C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Your thoughts?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 12:57 AM
  #1  
Jclgodale3's Avatar
Jclgodale3
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,128
Likes: 21
From: North Alabama
Default Your thoughts?

Troubleshooting a small block with a miss. Some popping out the pipes. Idles fine but put it in drive and she dies. #2 and #3 are running 120 degrees cooler on the header pipes relative to that cylinder than the other 6. They run 140+ degrees while the other 6 run 260+ degrees. Pulled the plugs for those 2 cylinders and did a compression check. Got a reading of about 90 psi in each. Next step I should take for troubleshooting purposes?
Motor is a mid 60's 327 cui
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 07:48 AM
  #2  
Attfay Elleybay's Avatar
Attfay Elleybay
Burning Brakes
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,108
Likes: 0
From: Sebastian Florida
Default

How's your sparkplug wires?
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 08:02 AM
  #3  
Iroc57's Avatar
Iroc57
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 1
From: Warwick RI
Default

Originally Posted by Jclgodale3
Troubleshooting a small block with a miss. Some popping out the pipes. Idles fine but put it in drive and she dies. #2 and #3 are running 120 degrees cooler on the header pipes relative to that cylinder than the other 6. They run 140+ degrees while the other 6 run 260+ degrees. Pulled the plugs for those 2 cylinders and did a compression check. Got a reading of about 90 psi in each. Next step I should take for troubleshooting purposes?
Motor is a mid 60's 327 cui
This is just old school backyard experience talking but did you check compression on the other cylinders? That would be the first thing after ignition system that I check( I assume that you have already ).

I may have come in late but did this just start missing out of the blue?
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 08:14 AM
  #4  
Jclgodale3's Avatar
Jclgodale3
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,128
Likes: 21
From: North Alabama
Default

Originally Posted by Attfay Elleybay
How's your sparkplug wires?
Spark plug wires are new.
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 08:16 AM
  #5  
Jclgodale3's Avatar
Jclgodale3
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,128
Likes: 21
From: North Alabama
Default

Originally Posted by Iroc57
This is just old school backyard experience talking but did you check compression on the other cylinders? That would be the first thing after ignition system that I check( I assume that you have already ).

I may have come in late but did this just start missing out of the blue?
Have not checked the other 6 cylinders since these 2 were the ones running so much cooler. Plugs are dark but dry
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 08:50 AM
  #6  
schmegeggie's Avatar
schmegeggie
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,589
Likes: 5
From: Salisbury Maryland
Default

Originally Posted by Jclgodale3
Spark plug wires are new.
Make sure you put them on in the correct order. You may have 2 swapped.
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 09:57 AM
  #7  
Iroc57's Avatar
Iroc57
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 1
From: Warwick RI
Default

Originally Posted by Jclgodale3
Have not checked the other 6 cylinders since these 2 were the ones running so much cooler. Plugs are dark but dry

It gives you a reference, if the others are the same then chase ignition issues/firing order. If memory serves 90# might be low but a plug should still fire at that.
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 05:25 PM
  #8  
cardo0's Avatar
cardo0
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Default I'm surprized it still runs.

Buy a cheap Chiltons manual at Pep Boys. I recall min ing press is something like 150 psi with no cyl more than 20 psi (or maybe its 20%) different than the others. Regardless of the ignition/plug wires you have cylinder leakage. Unless of course u have a huge duration camshshaft. You need to test the other cylinders to see if you are measuring compression correctly or have a bad gauge.

cardo0
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 First Look: Everything You NEED to Know!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-8

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-9

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 06:42 PM
  #9  
Jclgodale3's Avatar
Jclgodale3
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,128
Likes: 21
From: North Alabama
Default

Originally Posted by schmegeggie
Make sure you put them on in the correct order. You may have 2 swapped.
verified...but thanks
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 06:48 PM
  #10  
GDaina's Avatar
GDaina
Race Director
Supporting Lifetime Gold
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 16,978
Likes: 7
From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Default

what is the compression on those cyl compared to the others?

Also check your distributor place, could be loose...
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 08:15 PM
  #11  
bobs77vet's Avatar
bobs77vet
Race Director
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
Liked
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Default

you know when cars idle fine then die when put in drive always make me think that the timing is changing due to low vacuum.....i would like to know the timing....so for a test i would see where the timing is at both idle and in gear.....you could also put vacuum on your vacuum advance cannister and see if its holding vacuum and more importantly if its pulling in the vacuum advance and at what " of mercury....then compare this to the vacuum at idle and in gear...so thats three more trouble shooting tests that are not too painfull and will eliminate a lot
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 11:16 PM
  #12  
Jclgodale3's Avatar
Jclgodale3
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,128
Likes: 21
From: North Alabama
Default

Originally Posted by GDaina
what is the compression on those cyl compared to the others?

