Owen Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 If it can happen, it'll happen to me. From full street ready to a full tear-down... The past couple of week's I've been trying to get my EFI system running. The car would idle rough and I was finally able to get it smooth but with hesitation at sudden throttle closing. It was still running rich and in the attempt to lean it out a little, I played with some settings, f-ed up somewhere and lost ability to start the engine. Tim240Z came over and we checked and adjusted the valves, checked the starter etc. Cranking was uneven with the plugs in but even with them out. We suspect a toasted main bearing or jacked up piston rings. No wonder it wouldn't start. I used to be able to turn the engine over by hand but now it is VERY tight, like 250 ft./lbs. I pulled the engine and trans this weekend, removed the in-mani, heads, and main caps. 10:30 Sunday nite and Wouldn't you know, my damper remover is nowhere to be found...the bearings in the caps look fine except for one which has a slight orange colored gouge in it. When I turn the engine by hand, I hear a strange sound like rubber scraping against a smooth surface...could it be that some gasket material fell into the pistons and lodged themselves between the rings and cyl. walls? Thankfully the engine was never revved very high. Owen The cursed mechanic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 Look at the big picture. You are becoming an expert at pulling and installing V8's into a Zee. A rare and remarkable mechanical skill. And you got a good pal in Tim who is wise beyond his years. Plastigage those bearings especially the orange one and get that Budweiser can out between the piston and piston wall. Turn it in for a refund! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted June 24, 2002 Share Posted June 24, 2002 Owen, I know a bit of what you're going through. Having to pull that motor that you thought was fine is a real pain and depressing. These projects can get strung out because of bad luck, stupid moves (not saying you made any, but I have!), and just good old "I might as well" and "ooooh, I need to do that to MY Z". In the end it will be all worth it! Good luck with the motor rebuild. Look at it as a opportunity to upgrade some of the internals . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted June 24, 2002 Author Share Posted June 24, 2002 Thanks guys, I'm not as upset as when I smashed my first welding machine I didn't paint the engine pay when I did the car, now's my chance! Anyone remember a long, long time ago when I suggested the idea of making the top radiator x-member removable? Sort of like a strut tower bar? Tim says it's not necessary cuz he can pull the engine in 15 minutes, but anything to speed up the job is what I want. Plus I don't have those big gorilla arms that Tim has If I did this, I could have the engine out in 5 minutes! No need to tilt the damn thing either! I'll keep you guys posted on what I find in the engine, definitely not a beer can...maybe a bra or something... Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 I am still laughing about the attack on The 'Crudsman'..... I tried to put my new wheels on the new front Toyota calipers. Thought I needed spacers and longer studs/// cum to find out I was tryind to shove the studs into the wrong holes on the wheels.Made up some 3/8 inch spacers and duh still would not fit. I cannot even mount a new wheel without getting confused. Blame it on :The 8X15 inch wheels and tires are too big to handle.(As a warning I printed a copy of your modified crudsman and taped it to my crudsman to give it somthing to ponder and have been getting satisfactory service lately. I swear the duty cycle doubled when it came face to face with its future fate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted June 25, 2002 Author Share Posted June 25, 2002 Haw haw haw! That'll keep it in line! Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 Originally posted by Owen:Thanks guys, I'm not as upset as when I smashed my first welding machine LOL, I remember that, you did a job on it. My brother recently threw a creeper down the drive into the street. It was comical, it was one of those with a frame and open caster wheels. Your shirts get caught in the wheels, at any rate on this occasion, I hear him swearing, so I check to make sure he's ok, he say's get my shirt out of these damn casters, its caught up in a wheel. I try, but the weight of him laying on it, along with it snuggly wound up in the wheel mean I had to rip a hole in his shirt.. It was priceless, you havn't seen people lose they damn mind till you seen me or my brothers lose they're temper. Hell when I play video games, the dog goes and hides because she knows that when Medal of Honor gets the better of me, I'm gonna start cursing, she doesn't even have to hear it just feel the vibe that I'm getting pissed.. haha. Anyway, sorry about the motor, but its good to find out now than have it seized up out in BFE somewhere. Good luck with it. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted June 25, 2002 Author Share Posted June 25, 2002 Haw Haw! That's hilarious! I can see we're a lot alike. When I get pissed, my first inclination is to throw something, can't count how many game controllers and joysticks ended up in little plastic pieces, but I've grown up a little. When I first got my Z something pissed me off and I threw it at the wall. The damn thing bounced back and made a dent in my fender! I now think and choose a target before I let it fly I know about those cheapy creepers too, I stopped using mine and instead use it to transport heavy stuff around the garage. Good thing is, last nite I tore down the rest of the bottom end and there is NO bearing damage! Whatever is seizing the engine is in the piston bores as I thought. There was a light film of orange looking crap on the piston skirts, which felt just like silicon sealer that had turned liquid and just stayed there. That explains the rubber sound. I'm gonna clean out the block, install new bearings, and get the engine back in. Maybe get a windage tray and crank scraper while I'm at it. Well, after I do a few mods to the EG bay! Like paint, re-wiring, brake lines, etc. And I'm waiting for parts from Mike Kelly so all in all, this ain't as bad as I thought. Thanks for the support guys! Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 Back in my "MULLET" days, I got my hair wrapped up in the wheel of my creeper I was stuck under the car for at least half an hour, trying to lift the corner of the creeper I was laying on and untangle my hair (I have short hair now) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted June 25, 2002 Share Posted June 25, 2002 Haha, 'mullet', boy I been there before.. haha.. My partner Mort at a welding shop I worked in hollared for help one day, he's a skinny biker cat with a huge beard, well I go over to see whats wrong, the armature vents sucked in his beard and it was stuck to his face, I had to roll the drill back and break some hair to get it off his face, I wanted to die laughing, but you don't laugh at ill tempered speed freaks... Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.