about 15. I don't think it reads less than that actually.
it could be a small leak in my boost gauge.. i just haven't checked yet.
Help me fix my broken car...
Re: (PMan_S13)
That sucks. Assuming the vacuum is less than 16 and steady:
Check ignition timing
Retest vacuum
Check compression/leak down
Check for vacuum leaks
Retest vacuum
Check ignition timing
Retest vacuum
Check compression/leak down
Check for vacuum leaks
Retest vacuum
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PMan_S13
- Posts: 575
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- Car: Building car -> breaking car -> fixing car -> start over
I'll try it out tomorrow morning before the tear down. I don't have a way to leak down test it though. I've tried finding one of those hoses so I can hook up my compressor and fill the cylinder, but Ohio sucks.
I don't know if anything less than a major leak could cause this type of performance loss. Since I know how to simulate it now, if you want to see what I'm dealing with, try putting your distributor as far retarded as you can. depending on how far you can get it you should have about the same running conditions as me. Only problem is I can't just move my distributor back to solve the problem.
I don't know if anything less than a major leak could cause this type of performance loss. Since I know how to simulate it now, if you want to see what I'm dealing with, try putting your distributor as far retarded as you can. depending on how far you can get it you should have about the same running conditions as me. Only problem is I can't just move my distributor back to solve the problem.
The compression is good though, I can't think of anything a tear-down might reveal. Ever tried checking the timing on every cylinder? Me neither, but it seems if you carefully scribed 3 marks 90* apart on the crank pulley you might be able to verify the timing is good on all cylinders, not just #1, in case there's something really screwy with the distributor or something.Very, very puzzling indeed..
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PMan_S13
- Posts: 575
- Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 6:48 am
- Car: Building car -> breaking car -> fixing car -> start over
Yeah, I'll be the first to attest that modifying the car makes diagnosing ANYTHING a prolonged ordeal.
That said... I finished the tear down and reassembly this morning in less than 2 hours. New personnal record. I must be getting used to this or something. Anyway, after I fixed my oil leak (Part of the head gasket that goes under front timing cover popped loose, letting oil freely dispense itself), I just started checking timing for the heck of it. The thing was all apart after all.
Interestingly enough, when I put it to TDC the cams did not line up the same as they do in my manual, or off the JWT cam install page. It looked like it wasn't even off much to me. Maybe 10-15 degrees or just one link. But then I remembered.. the cams move 4 times slower than the crank, so 10-15 degrees here is really 40-60 degrees of stroke. So it looks like my cams might have been opening the valves about a quarter of a stroke retarded. I put a wrench on the cam bolt and cranked it over till it looked the same as in the picture. yep, it lines up at about 45 degrees after TDC from my best guess. I don't really think that is enough to cause the radical performance problems I am experiencing, but it certainly can't be helping. Of course I am quite pessimistic about everything I find now.. short of a blown piston or cracked head I doubt anything would convince me without testing it first. Still not sure how it could be off like this. I'm no fool. I've done this plenty of times before, and 4 times in a row and didn't catch it once? Very odd to me.
Since the only point of the timing chains is to keep the cams in time I went ahead and moved the cams over one link each. So it looks exactly like the pictures from my two references. I think that is the best way to be sure it is timed perfectly. So long as it lines up every time it doesn't matter that I just advanced my intake and exhaust cams without first lining up the other marks.
Time will tell. I'm letting all that gasket maker seal up really well before I try it out. Number one I am really tired of leaking oil. And number two I am afraid I'll just be disappointed once again.
I'll be sure to let you guys know. You're probably as interested to see this fixed as I am.
That said... I finished the tear down and reassembly this morning in less than 2 hours. New personnal record. I must be getting used to this or something. Anyway, after I fixed my oil leak (Part of the head gasket that goes under front timing cover popped loose, letting oil freely dispense itself), I just started checking timing for the heck of it. The thing was all apart after all.
