Is my engine toasted?, part 2.

[Lee]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I turned the crankshaft manually, and the pistons didn't seem any more difficult than they ever have when I've done this. I pulled the plugs, and they were okay...running a little rich, but no apparent oil leakage.

But, when I took of the intake valve cover on the passenger side, I found a valve spring retainer, and the bottom end of the valve adjustment screw lying next to the rocker arm for cylinder #4.

I've tried to look into it, under the rocker arm, but I can't be sure if both springs are still there...I think so. I haven't found the valve spring keeper. And it doesn't look as though the rocker arm is lining up very well with the end of the valve, but I'm not certain about that, either. Questions are: 1) what would cause such a thing? 2) Can I fix this without dropping the engine?

I don't really have money for a rebuild, right now, and I refuse to sell it, so it would definitely be out of action for 6 months to a year, unless I do the rebuild myself (scary).


Finally, if a rebuild is called for, does anyone have a notion if Motormeister is a good thing? Also, anyone have experience with Memphis Motorwerks?

thanks for any help...

[Doug Zielke]

You're lucky. The motor was on the verge of dropping a valve.

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'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Canada West Region PCA
The Blue Bomber's Website
"If it ain't broke...we'll help you fix it 'til it is!"

[Early_S_Man]

Lee,

First ... it would sure have been easier to keep track of this problem if you had kept it on the original thread.

It sounds to me as if your incident was a classic case of tensioner failure on the right bank of cylinders and that the terrible noise you heard was the #4 intake valve and piston 'KISSING' ... and possibly the #5 and #6 cylinders meeting in somewhat less violently as the revs dropped rapidly. I suggest pulling off your muffler and right side chain cover ASAP to check for the extent of damage to chain ramps, sprockets, chain, etc. You are lucky that is occured at such low rpm or you would be looking at 3 bent valves and 3 broken rocker arms, and more pieces of metallic flotsam to attempt to recover! It seems fairly likely that the #4 intake valve is bent. I doubt that anything near a total rebuild will be necessary, but I suspect this would be a good time to plan a top-end job. Sorry!
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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa
1992 Dodge Dakota 5.2 4X4 parts hauler

[This message has been edited by Early_S_Man (edited 09-25-2001).]

[rstoll]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=595626364&r=0&t=0

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Robert Stoll
83 SC
83 944