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Old Oct 27, 2007 | 09:51 PM
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Default engine gone bad

Last week my engine started to run extremely rought. Today i checked and i got two cylinder that dont work. I have check the compression and it seem fine. I also check the fire and it's fine too. Also check my carb and look ok. I even remove the valve cover to check if the valve were working fine . Because a few years back i had a broken valve spring and was running rought also.With those pre-computer car i always tought that with those combo working fine it should work fine. If someone could help me i would be please.

Last edited by den(thevetteman)78; Oct 27, 2007 at 10:00 PM.
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Old Oct 27, 2007 | 10:45 PM
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Originally Posted by den(thevetteman)78
Last week my engine started to run extremely rought. Today i checked and i got two cylinder that dont work. I have check the compression and it seem fine. I also check the fire and it's fine too. Also check my carb and look ok. I even remove the valve cover to check if the valve were working fine . Because a few years back i had a broken valve spring and was running rought also.With those pre-computer car i always tought that with those combo working fine it should work fine. If someone could help me i would be please.
this should be in the tech forum..but, check timing check for spark at the plug, maybe plugs went bad (fouled out?)if the compression is good and theres no knocking and banging in the bottom, the engine is probably ok, I would start with the ignition..how did you know 2 cylinders aren't working??
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Old Oct 27, 2007 | 11:24 PM
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Originally Posted by tjhuyser
this should be in the tech forum..but, check timing check for spark at the plug, maybe plugs went bad (fouled out?)if the compression is good and theres no knocking and banging in the bottom, the engine is probably ok, I would start with the ignition..how did you know 2 cylinders aren't working??

How do you know for sure you have two cylinders out? It's hard to see in there.
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Old Oct 27, 2007 | 11:35 PM
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cyl 5 and 8 ? check for big vacuum leak at port behind carb.
leak at that port or anything connected to it makes those cyl go lean and rough idle
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Old Oct 28, 2007 | 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by tjhuyser
this should be in the tech forum..but, check timing check for spark at the plug, maybe plugs went bad (fouled out?)if the compression is good and theres no knocking and banging in the bottom, the engine is probably ok, I would start with the ignition..how did you know 2 cylinders aren't working??

The first thing we did was changing the plugs,after we remove one plug wire at a time and notice that after removing the 2 and 5 the engine was not changing sound. so remove the plugs and notice that they were wet. vwe did a leak test around the intake and at the bottom of the carb.
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Old Oct 28, 2007 | 09:42 AM
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Paul says cylinders 5 and 8 but looks like you've edited this out. Are these the two that are missing? If so, very unlikely to ve a vacuum leak unless something really significant happened.

First off, make absolutely certain that you have spark to those cylinders, then make triple sure that you have the right firing order. Super easy to make this mistake.
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Old Oct 28, 2007 | 10:04 AM
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Originally Posted by CA-Legal-Vette
Paul says cylinders 5 and 8 but looks like you've edited this out. Are these the two that are missing? If so, very unlikely to ve a vacuum leak unless something really significant happened.

First off, make absolutely certain that you have spark to those cylinders, then make triple sure that you have the right firing order. Super easy to make this mistake.
we (myself and a old mecanic) have triple and even more the fire order and the spark on those cylinders. We also check the valves to see how they raise as i was turning the engine.
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Old Oct 28, 2007 | 10:27 AM
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Originally Posted by den(thevetteman)78
we (myself and a old mecanic) have triple and even more the fire order and the spark on those cylinders. We also check the valves to see how they raise as i was turning the engine.
If not electrical and not valve related, that pretty much leaves vacuum leak.

I'd start by making sure that it wasn't the manifold vacuum port for the tranny and headlamps. This is the fitting that sticks up from the intake behind the carb. A simple way to test this is to pull the two (I think its two n the 78) hoses off and put a small piece of hose from one to the other. If the car still runs rough, spray a little WD-40 at the threads where the fitting connects. If the rev's come up, you've found the leak.
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Old Oct 28, 2007 | 12:04 PM
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Originally Posted by den(thevetteman)78
we (myself and a old mecanic) have triple and even more the fire order and the spark on those cylinders. We also check the valves to see how they raise as i was turning the engine.
did you check the spark at the cap end or at the plug end?? you can get a cheap tester that the plug cap plugs onto and the it clips to a ground...it sounds to me like the plug is not firing...if it's wet that means that fuel is getting there and is not igniting
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Old Oct 28, 2007 | 01:09 PM
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Originally Posted by tjhuyser
did you check the spark at the cap end or at the plug end?? you can get a cheap tester that the plug cap plugs onto and the it clips to a ground...it sounds to me like the plug is not firing...if it's wet that means that fuel is getting there and is not igniting
We did check it at the plug end with those tester and the spark was real strong. So thats why we don't know what could cause it to run like that. The only thing he could think left, it's that it dont have enough gas who goes into those cylinder to fire them up . He have another carb i will try it to see if it's not the carb.
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Old Oct 29, 2007 | 10:36 AM
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From: Holtwood PA
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Originally Posted by den(thevetteman)78
We did check it at the plug end with those tester and the spark was real strong. So thats why we don't know what could cause it to run like that. The only thing he could think left, it's that it dont have enough gas who goes into those cylinder to fire them up . He have another carb i will try it to see if it's not the carb.
maybe running to rich and fouled out the sparkplugs...I had that happening, on mine fouled out a plug in about 1000 miles...just one.. I put all 8 in but maybe try that
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Old Oct 29, 2007 | 01:00 PM
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If the plugs are wet, doesn't that indicate to anyone besides me that theres no spark happening in those cylinders?
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Old Oct 29, 2007 | 01:50 PM
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Originally Posted by pbcanney
If the plugs are wet, doesn't that indicate to anyone besides me that theres no spark happening in those cylinders?
no spark or not enough for the amount of fuel delivered to the cylinder...i.e. to rich and flooding out
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Old Oct 29, 2007 | 06:51 PM
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Same problem but cylinders #2 and #8
New dist. cap, wires and plugs.
compression is good in all 8.
Good carb. and no vac. leaks.

i'm thinking intake gasket or headgasket.

I have to finish clutch in the 85 then i start the tear down of the 72.
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Old Oct 29, 2007 | 07:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Steeler1
Same problem but cylinders #2 and #8
New dist. cap, wires and plugs.
compression is good in all 8.
Good carb. and no vac. leaks.

i'm thinking intake gasket or headgasket.

I have to finish clutch in the 85 then i start the tear down of the 72.
hey neighbor...yeah I got the front clip off mine..need to find a shop that can straighten the fram for next to nothing...(not to hijack)...let me know I'll try to help if I can..have a pretty well epuiped shop in Paradise
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