Interestingly enough, when I put it to TDC the cams did not line up the same as they do in my manual, or off the JWT cam install page. It looked like it wasn't even off much to me. Maybe 10-15 degrees or just one link. But then I remembered.. the cams move 4 times slower than the crank, so 10-15 degrees here is really 40-60 degrees of stroke. So it looks like my cams might have been opening the valves about a quarter of a stroke retarded. I put a wrench on the cam bolt and cranked it over till it looked the same as in the picture. yep, it lines up at about 45 degrees after TDC from my best guess. I don't really think that is enough to cause the radical performance problems I am experiencing, but it certainly can't be helping. Of course I am quite pessimistic about everything I find now.. short of a blown piston or cracked head I doubt anything would convince me without testing it first. Still not sure how it could be off like this. I'm no fool. I've done this plenty of times before, and 4 times in a row and didn't catch it once? Very odd to me.
Since the only point of the timing chains is to keep the cams in time I went ahead and moved the cams over one link each. So it looks exactly like the pictures from my two references. I think that is the best way to be sure it is timed perfectly. So long as it lines up every time it doesn't matter that I just advanced my intake and exhaust cams without first lining up the other marks.
Time will tell. I'm letting all that gasket maker seal up really well before I try it out. Number one I am really tired of leaking oil. And number two I am afraid I'll just be disappointed once again.
I'll be sure to let you guys know. You're probably as interested to see this fixed as I am.
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s13sr20chris
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PMan_S13
- Posts: 575
- Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 6:48 am
- Car: Building car -> breaking car -> fixing car -> start over
Well it fixed it. The car was running the best I think it ever has.
Notice I said "was"?
Me and my brother were so shocked that it was running fine that we just took it out to drive up and down our road. Just to be sure. Well there is a hill on the one side. As we approached, going about 60, a freakin F250 was driving right in the middle of the road. I swirved to miss him. I went a little off road through gravel and passed the summit of the hill at the same time. This sent the car into a completely uncontrolable spin going downhill. The last thing I remember seeing was us moving towards a groups of trees and I just closed my eyes. We hit hard, really hard. I remember thinking when is this going to stop? We kept hitting things. I was holding onto the steering wheel, but the impact threw me loose. Then my hands were up on the windshield and suddenly the entire roof crushed in on us. At the time I thought I was trying to hold the roof up, but I was actually holding up my own weight.. the car had flipped up on it's roof and crushed the ceiling in on us. The worst thing was that my brother was in the car with me... I don't know if I will ever be the same after this. I didn't care about my stupid car, or that I just got it running, I just wanted to know that he was ok.. but he wouldn't answer me. He was awake, just not responsive. They lifelined him away to Grant hospital in Columbus. I never have freaked out so bad in my life... but I guess he is going to be fine. He had a very minor head trauma which caused him to black out, that's why he wasn't asnwering. Also he has a broken clavical... some bone in your shoulder. I got away pretty luckily, I was fine after the wreck, I got out after my brother starting making noise. I wanted to be sure the car was off.. but it couldn't have been running, the battery had been ripped loose from the car. other than that I just feel like a train wreck. Everything hurts. They are putting me on some pain killer.. I can't remember the name at the moment, but I can't go to duty for at least a week. One good thing I guess is my brother was supposed to leave for Iraq in November, but he should be on medical profile now. Maybe this is God's way of taking care of us.
I just glanced at the chaos for a moment before they took me to the hospital.. looks like I slide for a good 2 maybe 300 feet. The car is a total wreck. It looks like godzilla grabbed it and just twisted both ends. Parts everywhere. I still am not sure what happened to the exhaust, it was just gone. Same with the battery, all the windows, the front bumper and drivers fender, my door, drivers and passengers sides were crushed in pretty bad, and looks like the frame was bent about 3 feet off square. The engine and transmission should be alright though.... but a car is just a car. I could have lost something a lot more important to me.
Looks like I will be getting a citation for failure to control. I'm not sure if the kid driving the truck will get anything, but I am appreciative that is all I am getting. I could really have gotten reamed.. I always thought the speed limit on that road was 45, but the sheriff told me it was 55. Either way, I should not have been driving that fast. It's like that say, you get most cocky less than a mile from home.. I was less than 1/2 mile. Thankfully though I can learn this lesson with minimal loss. I still tear up when I think about my brother.. I guess even while he was being lifelined all he could think about was telling the sheriff that that truck was the one that caused the accident. Protecting his big brother even when he is hurt. Oh man. I just feel so horrible about all this. I don't know if that means much to you guys, but it is going to scar me.
