any macanic got any idears ? enging prob

[outlaw]

Had a blown head gasket

on a 1.8L sohc vaxhall cav I use as a run about
ie lots of wite smoke from it ie the coolent vapor.

got head off and yep gasket gone. head and block ok no cracks

so replasec gasket and put it back togeather. Had the ushal fun starting as i dident prime the cam lifters.

as i dident renew em or take em out them.

so left it a couple of hours to let the settel the cranked the enging over by had a good few time

that done the trick and it fire up

but the problem is one running the bugger just wont pick up ok at abot 2000-3000 revs but as soon as you let gas off it splutters and dies.

will restart every time but just wont run at low revs.

it was set on marks for cam timing before taking apart and reset dead on the top and botom marks before refiting the cam belt.

only problem during job was that the 3 allen key bolts for the warter pumpbo that all so allow cam belt play ajustment we rusted away so couldent be moved to get belt off easy.

but managed to get of with a slite tilt of the head and wind in back on after.

iv rechecked the cam timing and its still dead on the marks top and bottom.

but it still wont run on low revs seems ok above 2000 or so

so any one got any idears its driving me nuts.

so much so i brourt anther one for a runaround
but one to try too get ofer one running and its got 11 mouths mots and a new steering rack and radeator i just put in a few weeks back my self.

so I would rather not scap it if i can get a few quid back on it

so any idears ?

[Avocet]

Is there an induction air leak somewhere? (e.g. cracked / missing breather hose) ?

[GreenV8S]

Yes, induction leak sounds like a good bet, also what state are the plugs in? Worth sticking a timing light on it and see what's really happening.

[pistol pete]

Spark timing?

Don't know that engine, but is the distributor mounted on the end of the cam shaft, or is it drivin by the cam belt and another pulley -had similar problems on the golf when this pulley was 1 tooth out of line when I put the cam belt back on. -also screwed up at the time as it was running rich due to a burst vacum pipe (the one to the brake servo) letting fresh air into the exhaust and hence the lambda sensor was getting a screwed up reading which confued the symptoms..

Pete

[outlaw]

YEP I WAS THINKING INDUCTION LEAK CANT FIND ONE YER ITS A OVER HEAD CAM

BUT I LEFT THE DI TRIBUTER WATSIT ON CAM HOUSING
SO AS NOT TO DISTEARB IT.

AS FAR AS I CAN SEE THE CAM TIMINEING IS SET EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS.

ME BACKIS KILL ME FROM BENDING TO DO
i GOT A BAD SPINE SO WILL LEAV IT FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN HAVE ANOTHER BASH

[outlaw]

pistol pete said:

Spark timing? Don't know that engine, but is the distributor mounted on the end of the cam shaft, or is it drivin by the cam belt and another pulley -had similar problems on the golf when this pulley was 1 tooth out of line when I put the cam belt back on. -also screwed up at the time as it was running rich due to a burst vacum pipe (the one to the brake servo) letting fresh air into the exhaust and hence the lambda sensor was getting a screwed up reading which confued the symptoms.. Pete

the distributer on the end of the cam

i left it on when i tocl head off save moving it.

never moved the botom end after belt was of so has to be right

the cam pully should be right but im going to try moving it one tooth both ways to set if it inproves

but dont think its that as the tops easy to set just point it strait up the the mark on the belt cover

and there no way the botom could have moved i dident touch it.

[mr2mike]

I would give it a compression test. The hydraulic followers shouldn't have needed any attention if they weren't removed which makes it sound suspicious that you had problems with them. If the valves aren't shutting fully the loss of compression would prevent the engine running at lower speeds.