Also check your distributor place, could be loose...
Ok...here's the numbers
#1 105
#2 105
#3 65
#4 85
#5 100
#6 105
#7 100
#8 100
Squirting oil in #3 and #4 only boosted their numbers by a few pounds.
Distributor is tight. I did loosen it to play with the timing but could not get rid of the miss. When I found the best spot for idle I tightened it back down. Now it, with the first revolution of cranking, cranks slow...then fires. Checked rocker arms and checked for bent pushrods. No abnormalities. Any other ideas?
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 11:31 PM
  #13  
GDaina's Avatar
GDaina
Race Director
Supporting Lifetime Gold
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 16,978
Likes: 7
From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Default

#3 is way off..could be a burned or slightly bent valve. At most, cyl should not vary more than 10lbs. The slow cranking means you are really advanced, back the distributor counter clock wise, just a hair, the cranking will be easier.

Damn...I can't type for crap...I meant the distributor plate, the points sit on the plate...sometimes through age, the plate wears and is loose.

Last edited by GDaina; Sep 30, 2009 at 11:36 PM.
Reply
Old Sep 30, 2009 | 11:54 PM
  #14  
Jclgodale3's Avatar
Jclgodale3
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,128
Likes: 21
From: North Alabama
Default

Originally Posted by GDaina
#3 is way off..could be a burned or slightly bent valve. At most, cyl should not vary more than 10lbs. The slow cranking means you are really advanced, back the distributor counter clock wise, just a hair, the cranking will be easier.

Damn...I can't type for crap...I meant the distributor plate, the points sit on the plate...sometimes through age, the plate wears and is loose.
So you would suggest the next step would be to pull the heads? Could it have jumped time at the chain?
Reply
Old Oct 1, 2009 | 12:24 AM
  #15  
Solid LT1's Avatar
Solid LT1
Le Mans Master
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
Likes: 39
From: Fremont CA
Default

Swap plugs with another cylinder that's running hot and see if temp picks up (maybe you dropped and cracked a sparkplug?), swap plug wires with another cylinder (keeping firing order correct of course) to see if secondary wiring is bad. Spray some carb cleaner around carb and intake manifold to look for vacuum leaks (RPM will pick-up if there is a leak.) Then I would look under valve covers for valvetrain/rocker arm/push rod problems (collapsed lifter is a possibility or rocker arm adjustment.) Then do a leak down test rather than a compression guage test as they are a better indicator of cylinder condition. Then if all else failed, I would order a new motor
Reply
Old Oct 1, 2009 | 11:23 AM
  #16  
73, Dark Blue 454's Avatar
73, Dark Blue 454
Melting Slicks
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,838
Likes: 10
From: Austin TX
Default

Looks like it's time for a valve job. Does she burn oil?
Reply
Old Oct 1, 2009 | 05:30 PM
  #17  
GDaina's Avatar
GDaina
Race Director
Supporting Lifetime Gold
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 16,978
Likes: 7
From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Default

Originally Posted by Jclgodale3
So you would suggest the next step would be to pull the heads? Could it have jumped time at the chain?

I don't see how a chain can jump...if it comes to that, the car won't even run, let alone start.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Your thoughts?

Old Oct 1, 2009 | 05:54 PM
  #18  
Project80's Avatar
Project80
Racer
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by Jclgodale3
Ok...here's the numbers
#1 105
#2 105
#3 65
#4 85
#5 100
#6 105
#7 100
#8 100
Squirting oil in #3 and #4 only boosted their numbers by a few pounds.
Distributor is tight. I did loosen it to play with the timing but could not get rid of the miss. When I found the best spot for idle I tightened it back down. Now it, with the first revolution of cranking, cranks slow...then fires. Checked rocker arms and checked for bent pushrods. No abnormalities. Any other ideas?

Just checking about the compression test, you mentioned that it was turning over slowly on the first turn. Was the engine turning at normal cranking speed when you did the compression test?
Reply
Old Oct 1, 2009 | 07:01 PM
  #19  
bobs77vet's Avatar
bobs77vet
Race Director
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
Liked
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Default

ok those numbers are definitely low.......have you adjusted the valves on those two cylinders? maybe somebody screwed up the adjustment and have them tighten down too much so they are slightly open.....maybe the lifters were bad and bubba cranked down on them to quiet them up?????

Last edited by bobs77vet; Oct 1, 2009 at 07:03 PM.
Reply
Old Oct 1, 2009 | 08:09 PM
  #20  
1980 blue L48's Avatar
1980 blue L48
Racer
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 264
Likes: 1
From: west central INDIANA
Default

All cyl.s seem low. Leak down all 8 holes. Just blow air in the holes and you will hear your leak. Listen closely for air coming out of opposite cyl.
as in head gasket between 2 weak ones. Mid 60s 327s were hi compression 160- 180 psig. just my thoughts
Reply



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:54 AM.

story-0
2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 First Look: Everything You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Is the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 the best Silverado yet?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-16 08:01:12


VIEW MORE
story-1
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers

Slideshow: 5 best and 5 worst Corvette daily drivers

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-15 10:32:13


VIEW MORE
story-2
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained

Slideshow: The headlights of every Corvette generation explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-15 10:17:14


VIEW MORE
story-3
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!

Slideshow: The 5 best and 5 most overrated Corvette track packages ever.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:46:45


VIEW MORE
story-4
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained

Slideshow: Every 2027 Corvette engine explained

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 12:16:31


VIEW MORE
story-5
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette

Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-08 19:53:43


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE