.

The RTA still thinks my car has it's original diesel motor in it and that was swapped out 3 owners and 2 motors ago. So it's gotten through a couple of roadworthies and changes of ownership without anyone even caring.

So long as you improve the brakes to suit I doubt you'll have any issues with a motor swap.

MK 3 1800 8v motors seem to be worth about $450 and are great value for the budget shopper.

Pete