new engine still giving me grief

[123-jn]

you know how it never rains it just pours. well i have discovered a broken valve spring on cylinder one on the inlet valve , I guess this wont';t be helping the engine to run!!! It is the big spring, The small one is still ok. There is a spark and there is fuel. All the other springs look ok and all the valves seem to open and close. All the plug holes seem to blow my thumb off if I turn it over with it over them. I can understand that the valve spring will be causing a problem on cylinder one but I would have thought she would have run on the other 3. Has anyone else ever suffered a broken spring? what effect did it have? I will have to see if I can think of a way to change the spring without taking the head off. Maybe recoil rope down the plug hole and bring it to TDC, then perhaps a long lever to compress the spring?

[itchyfeet]

I wonder if somehow you got a pushrod stuck oon the edge of a tappet which may damage the tappet and spring by over compressing them.

I assume you can buy them, if not I have a scrap head here I can send you one.

[123-jn]

THanks Itchy, as it happens I have a spare head and 4 spare sets of springs from a cracked head, It is just such a pain!! I shall have to leave it for a week while I go to the kids graduations and then see what I can do. I am hoping it will start once fixed but still find it hard to believe it won't run with one cylinder down. As for the push rod I suppose it is possible but it would have been pretty impossible to set the preload like that.

[itchyfeet]

It should run on 3 yes
have you tried looking for sparks to make sure ignition is working.

Standard DJ cam or something else?

[tobydog]

If you have a broken valve spring, then is it worth trying to run the engine and risk doing more damage?

[123-jn]

No, now I have found it I wont be running the engine, I was just puzzled that one cylinder would stop it from starting? I had been trying to start it for a while when I popped the cover and found it.

[Oldiebut goodie]

You wait till you get a broken valve spring at sea on a single cylinder engine, that certainly stops you.Had to lay on the deck in a heap of fish to change it on a moderately rough day. At least I had the spares with me. Got rid of that boat and engine soon after.

[itchyfeet]

I bet those fish got a battering.
I hope it wasn't a spring tide, not a good plaice to be without an engine

[CJH]

Did you do that on porpoise? Honestly, this plaice, any excuse for a fish pun.

[CJH]

D'Oh - didn't sea that you'd done 'plaice' already.

[Oldiebut goodie]

And... a porpoise isn't a fish! Failed on two counts.

[CJH]

Failed on two counts.

Tanks.

Nor is 'sea' by the way, is that four counts now?

[Oldiebut goodie]

[123-jn]

It's bream a while But I think I am beginning to yearn after another reliable transhite!!! or even an unreliable mercedes sprinter. If this engine doesn't run with a new valve spring I will ditch it for a PSA diesel!!!

[itchyfeet]

stop getting in a flap, no need to carp on, you put too much sole into it to give up, face it you are hooked.