1.6CT Aircooled very poorly?

[Therunner]

Hi

Yesterday, while having yet another attempt at reviving the engine in our new bus, I found that, about 45 mins after turning the engine over, the spark plugs from cylinders 3 and 4 were bone dry, while the ones from 1 and 2 were still wet with petrol! This is bad, isn't it? Also the plug from no. 3 is looking a little heat damaged, in that the metal is no longer shiny as the other 3 are.

I'm thinking it sounds like rebuild/replace time. Doesn't look like we'll be camping in it any time soon

Thanks

Melvin

[toomanytoys]

This is the one thats been stood for 10 years isnt it??
forget about that engine.. find a good 2L engine and box and fit that intsead.. DONT throw any money at the CT..

[Therunner]

Actually no, it stood for a few months, but was running last year, when the previous owners took it to France. We were told when we bought it, that it gradually got harder to start until one day it wouldn't. Which is why I rather foolishly thought that I could get it going again
Apart from a battery a second hand dizzy new leads and a new starter, we haven't thrown any real money at it, we were trying to do this on a budget, so as to have enough money over to get it gassed

Melvin - the nonrunner!

[Therunner]

I've thought about the 2.0 litre option, but didn't really want to get involved in having to 'plumb in' a hydraulic clutch system. However, if that's what we have to do then so be it, 1.6's seem to be pretty hard to come by!

[Grun]

Therunner,

Hey we don't want you changing your 'handle' to Thenonrunner now do we.
Have you seen this thread............

Aircooled Engines

I do not know what the differences are between the 1600 CT engine and the 1600 AD I have in my Bay, but I have had such good service from mine that I am sorry to hear of your woes.

From what I gather it doesn't fire at all?... Starter cranks it over, and there is evidence of fuel in the right hand pair of cylinders (1 and 2).

Have you got the plug leads connected to the correct plugs, are they the right type of leads for the distributor cap that you changed. Have you checked for a spark at a plug? Lots of basics to try...........

Mike

[Therunner]

We've been through the basics, had advice from here and at least one other forum, and early on - been struggling with this for a while now - a couple of fellas from a locallish club came over to try and help.

I'm certain that the leads are correct, but for good measure we have tried every combination!
We swapped the electronic ignition for vacuum advance with points - I know, but I really don't mind adjusting points and stuff, in fact I prefer something that I can see how it works, I wish it didn't have hydraulic tappets too!
Somewhere along the line we sorted out a power drain so that now, with a new starter, the engine turns over nicely.
We definately have sparks, and recently we've had flames out of the exhaust and a small flame in the carb that was scary!
It was yesterday that I had all the plugs out at once and found that 3 and 4 were dry, while 1 and 2 were still wet. Which is when I started to think that maybe the engine does have issues that are beyond simple ignition - which is what I thought when we bought it - and that maybe I'm not that crap!
I like the sound of what Laurie does with CT's and hope to speak/email with him to find out more.
Cheers
Melvin (not totally nonrunner cos I still have my 1.6TD)

[Grun]

Melvin,
That sounds more like it. I am with you on the distributor with points and things you can see.

Whats with the 'Steam train wooo-ooo!' in your signature?
Just a few miles from me enthusiasts are rebuilding the old Lynton to Barnstaple narrow gauge railway along the original trackbed. Their website http://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/ also in the Wikipedia HERE In case you are interested.

Cheers
Mike

[Therunner]

It's part of the lyric on the the album over there < and one of the first things my boy said - we sing steam train and he goes wooo-ooo

Melvin

[toomanytoys]

Well no fuel into the cyls indicated either no air being drawn in and or pushed back out.. could be that the hydraulic followers have bled down and not allowing the valves to open (they still open even at the bottom of the followrs stoke so not very likely) or the pushrods have collapsed/fell off/ rocker broke etc etc.. pop the rocker covers off then see if something is really amiss..

[bigherb]

As well as checking the valves. Check the rubber connectors on the manifold elboes are not split and the manifold is tight on the head, if you have got a servo make sure the pipe is not leaking or blank it off temporarily.

[Therunner]

Had the rocker covers off a couple of times - that's when I found out I didn't have adjustable tappets but did read up about the initial setting up of hydraulic ones, and have run through that a couple of times now, everything looks ok, nothing loose or hanging out anyway! Wouldn't it make a horrible noise if anything had fallen off inside?
I have wondered about the tappets being empty of oil, as it stood for a while (not sure how long, but probably not more than 6 months, it went to France last July and we've had it since early Feb) and the oil level was quite low when we got it - just above the minimum mark. The oil level is ok now and I think I read about how they will prime themselves, but maybe they can't if the engines not running?

I pobably should have mentioned that when it backfires it sprays petrol vapour up out of the carb (maybe that's obvious, what with the flame in the carb!)

Thanks
Melvn

[Therunner]

As well as checking the valves. Check the rubber connectors on the manifold elboes are not split and the manifold is tight on the head, if you have got a servo make sure the pipe is not leaking or blank it off temporarily.

The manifold appear ok - we had a bug that had a split one - The brake servo would be the pipe that disappears into the firewall/bulkhead on the left hand side of the engine bay? That looks ok too. Would it be obvious/easy to see if the manifold wasn't tight on the head?

Thanks again

Melvin

[VWCamperfan]

Get yourself a compression tester from a local car spares shop and chack the compression of each cylinder (simple screw in system that does up into the spark plug thread). Turn engine over with ht lead from coil disconnected for a few seconds and the guage will register a reading. All four cyliners should be roughly the same, if not then the problem could well be valve related, either hydraulic lifters not operating properly or valves may need re-seating.
Ps. I would fill the oil level up to the MAX mark on dipstick as the hydraulic tappets don't like it much below this level!

[Therunner]

Hi

Yes, I think I've been avoiding that one - Ostritch syndrome, that and a reluctance to buy a tool that I may never use again! - But I suppose I really do need to check before we give up on it!
I topped up the oil as soon as we got it home, why do people let the oil get so low, espescially on a Aircooled

Cheers
Melvin

[VWCamperfan]

Hopefully it will tell you if its something simple or a bit more complex!