Technical The 283 that STILL won't run right

I dont recall seeing it mentioned, the reason the cam went flat could be due to the oil you are using.
Most modern oil does not contain zinc which causes a lot of camshaft failure. You can purchase a additive which has a zinc replacement (ZDDP) at most parts stores. The less expensive one is good old
STP which has ZDDP.
We use this additive on all flat tappet engines at every oil change. Most all we work on is older non roller engines.
This seems to work well for us.
SPEEDYS GARAGE

 

Would the list of defects be ongoing, if there was " money and assets" available ?
For the sake of others, (1) get it off the road now and (2) fix it or forget it.
If your safety is not paramount to you, think of the lives of others around you.

 

I'm ordering all new Lincoln brakes

 

...or a hole in the piston

 

Yep, senility or one too many falls off of that skateboard

 

Huh? You telling me oil will bring up compression with a holed piston?

 

I've seen this happen a number of times! It is an easy fix by driving the stud back down and drilling the casting and stud from the side and then pinning it. Problem is they will all need that done with that se of heads if it's the problem.

 

Not what the poster said. Quoting here ...... If oil does not increase compression, problem is in top end, valve train related ....... or a hole in the piston.

 

You didn't read his reply to me?

Well not to be pedantic but Vick never mentioned a hole in the piston & then essentially laughed at the idea.

Now it's true that if the piston is just cracked or had a pinhole, compression will come up a bit when you add oil to the test. But I've blown holes in a piston top 1/8" dia or more, and that hole oil will never close under any pressure.

<edit...it occurs to me that what 31vicky might have been laughing at is the mere possibility that this engine has a bad piston. It probably doesn't.

Of course, the fact that pushrod operation was poor on one cylinder decries this notion. I was thinking in more general terms, regarding the symptoms & diagnosis of the classic dry/wet compression test. He didn't mention holed pistons so I did.>

 

Yep, my error. I got your post confused with Vicks post.

 

No sweat. My eyesight is so bad I could confuse toothpase and preperation H.

 

Well at least find your glasses before you brush your teeth. I really don't care if your butt is minty fresh.

 

Hey hey hey - wait a min here.
May I join the conversation about my posts

First off I wasn't laughing at anyone and my post here in the spotlight relates to Ulus post in another thread on that same day probably only seconds apart.

Now ,,,

A hole in a piston that is big enough that it will not seal with oil is going to give you a compression reading very close to zero- at least closer to zero that to 100.

Its true that if oil does not bring up compression readings there could be a hole in a piston but Engines with Holed pistons have a series of other symptoms that are not mentioned here.
Mentioning a piston hole here is akin to suggesting the horse tracks leading out of the barn may be from a zebra. Sure its possible.

 

upside is he can whistle like a songbird ! badside is he can only eat thru a straw .

 

That's why I thought you were joking. BTW, I don't really mind being laughed at. With my personality I'm used to it.

I agree that this engine probably doesn't have a hole. You would see huge blowby, wacko vacuum readings, lotta oil loss etc.

I was sorta speaking in general terms re the results expected with that type of test.

Am I looking for a zebra in Kansas? Probably acute boredom. That's all.

 

Couple of ideas here but it depends on what you got. You say the valve only opens about an 1/8" which would seem to be the cam, lifter or pushrod but before jumping on the cam train and since you have to take off the intake anyway, remove the lifter and see what you got. If it's mushroomed at the bottom there's a good chance that the cam lobe is gone, if not then maybe you have a plugged lifter or one that is collapsing although normally you would hear that in the valvetrain as additional clearance noise. Check the pushrod too preferably on a piece of glass - any bend will be easily detected. The rocker stud could be coming out but that would be pretty obvious with the valvecover removed and just comparing the heights of the rocker arms. Someone noted that oils are a trouble and they are with the lack of zinc in them, but I also came across more than one Chevy motor in my time that had ruined cams and lifters and we had good oil 30+ years ago. If you find out you can't get that lifter out, then you have to get a little creative. Once you get to the point of removing the camshaft and having removed hopefully the other 15 lifters, pull up on the bad lifter and secure it with a pair of vice grips. Then remove the camshaft. Now you need to take a piece of stiff cardboard about 3" wide and however long you need with about 5-6" sticking out the front of the engine. Bend it on a 90 degree so that you basically have the shape of a "V" going into the engine. Then it's just a matter of pushing that lifter down and onto the cardboard. A magnetic rod of some type is the easiest way to retrieve the lifter.
Good luck with it!

 

It is not hard to fix the problem of the brakes grabbing and pulling to one side. That usually means you have brakes working on only one side up front. Could be a frozen up wheel cylinder if it has drums or a frozen caliper if it has disc brakes on front. And, before you check that, check air pressure in your front tires, since something as simple as an underinflated tire can make it pull to one side. Every one of us at one time or another has overlooked something that basic and elementary. A car that can't stop in a straight line without making you fight to keep control does not need to be on the road.

 

Usually a badly worn cam exhaust lobe will pop in the intake on accel. I've never seen bent push rods on a motor that didn't also have other issues, like bent valves from over revving and floating the valve train. I have seen a couple pulled rocker studs though.

You'll never know until you open it up a bit.

I wouldn't drive it around on 7. Since those cylinders will be running rich and the oil is going to get gas washed quickly from the misfires brought on by wacky intake and exhaust signals. The motor will be destroyed in short order.

If you're going to replace it and don't mind tow trucks though....


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I have, but it was from starting a hydraulic lifter engine with super-cold oil, in a Minnesota winter. This was on my Dad's car & he was a very conservative driver once he had us kids.

 

I ordered a repair book. Found one on Ebay with a torn cover for 6 bucks with free shipping.The engine is half apart. Soon as I have another free day to get greasy it will be mostly all apart. Lifter on the bad cam lobe is out. Bottom is all galled and scratched up. Rented a harmonic balancer puller but it is just a tad too small, everyone I've seen is a tad too small for the balancer on the front of my crank, may have to make one, or buy one and modify it. Been reading on line about all the crap imported repair parts out there, timing sprockets and chains, imported cams, bad rod and main bearings. I remember the first imported twist drill bit I had. Pushed too hard and it didn't snap, it bent 90 degrees. And imported sandpaper, 2 strokes and all the sand came off
Going to overhaul the engine in the car, being a roadster with no fenders or hood or anything in the way it's super easy to work on.

 

Yeah, a hoodless/fenderless rod kinda like a rolling engine stand.