Alpines List Archive

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: "ESPEN HOLM" <(email redacted)>

What happends if the valve gap is too tight?
I just changed the engine to a rebuilt one incl the rebuilt top on my SV
(1725cc), however I can't get it run properly. At idling speed everything
seems fine, but as soon as I start driving it seems pulling the accellerator
pedal it seems like the engine is choked in some way and there is really no
spirit. And after another few minutes, especially when climbing hills the car
seems to choke even more, and then then one or two cylindars does not seem to
work and everything is really slow and sounds bad. I just have to stop for a
few minutes then I can go on again for another few - quite annoying! Could
this be the valve gaps are too tight? I know they should be 0,35 and 0,30 mm,
however I haven't been able to chech that properly. I also wonder if it could
be something with the ignition things, I have just tuned that by hand eg. no
stroboscope or anything.
Temperature seems to be allright, oil pressure also.
Or what else could this be?
Hope there is some good advice out there!

Espen (Norway)

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: "Christopher Albers" <(email redacted)>

Sounds like your distributor could be 180 degrees out or perhaps the
vacuum advance is not functioning properly. Smooth idle & no power at
speed sounds like an ignition advance problem. The fact that you have no
timing light also seems to point to this. You need to get one. When you
check the timing, if you cannot even see the timing marks, you'll know
it's 180 degrees out. After you get it within a few degrees of TDC then
you can check for proper function of the advance.

CNA

(email redacted) writes:
>What happends if the valve gap is too tight?
>I just changed the engine to a rebuilt one incl the rebuilt top on my SV
>(1725cc), however I can't get it run properly. At idling speed everything
>seems fine, but as soon as I start driving it seems pulling the
>accellerator
>pedal it seems like the engine is choked in some way and there is really
>no
>spirit. And after another few minutes, especially when climbing hills the
>car
>seems to choke even more, and then then one or two cylindars does not
>seem to
>work and everything is really slow and sounds bad. I just have to stop
>for a
>few minutes then I can go on again for another few - quite annoying! Could
>this be the valve gaps are too tight? I know they should be 0,35 and
>0,30 mm,
>however I haven't been able to chech that properly. I also wonder if it
>could
>be something with the ignition things, I have just tuned that by hand eg.
>no
>stroboscope or anything.
>Temperature seems to be allright, oil pressure also.
>Or what else could this be?
>Hope there is some good advice out there!

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted)

yep I did that also. but I had an adjustable timing light. The set screw on
the timing dial was loose. I couldn't get the car to run worth a /#%#. My
neighbor loan me his $9.99 light he bought at a garage sale and I got time
perfectly. This is after taking the distributer out and re aligning it with
the broken light then taking it out again to align with the neighbors. God
works in mysterious ways

david

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: "ESPEN HOLM" <(email redacted)>

180 degrees out... Is that possible? I thought the distributor does not fit in (assymetric spline)? Will the engine run with the distributeor 180 deg wrong?
How do I use the timing light? Are there marks on the camshaftwheel and crank wheel?

Espen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher Albers" <(email redacted)>
To: <(email redacted)>
Cc: <(email redacted)>
Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2002 10:36 PM
Subject: Re: Engine problems


> Sounds like your distributor could be 180 degrees out or perhaps the
> vacuum advance is not functioning properly. Smooth idle & no power at
> speed sounds like an ignition advance problem. The fact that you have no
> timing light also seems to point to this. You need to get one. When you
> check the timing, if you cannot even see the timing marks, you'll know
> it's 180 degrees out. After you get it within a few degrees of TDC then
> you can check for proper function of the advance.
>
> CNA
>
> (email redacted) writes:
> >What happends if the valve gap is too tight?
> >I just changed the engine to a rebuilt one incl the rebuilt top on my SV
> >(1725cc), however I can't get it run properly. At idling speed everything
> >seems fine, but as soon as I start driving it seems pulling the
> >accellerator
> >pedal it seems like the engine is choked in some way and there is really
> >no
> >spirit. And after another few minutes, especially when climbing hills the
> >car
> >seems to choke even more, and then then one or two cylindars does not
> >seem to
> >work and everything is really slow and sounds bad. I just have to stop
> >for a
> >few minutes then I can go on again for another few - quite annoying! Could
> >this be the valve gaps are too tight? I know they should be 0,35 and
> >0,30 mm,
> >however I haven't been able to chech that properly. I also wonder if it
> >could
> >be something with the ignition things, I have just tuned that by hand eg.
> >no
> >stroboscope or anything.
> >Temperature seems to be allright, oil pressure also.
> >Or what else could this be?
> >Hope there is some good advice out there!

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: jumpinjan <(email redacted)>

ESPEN,
Yes, I would check the valve clearances (ex/in, 0.35mm/0.30mm). If the
engine has valve problems, it would NOT idle smooth and if they we set
tight the engine would backfire out the carb. I would say that it's more
fuel and/or spark related. Do as the others suggested and observe what
the engine timing is doing with a timing light. You might have bad
gasoline? It could be your spark plugs? The engine will run if there are
three things: Compression, Fuel and Spark.
Keep us posted on your findings,
jan servaites


--
______ ______ _______
/ ____/ / ____/ / ___ /
/ /___ / /___ / /__/ / _| _ _ . _ _ _
/___ / /___ / / __ _/ (_|_(/_ /_)_|_(_|_| )_/_)
___/ / ____/ / / / \ \ _|
____/ /_____/ /_/ \_\ssrdesigns.com

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted)

In addition to everyone else's advice, I add something deeper, and harder to
check/fix: The cam may not be installed right, maybe a tooth off? Check the
easy stuff first, of course. It DOES sound like ignition (timing), though.


Gary

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: <(email redacted)>

NO, the engine won't run with the timing 180 degrees out, but it might
backfire through the carburetors. You could also put the ignition wires in
the distributor cap 180 degrees out of phase.

Subject: Re: Engine problems


> 180 degrees out... Is that possible? I thought the distributor does not
fit in (assymetric spline)? Will the engine run with the distributeor 180
deg wrong?
> How do I use the timing light? Are there marks on the camshaftwheel and
crank wheel?
>
> Espen

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: "Vic Hughes" <(email redacted)>

Hi Espen,

I have experienced similar problems two times.

First case was in a 1971Ford Capri that had just had a replacement engine.
It was caused by a non working vacuum advance, a result of the distributor
base plate having rusted. Cured by the garage that stripped the
distributor right down to clean it.

Second time was in a 1978 Holden Torana in which the spark plug leads had
built up too much resistance, and would not transmit the spark, cured by new
leads.

hope this helps and good luck

Vic


----- Original Message -----
From: "ESPEN HOLM" <(email redacted)>
To: <(email redacted)>
Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2002 6:28 AM
Subject: Engine problems


> What happends if the valve gap is too tight?
> I just changed the engine to a rebuilt one incl the rebuilt top on my SV
> (1725cc), however I can't get it run properly. At idling speed everything
> seems fine, but as soon as I start driving it seems pulling the
accellerator
> pedal it seems like the engine is choked in some way and there is really
no
> spirit. And after another few minutes, especially when climbing hills the
car
> seems to choke even more, and then then one or two cylindars does not seem
to
> work and everything is really slow and sounds bad. I just have to stop for
a
> few minutes then I can go on again for another few - quite annoying! Could
> this be the valve gaps are too tight? I know they should be 0,35 and 0,30
mm,
> however I haven't been able to chech that properly. I also wonder if it
could
> be something with the ignition things, I have just tuned that by hand eg.
no
> stroboscope or anything.
> Temperature seems to be allright, oil pressure also.
> Or what else could this be?
> Hope there is some good advice out there!
>
> Espen (Norway)

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: "Vic Hughes" <(email redacted)>

About 30 years ago I did this with an OHC Mitsubishi Galant engine. Piston
hit the valve, which broke a rocker and punched a hole into the water
gallery. This hole was supposedly fixed but it blew under heat, letting
water into the oil and running the bearings. One properly welded head, new
bearings, reground crank plus new rings while we were in there and of course
gaskets.....

Vic
----- Original Message -----
From: <(email redacted)>
To: <(email redacted)>
Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2002 10:28 AM
Subject: Re: Engine problems


> In addition to everyone else's advice, I add something deeper, and harder
to
> check/fix: The cam may not be installed right, maybe a tooth off? Check
the
> easy stuff first, of course. It DOES sound like ignition (timing),
though.
>
>
> Gary

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: "ESPEN HOLM" <(email redacted)>

Thanks to all of you for for proposals.
I started off with the fuel system, checked the fuel pump and found it to be OK. A coke bottle was filled quite fast.

Then I disassembled the carburettors and found one of the membranes was not correctly installed. It was leaking a bit, however it did not seem to be the reason, so I had to re-open carburettors. I disassembled all parts of the carburettors and I think one of the pistons may have been stuck. At least, after reassembling carburettors the engine now runs quite properly!
However, I had a very scary experience. I took my girlfriend out for a ride last night (Yeah - I was proud!) While driving, I suddenly lost power and thought the piston was stuck again. However, when opening the hood I realized gaz was splashing all over from the rear carburettor, hitting the warm exhaust manifold. Damn luck the whole thing did not explode! The engine was real warm as I had just climbed about 400 meters in about 8 km (passing the famous Holmenkollen skijump). Had to turn the engine off and roll all the way down again. This morning I started over, and found that one of the small blank shims inside the floating chamber (there are som spring-loaded brass parts) was left over (I must have forgotten it - It was not in its place) and got stuck between the floater and the closing valve, resulting in leakage through a tiny channel discharging next to the air filter bolt (from the filter side it looks like a plugged hole). Well, now its working and I need to get my SV approved by the authorities this week. That will make it!

Espen
This----- Original Message -----
From: <(email redacted)>
To: <(email redacted)>
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2002 2:02 AM
Subject: Re: Engine problems


> Sounds like you might have a carb starving for fuel.this could mean you have
> flakes from the fuel tanks restricting flow.Check the filter for flakes and
> let me know.
> Kevin Rodgers, seattle wa.USA PTC