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Quasi-Traction "I have petals"

Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 3873 Location: stumptown
1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 7:38 pm Post subject: Compression problem? |
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I'll prelude this by saying that the berlinetta has been idling more and more irratically each time I drive it. Its gotten to the point where it won't like to stay running unless you have a foot on the throttle when its cold. It seems to do ok once its warmed up. Idles irratically, but doesn't stall. Nothing seems to change much wheither or not I have my foot on the brake or not.
It does seem to have Blowby. When you pull both breathers, you can see the gas comming out the valve covers. There seems to be a lot more on the passenger side bank than the drivers
When driving it doesn't really seem to bog or hesitate at all. It used to pull pretty good up a little past 5K, but now it seems to fall on its face just above 4K.
I have not yet compression tested it yet, but I did pull all the spark plugs. They don't seem to be that fouled. 7 and 8 did have a little bit of oil on them, but not near the electrode, likely splashover from an oil leak which Paul thinks is coming from the distributor hole.
Dad and I pulled the dizzy, cleaned the surface, replaced the gasket, and re-timed it. Still leaks. Still idles funny.
I'm getting a little fed up with this.
Would a head gasket that's toast act in this manner possibly? My Dad seemed to think that might be a possibility.
Go figure that this is a week before Cows...I was hoping that I could dial down these issues before the drive, but now I'm paranoid to drive it for fear that I'll lose all compression.
Is there anything I can do to band-aid the situation, so I can get it to cows?
After that I don't really care....I might just pull the motor out anyways. _________________
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Xophertony Rodeo Queen

Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 5306 Location: Portland, Oregon.
1988 Pontiac GTA
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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dude... we can always tow it home.  |
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Quasi-Traction "I have petals"

Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 3873 Location: stumptown
1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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lol.....Yeah, but I can't blow it up at cows....I'd like to reuse the crank and the rods for my next motor. _________________
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Twilightoptics Hardcore (12sec Club)

Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Posts: 9191 Location: Auburn , WA
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Quasi-Traction wrote: | | lol.....Yeah, but I can't blow it up at cows....I'd like to reuse the crank and the rods for my next motor. |
Very unlikely you'd damage the rods/crank because of a compression problem.
You can run a 350 without piston rings, so if you have a few left over you'll be fine.
My old edelbrock came out of tune alot with the idle mixture might check that too.
Can you visibly see it leak from the dizzy gasket now though since you cleaned everything and then rechecked?
headgasket shouldn't cause blow by. If the gasket goes, the compression goes out into the lifter valley, which i suppose could cause what you're seeing? But both sides? Otherwise it goes out the side of the head somewhere to where you hear it, and or goes into your coolant passages which mixes with your coolant and causes other problems.... like burning coolant. |
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chevymad Master B
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 5476
1987 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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| On the oil leak problem. Remember there is also the oil pressure sending unit and the rear intake china wall back there that can leak oil. Usually the dizzy doesnt leak oil on a sb chevy... Now 2.8s ..... |
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Quasi-Traction "I have petals"

Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 3873 Location: stumptown
1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta
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Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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Paul and I talked about the oil leak possibly coming from the back of the intake manifold. He didn't seem to think I'd be losing the quanity that I am with the back of it leaking... There's some RTV back there that looks like it might not be forming a total seal. So I suppose its a very real possibility.
The sender seemed to be in pretty tight. It'll have to wait until after cows, but I was going to move it down to by the oil filter pad. I don't like having it up there.
A 350 will still run without rings? Neat!  _________________
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