[Healeys] Four cylinder woes, part two!

[John Harper]

Hank

The fact that number 2 exhaust valve is not the same colour as the others
might be a clue. Maybe it is not closing fully? It would be worth checking
for a stuck valve guide, broken spring or just lost  clearance. A partially
seized rocker is possible but not likely. This may not be the problem but
it would not take much effort to pull the valve out and check for any
burning on the working face.

Best regards

On Thu, 12 Mar 2020 at 18:18, <gradea1 at charter.net> wrote:

> Hi Steven-good to hear from you!
>
> That's a nice test, but I would magnaflux the head for cracks between 2-3
> and have it shaved flat..could be a head gasket leak due to warped
> head...especially if valves and rings checked good.
>
> Also, I don't recommend  NGK plugs- use Champion N-5...maybe cause of
> carbon on valves. Unless cam is flat, valve spring broken or tappet rods
> bent/broken, problem is in head-block fit.
>
> Regards, Hank Leach
>
> -----------------------------------------
> From: "Steven Kingsbury via Healeys"
> To: healeys at autox.teamnet
> Cc:
> Sent: Thursday March 12 2020 9:40:25AM
> Subject: [Healeys] Four cylinder woes, part two!
>
> Okay, here's the latest! I finally got to pull my head If you remember, I
> had 155 lbs of pressure in cylinders 1, 3, and 4 and only 25 lbs in
> cylinder number two. So with the head off, I was prepared to find a problem
> with I flipped it over to expose the valves, no such luck. Other than
> number two exhaust valve being a bit black, no cracks, nothing stuck and it
> looked fine. So then I went to look into the cylinders themselves, walls
> smooth, flat high compression pistons smooth, number three a bit rough on
> the top, but other than that and good.
>    So then I went back to the head, put the spark plugs back in and filled
> the combustion chambers with paint thinner to see where it would leak out.
> Filled each chamber evenly and waited. Twelve hours later, and other than
> evaporation, no leaks! All chambers still even in their fluid retention.
>    So then I rotated the crank to get all the pistons to an almost even
> position and put paint thinner in the cylinders at the same depth. No quick
> leak, not one cylinder faster than the others and all the fluid finally
> drained out smoothly and evenly in each cylinder.
>    I'm a bit stumped. My next step is taking the head to a guy in town, an
> old machinist who builds his own engines and runs his car at Bonneville in
> the 300 mph range. He knows what he's doing and I'm sure he will give me
> some sage advice and help. Also as a side note, I went over the head with a
> magnifying glass and can see now cracks, but that doesn't mean they are not
> there I know. I was just thinking with a 100 pound plus difference,
> something would be obvious.
>    I am also going to be taking off the tappet cover on the side, inspect
> all the lifters and see what I can find there. Like I said, I'm a bit
> perplexed, but I'm not done. I will find something wrong! Here are some
> photos for you, maybe you can see something I can't.
>
> [image: IMG_20200311_143602.jpg]
> Here's the head, upside down and you can see the exhaust valve on number
> two is blacker than the others, but no cracks, chips, or visible damage.
> [image: IMG_20200311_172123.jpg]
> And here's the fluid I placed in the combustion chambers. It didn't drain
> out and just sat there.
>
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-- 
Best wishes

John Harper

AHC UK 100 Register Secretary
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