Misfire Thread
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 514
Likes: 40
From: Seneca Falls
By giving the valve more clearance do you mean like this:
Are you suggesting more adjustment could effect my compression?
Whoa, #1 is pretty bad, and it was the first cyl. to throw a misfire code. Sat. I pulled the valve cover and checked the #1 clearances. I backed the exhaust off about an hour and tightened the intake just a hair. I was hoping this would cure my problem but in the back of my mind I was thinking that it was such a small adjustment and why only cyl #1 if I had set all the other valve clearances with the same "drag" on my last adjustment?
Are you suggesting more adjustment could effect my compression?
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 514
Likes: 40
From: Seneca Falls
Ok, like I said I'm looking for anything to try before I actually remove the head. I need to do the leak down to pinpoint where the leak is, but then what do you suggest I do? Loosen the exhaust even more if they're the ones leaking? How about the intake? And like I mentioned above how could #1 be so different in adjustment when I had previously set all clearances with the same (drag)feel?
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 514
Likes: 40
From: Seneca Falls
I have not kept written service records, but I did a first adjustment around 15k, about my 3rd year of ownership. I've maybe done it 4 times total on this car, with the most recent full adjustment being the spring of '15 after I put a new acc. belt and pulley bearings in.
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 514
Likes: 40
From: Seneca Falls
Ok, I did the leak down test tonight but I'm left thinking WTF? Warmed the car up, about 5 min after 3 bars, shut it down and pulled the valve cover. Set up my air compressor with the tester and ran through the cylinders. Nothing, no leak in any cyl. I can't believe it, did the valves free themselves? Did I do something wrong? So I started over with #1 and now it's leaking badly, sounds like the exhaust is leaking. I tried to move the valve train with the air leaking out to see if they would close. No luck, but I did move on to #3 which was leaking almost as badly 
Did everything cool down too much? I had the VC off in under 10 min. All the cylinders were leaking at that point so I wrapped it up but left everything apart so I can check clearances and inspect retainers in a couple of days. Oh yeah, I had the radiator cap off, no bubbles.
Did everything cool down too much? I had the VC off in under 10 min. All the cylinders were leaking at that point so I wrapped it up but left everything apart so I can check clearances and inspect retainers in a couple of days. Oh yeah, I had the radiator cap off, no bubbles.
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,893
Likes: 160
From: Fremont, CA
Ok, I did the leak down test tonight but I'm left thinking WTF? Warmed the car up, about 5 min after 3 bars, shut it down and pulled the valve cover. Set up my air compressor with the tester and ran through the cylinders. Nothing, no leak in any cyl. I can't believe it, did the valves free themselves? Did I do something wrong? So I started over with #1 and now it's leaking badly, sounds like the exhaust is leaking. I tried to move the valve train with the air leaking out to see if they would close. No luck, but I did move on to #3 which was leaking almost as badly Did everything cool down too much? I had the VC off in under 10 min. All the cylinders were leaking at that point so I wrapped it up but left everything apart so I can check clearances and inspect retainers in a couple of days. Oh yeah, I had the radiator cap off, no bubbles.
Did everything cool down too much? I had the VC off in under 10 min. All the cylinders were leaking at that point so I wrapped it up but left everything apart so I can check clearances and inspect retainers in a couple of days. Oh yeah, I had the radiator cap off, no bubbles.What is your percentage leak?
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 514
Likes: 40
From: Seneca Falls
The photo above is what #1 read the first time around, and all the others were exactly the same. No leak really at all, I had everything hooked up right and found TDC with all the markings and the Helms service manual. I changed nothing on the tester from the first round to the next couple. I must have done something incorrectly but what, and why did the first four tests not leak and then all cyl. started to leak?
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 514
Likes: 40
From: Seneca Falls
No I didn't have everything hooked up right the first time I did the leak down test. What a dope 
I should have tested the tester to familiarize myself.
Here is a picture of #1 readings, I did the leak down test properly this past weekend with these results:
Cyl #1 75 20
Cyl #3 75 70
Cyl #4 75 74
Cyl #2 75 72
I had to run at the 75 psi setting on the first dial to keep my compressor from running constantly. Obviously there is a big problem with #1 and the air was definitely coming from exhaust side. I checked all of my retainers and keepers, everything looked healthy as does the top of the head, never an oil starve. Adjusted all valve clearances and re-did compression test with another 135 psi in #1. Looks like I'm pulling the head.
I should have tested the tester to familiarize myself.Here is a picture of #1 readings, I did the leak down test properly this past weekend with these results:
Cyl #1 75 20
Cyl #3 75 70
Cyl #4 75 74
Cyl #2 75 72
I had to run at the 75 psi setting on the first dial to keep my compressor from running constantly. Obviously there is a big problem with #1 and the air was definitely coming from exhaust side. I checked all of my retainers and keepers, everything looked healthy as does the top of the head, never an oil starve. Adjusted all valve clearances and re-did compression test with another 135 psi in #1. Looks like I'm pulling the head.
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,893
Likes: 160
From: Fremont, CA
No I didn't have everything hooked up right the first time I did the leak down test. What a dope I should have tested the tester to familiarize myself.
Here is a picture of #1 readings, I did the leak down test properly this past weekend with these results:
Cyl #1 75 20
Cyl #3 75 70
Cyl #4 75 74
Cyl #2 75 72
I had to run at the 75 psi setting on the first dial to keep my compressor from running constantly. Obviously there is a big problem with #1 and the air was definitely coming from exhaust side. I checked all of my retainers and keepers, everything looked healthy as does the top of the head, never an oil starve. Adjusted all valve clearances and re-did compression test with another 135 psi in #1. Looks like I'm pulling the head.
I should have tested the tester to familiarize myself.Here is a picture of #1 readings, I did the leak down test properly this past weekend with these results:
Cyl #1 75 20
Cyl #3 75 70
Cyl #4 75 74
Cyl #2 75 72
I had to run at the 75 psi setting on the first dial to keep my compressor from running constantly. Obviously there is a big problem with #1 and the air was definitely coming from exhaust side. I checked all of my retainers and keepers, everything looked healthy as does the top of the head, never an oil starve. Adjusted all valve clearances and re-did compression test with another 135 psi in #1. Looks like I'm pulling the head.