Now that everyone will be alright I can laugh about it a little. When Jay finally responded something to me, the first thing he said was, "wow, you really destroyed the 240". And then I was like, "Jay, are you hurt somwhere? Tell me if you're alright" And he said.. "my shoulder hurts".. I was so glad he said something finally that I couldn't think of anything else to do besides grabbing his shoulder. Haha, it was kinda funny, he made a Beavis and Butthead "AHHH!". Me and him were talking about how funny it is that the car had only been running for about 2 or 3 minutes.. it wasn't even warmed up yet.
Well I need to be laying down again.. my neck and back hurt pretty bad. Thanks for all the help guys. Once I get the wreckage, I'll see if the motor and transmission survived... There's a broken down 89 240sx down the road that I can get for $250. Maybe I'll drop my motor in it.
At least I finally figured out why the motor was running so bad. =P See you guys later
Modified by PMan_S13 at 4:15 PM 9/20/2004
Notice I said "was"?
Me and my brother were so shocked that it was running fine that we just took it out to drive up and down our road. Just to be sure. Well there is a hill on the one side. As we approached, going about 60, a freakin F250 was driving right in the middle of the road. I swirved to miss him. I went a little off road through gravel and passed the summit of the hill at the same time. This sent the car into a completely uncontrolable spin going downhill. The last thing I remember seeing was us moving towards a groups of trees and I just closed my eyes. We hit hard, really hard. I remember thinking when is this going to stop? We kept hitting things. I was holding onto the steering wheel, but the impact threw me loose. Then my hands were up on the windshield and suddenly the entire roof crushed in on us. At the time I thought I was trying to hold the roof up, but I was actually holding up my own weight.. the car had flipped up on it's roof and crushed the ceiling in on us. The worst thing was that my brother was in the car with me... I don't know if I will ever be the same after this. I didn't care about my stupid car, or that I just got it running, I just wanted to know that he was ok.. but he wouldn't answer me. He was awake, just not responsive. They lifelined him away to Grant hospital in Columbus. I never have freaked out so bad in my life... but I guess he is going to be fine. He had a very minor head trauma which caused him to black out, that's why he wasn't asnwering. Also he has a broken clavical... some bone in your shoulder. I got away pretty luckily, I was fine after the wreck, I got out after my brother starting making noise. I wanted to be sure the car was off.. but it couldn't have been running, the battery had been ripped loose from the car. other than that I just feel like a train wreck. Everything hurts. They are putting me on some pain killer.. I can't remember the name at the moment, but I can't go to duty for at least a week. One good thing I guess is my brother was supposed to leave for Iraq in November, but he should be on medical profile now. Maybe this is God's way of taking care of us.
I just glanced at the chaos for a moment before they took me to the hospital.. looks like I slide for a good 2 maybe 300 feet. The car is a total wreck. It looks like godzilla grabbed it and just twisted both ends. Parts everywhere. I still am not sure what happened to the exhaust, it was just gone. Same with the battery, all the windows, the front bumper and drivers fender, my door, drivers and passengers sides were crushed in pretty bad, and looks like the frame was bent about 3 feet off square. The engine and transmission should be alright though.... but a car is just a car. I could have lost something a lot more important to me.
Looks like I will be getting a citation for failure to control. I'm not sure if the kid driving the truck will get anything, but I am appreciative that is all I am getting. I could really have gotten reamed.. I always thought the speed limit on that road was 45, but the sheriff told me it was 55. Either way, I should not have been driving that fast. It's like that say, you get most cocky less than a mile from home.. I was less than 1/2 mile. Thankfully though I can learn this lesson with minimal loss. I still tear up when I think about my brother.. I guess even while he was being lifelined all he could think about was telling the sheriff that that truck was the one that caused the accident. Protecting his big brother even when he is hurt. Oh man. I just feel so horrible about all this. I don't know if that means much to you guys, but it is going to scar me.
Now that everyone will be alright I can laugh about it a little. When Jay finally responded something to me, the first thing he said was, "wow, you really destroyed the 240". And then I was like, "Jay, are you hurt somwhere? Tell me if you're alright" And he said.. "my shoulder hurts".. I was so glad he said something finally that I couldn't think of anything else to do besides grabbing his shoulder. Haha, it was kinda funny, he made a Beavis and Butthead "AHHH!". Me and him were talking about how funny it is that the car had only been running for about 2 or 3 minutes.. it wasn't even warmed up yet.
Well I need to be laying down again.. my neck and back hurt pretty bad. Thanks for all the help guys. Once I get the wreckage, I'll see if the motor and transmission survived... There's a broken down 89 240sx down the road that I can get for $250. Maybe I'll drop my motor in it.
At least I finally figured out why the motor was running so bad. =P See you guys later
Modified by PMan_S13 at 4:15 PM 9/20/2004
wow, sometimes it takes somthing bad for us to realize just how important life is and how easily it can be taken away, for instance i bet you wont do more then 40 down that road anymore or at least at that part of it, and im glad that you realize that a car is a car and it is replaceable, to many people fail to realize that these days.
anyways, im glad that your allright, it could have easily been fatal.
oh, btw: what was wrong with it?
anyways, im glad that your allright, it could have easily been fatal.
oh, btw: what was wrong with it?
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s13sr20chris
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PMan_S13
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- Car: Building car -> breaking car -> fixing car -> start over
Well it's been a few days now. Lots of relaxing. Those pain pill make you feel gooood. =P
Me and Jay are doing fine, spending the hours we are awake playing PS2. Good times. I'm fine of course, but the really good thing is Jay is doing fine too. Of course his shoulder hurts, but most of the bruising is gone and he can walk around fine and everything.
The 240 though is not so good, haha, I'd say she took 95% of the brunt of that wreck. Good thing too, I don't know how we both got out of a wreck like this. The pictures look bad of course, but when you see just how mangeled it is in person you realize how lucky we are.
Final verdict was that the timing chain had jumped a tooth. Not sure how it did that without breaking or blowing up or something. But it did. So basically I had about 20-50 degrees of retarded intake and exhaust valve timing. I know I was putting the upper chain on fine, so the lower chain must have jumped and caused all this problem.
For now I am looking to find another donor chassis. My motor, transmission, driveshaft, and vlsd differential all look to be fine. Besides an intake manifold that got crushed. So if I can get one with a blown motor in it I will just swap over. Maybe start this project over again and do this the right way that I messed up before.
Oh, and they are saying that my brother can't go to Iraq now. And if he does it would be at least another 6 months before they could consider it. Strange to hear it, but a lady at work said, "You might not know it, but you wrecking your car might have saved your brothers life"
Well it's worth it then
Me and Jay are doing fine, spending the hours we are awake playing PS2. Good times. I'm fine of course, but the really good thing is Jay is doing fine too. Of course his shoulder hurts, but most of the bruising is gone and he can walk around fine and everything.
The 240 though is not so good, haha, I'd say she took 95% of the brunt of that wreck. Good thing too, I don't know how we both got out of a wreck like this. The pictures look bad of course, but when you see just how mangeled it is in person you realize how lucky we are.
Final verdict was that the timing chain had jumped a tooth. Not sure how it did that without breaking or blowing up or something. But it did. So basically I had about 20-50 degrees of retarded intake and exhaust valve timing. I know I was putting the upper chain on fine, so the lower chain must have jumped and caused all this problem.
For now I am looking to find another donor chassis. My motor, transmission, driveshaft, and vlsd differential all look to be fine. Besides an intake manifold that got crushed. So if I can get one with a blown motor in it I will just swap over. Maybe start this project over again and do this the right way that I messed up before.
Oh, and they are saying that my brother can't go to Iraq now. And if he does it would be at least another 6 months before they could consider it. Strange to hear it, but a lady at work said, "You might not know it, but you wrecking your car might have saved your brothers life"
Well it's worth it then