Not sure what to do next????

my912 · 09-06-2003, 03:45 PM

I got my 1968 back from the paint show a few weeks and thought I would start again bringing this car back to life. ( It sit in my friends Barn from 1983 when if failed the DMV, EPA test here in CT till I purchased it a year and half ago.) I got the motor to fire up but it had almost zero power. If fact it couldn't make it up the hill on my driveway. Well away I checked the PSI for each Piston Here's what I got one side both had 180 the other side one 170 and the last one 120 most of the time. Sometimes I get 60 to 90 psi with air blowing past the intake valve ( I took the carb off). Could a sticking valve cause this? Or could a valve adjustment be the problem? When the car is running I don't see any smoke coming out the tailpipe. I turned the car over 10 times for each test.I hate to spend the money if I don't really need to. Thanks for any input.Alot smart people here. Gary

Hoffman912 · Hoffman912's Garage

Gary, this sounds very familiar. a local 912er here in columbus ohio has the same prob. bough a rotted out 912. had body work done, paint etc, car looks fantastic now and is really solid (he also spent alot of cash to have this done). all the sudden though its running rough, loss of power, and 60 psi when warm in #4. 90 when cold. he thinks its a cracked head.

i dont know if an adjustment would fix these symptoms or not. your valves should be done every 3000 miles. let the engine sit over night and be ice cold when you adjust them (dont start the car or anything that day until you adjusted the vavles. exhaust at .006, intake at .004.
if your having valve probs, i wouldnt even start it until you figure out whats good or not. you dont want to launch a valve into a piston and grenade the engine.

i went to the 912 rendezvous in solvang ca this year. i had some major probs heading out, and im lucky it didnt explode on me. i had no clue what it was, just that i8t wasnt running well at all. when i got there, John Benton took a look at it (he thought it migt have been a loose head), and ended up discovering my valve guide was shot, the valve seat was toast, the head had ovaled out, and the valve spring was broke, all on the #3 exhaust. i am really lucky it didnt blow up. if i would have known, i would have driven. to have my head fixed, was $1200. if you get one head done, you should get the other one done too. i couldnt afford that, so i did only what was necessary to get me home.

best of luck! keep us up todate on what you find, and dont drive it til you figure out if you have a valve or head prob or not, cause its better to spend the money to get the heads done than a whole new engine.

cheops911 · 09-07-2003, 07:29 PM

What does it have for carbs?

Gary, let me know what you have for carbs and is the engine otherwise stock? Yes, a valve adj. would cause a lot of your problems, but carbs can cause LOTS of headaches as well. Let me know and I'll see if I can help. By the way, are you thinking of attending the swap meet in CT. on the 13th? Are you registered with the 912 registry, if not you didn't get my email about a Northeast 912 gathering on Sept. 28th in Sturbridge MA. If you would like any info. on any of these meets feel free to drop me a line.

Cheers,

Eric Smith
Northeast 912 Registry Coordinator
cheops911@cox.net

my912 · 09-08-2003, 03:37 PM

Thanks guys for your input,The piston with the 120 psi is #3 I removed the Solex carb to get to the plug. I did adjust the valves on Sunday but the psi is still the same. Since the valve was very tight (intake) maybe I got a wraped valve. Do I need to pull the motor to remove the head?The bumpers are off the car and it looks like I have the room. Do you have a website that I could get a map from Greenwich Ct to the swap meet. It sounds like fun. Thanks Gary

cheops911 · 09-08-2003, 04:19 PM

Swap Meet in CT. on the 13th
Hello All,

Great to hear some of you will make it to Sturbridge. Just droppin a line to say that I'll be at the swap meet in Ct on the 13th all day with LOTS of parts, probably a few motors and maybe a '67 912 on a trailer for sale.....who knows what I'll have, but I'll be there. Hope to see you all there and in Sturbridge the following Sunday. Info and directions for the swap meet can be found at:
www.cvrpca.org/913swap.html

Cheers,

Eric S.
North East 912 Registry Coordinator

P.s. Gary, have fun with taking that head off in the car, can be done, but probably better to do on the ground.....just my 2cents ( :