Matt,
I had a somewhat similar experience, but all-in-all, I was very lucky.
About four months ago I was coming back from the car wash and I heard (felt) a
odd sound. I continued home and realized that the car was simply not running
well. I thought I got the distributor wet, but after drying out the cap, it
didn't get better.
I tried checking the spark, tuning the carbs, etc., nothing seemed to work.
Finally, I checked the compression. Everything was fine until I got to #3...
Nothing, absolutely nothing! Not one pound of compression!!!
I pulled the head. The #3 piston had an interesting patina. Something had been
in there and apparently disintegrated. Since there was no compression, I
figuired that the exhaust valve was damaged (no backfiring).
I took the head up the the machine shop with the valves still in place. I got
a call later that morning. The machinist asked if I had just bought this head.
He figuired I got taken. I told him it was off my car and had been running
fine since a full overhaul about eight years ago. He suggested I stop by to
look at the head. I was expecting he was going to show me a crack and
pronounce it irreparable. When I got there, he showed me that one of the valve
seats we put in eight years ago was MISSING. The exhaust valve had no seat...
ergo, no compression.
Apparently, the seat fell out and the piston beat it to bits. It's probably
still in my muffler! Realize how tough that half dollar sized ring was and the
forces it must have taken to make tiny pieces of it.
Well, he replaced the seat, ground the valves and I put it all back together.
I am very fortunate that there was no damage caused to the bore, the head, the
piston, etc!
I drive the car everyday. At this point, I feel that it is really OK and
nothing else is going to reveal itself. The LBC Gods were good to me!!! I hope
you are also fortunate. These little engines are really pretty darn tough.
R. Johnson - Dallas
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