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Strange Engine Problem

well i think i have bigger problems than just fuel. was going to check the timing, so i popped the #1 plug out put my finger in and rotated the engine CW, and kept rotating, and kept rotating, and kept rotating and never felt pressure push my finger out, all i hear was a faint "pffffffff" like an air leak. not to mention the plug was wet and the threads were covered in oil
 
Time to bust out the compression gauge and run a compression test! If you don't have one, your local auto parts store has one for sale (or possibly free rent). Could be either a blown head gasket or it is possible the timing chain jumped a tooth, eerily like what 65fast likely had happen to him.
 
This is true, but it would only affect your timing slightly. I wouldn't expect it to cause dead cylinders, based on what you are describing.
 
Well i grabbed a compression guage and tested a few cylinders...#1 has 0 psi, #5 has 30 psi, #6 has 30 psi...and i stopped checking them there. for as long as i have owned the car the compression on all 8 has always been 140-160 psi. i drive the car very modestly because there is no real reason not to (stock 289) so blown head gasket seems strange. could this timing chain have caused multiple cylinders to crap out like this?
 
Yes it could. The chain turns the cam which makes the lifters open the valves.
Too much play will throw the valve opening off which could cause low compression.

Check your chain by bringing #1 to tdc and verify with bal mark.
Remove the dist cap and use a long bar with socket to rotate crank.
Turn crank both ways and watch for rotor movement, A stretched chain will allow crank movements of 45* +/- before rotor turns.
 
i just finished doing that and the harmonic balancer rotated 2 tick marks before the rotor moved. that seems to only be about 6-7 degrees of play
 
Add me to the list of this has happened to and it was the timing chain. Troubleshooted countless hours before resigning and changing the chain. Set timing and it fired right up again.

I don't recall having 0 compression, nor having it stretched enough that 45 degrees of crank would move before the cam, but the symptoms are all very similar. I also had backfiring through the carb.
 
Here is the thread of 65Fast's issue, which sounds just like your problem. I'd be pulling the heads to inspect the valves to ensure they haven't hit the pistons....as was the case in 65fast's case. http://www.stangfix.com/testforum/index.php/topic,7667.0.html

I believe my dual roller was a Cloyes brand. I had clearance issues with the fuel pump eccentric and the timing chain cover, but mine must have been a fluke cause I hadn't read about it happening to anyone else.
 
Well, ive decided to bite the bullet and have the engine completely rebuilt. Its been burning oil pretty bad for a while anyways. The guy in town who has built Fords for 30+ years said he would do a complete stock rebuild for around 1200 which seems pretty reasonable.

What im wondering is: should i have him clean up the exhaust ports on the stock heads? when i mentioned porting the stock heads to him he got a funny look on his face and basically said it would be a waste of money because there is not much to gain. But ive also read from several places that the exhaust ports being done makes a considerable difference...

Also, while this car is my daily driver, i think a little more pep in its step wouldn't be a bad thing. Would it be ok to add a little more cam considering we will be reusing stock heads? The only things that are not original on the engine are the intake: weiand action+/carb: holley570/headers: headman elites/ignition: ignitor2,flamethrower2.

Im sure ill have more questions later, but feel free to throw out some advice. im in the process of pulling out my engine to take it to him and im taking my time because he wont be able to start on it for 2 weeks. So in the meantime and advice/tips would be much appreciated

-Jon
 
Ryan (monkeystash) has ridiculous knowledge with numbers and different combos. I'd say bump the cam up a little and go for the porting. If you're gonna get into some head rebuilding you can get some aluminums pretty reasonable. I've also got the 302 heads I was using, before the upgrade, sitting in the basement that have maybe 1000 miles on them.
 
Well i guess i dont have to reuse the stock heads. Its always nice when your mom is friends with the owner of the business and he lets you open a PO for the rebuild. so many options now... :$$$
 
"jonward786" said:
Well i guess i dont have to reuse the stock heads. Its always nice when your mom is friends with the owner of the business and he lets you open a PO for the rebuild. so many options now... :$$$
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I would have him replace the valve seats while it's down.
 
I used the Comp 268H with stock heads and it ran pretty good.

As for heads, don't tie up money in stock heads. I am using 289 heads that I had the exhaust ports cleaned up, hardened exhaust seats, stainless 351 valves, new valve guides, and screw in studs. When it was all said and done I was into them over $800, and that was a friend who owned a machine shop doing the work at a discounted rate. You can pick up some low end aluminum heads for that that probably have larger valves and they'll flow better out of the box.
 
Also, while this car is my daily driver, i think a little more pep in its step wouldn't be a bad thing.
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Agreed, just try to keep any performance upgrades on the "low" side. With a daily driver, you don't want to "over-build" the motor for it's intended use.
 
"daveSanborn" said:
Agreed, just try to keep any performance upgrades on the "low" side. With a daily driver, you don't want to "over-build" the motor for it's intended use.
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LMAO, just like a crackhead does not want to carry a pipe all the time.

You can overbuild and not hurt a daily driver, you just have to convince your foot to not mash down so hard :ecit

My 289 I had in a late model Mustang got very good MPG on the highway but around town it was too much fun to kick the 650 DP open and rip through the gears from light to light :)

Now if by overbuild you mean stuffing a cam in that makes it lope like a top fuel dragster, I agree.
 
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