Bam!! headgasket? Follower?

[SVOinDC]

So you guys are telling me dizzy, which I will check tomorrow and that other turbo ford site is telling me collapsed hla, so I am going to check both of these before I am out of options.

I had one HLA that apparently went south, resulting in failed followers on cylinder one (One snapped, the resulting parts probably killed the other one). Same exact symptoms as you describe, except your have good followers. Good luck!

[IXLR8SVO]

It wont take long for anyone to come to the conclusion that the auxiliary shaft gear and distributor gear is the Achilles heal for the 2.3 Lima engine

Not sayin its your problem, just that it ranks high on the likelihood list and its an easy 5 minute check

[NavySVO]

its an easy 5 minute check

It's also free!

[IXLR8SVO]

Any news?

Some of us placed bets on the final prognosis

[spe926]

I had class yesterday and it threatened to hail today so I haven't got a chance to pull the dizzy yet. Will update as soon as I do though.

[spe926]

Well pulled out the distributor (since I am car less and stuck on campus) and it was perfectly fine, no missing teeth, no spinning gear etc. In fact I put the engine to tdc first and the rotor lined up to exactly where it should have been so I am leaning towards either a bad hla or a miraculous blown head gasket that still holds compression (well more to the hla but gonna pull the head any way since it needs valve seals also and it will make it a hundred times easier with the head off)

[GAboySVO]

When the RW went bang pop it was the turbo's shaft breaking apart and hitting the turbine housing. No smoke immediately, but after the 40 miles to drive it home, the smoke started. The similar sound happened to my new turbo ~1 yr later except this time the turbine only lost a blade. Again I was on the other side of town and it took about 30 miles for it to start smoking.

Pull the VAM hose and see if you can spin the compressor wheel.

My brothers 86 did a similar thing but his was a broken follower. Once we got it home, it would restart.

[spe926]

Already checked the turbo and it is fine, My initial thought was follower but that proved wrong after I pulled the valve cover off. I am thinking a bad hla won't let a valve open therefore causing my problem. It will start idle up to 500 rpm and just die, its kind of acting the same way it did when my injectores were bad as if it isn't running on all cylinders, it will only stay running if I give it gas.

[SVOeric]

you checked the dizzy, but did you check the cam timing?
that sounds like you might have slipped a tooth.
ALSO -- check the PCV valve.

[spe926]

cam timing was right on, checked it already when I went tdc. pvc is good.

[under pressure]

What did you get on the compression check? 140 +psi?

[Bruce]

Have you checked for vacume leaks? Do you have the stock IC, possible IC hose connection? When my car had vacume leaks it would not run without the throttle down about half way. Have you pulled codes?

[spe926]

Well upon a compression test I am completely stumped

the results were
#1 - 160
#2 - 170
#3 - 175
#4 - 165

So based on these numbers it isn't a head gasket and all followers are intact, any ideas out there in svo land?

Compression test results, Yes I have checked vacuum lines ic lines etc. all are fine it isn't a vacuum problem. Turboford members have suggested a bad hla collapsing thus causing me to run on one less cylinder. gonna pull head tomorrow.

[spe926]

Just take off the cam cover and rotate the crank around while watching each lifter/valve as it opens. If there's one there's a HLA that has lost it's usefulness, you'll immediately see it collapsing (if you're looking for it).

None of your evidence shows a need to pull the head [yet]. I'd pay particular attention to exhaust HLAs cause you'll still get good compression readings even if the exhaust valve isn't opening.

I probably don't need to pull the head but I need new valve seals also and it would be way easier to do the work on the head with it off. And I will check it with the valve cover off first though. I dont have the money to buy the correct valve spring compressor and a couple other things I need and a shop that I se in the area said they would only charge me 50$ to change valve seals and the bad hla if I brought them the head by itself. When I priced everything out it ends up being cheaper. Just more work.

[Raven855]

I probably don't need to pull the head but I need new valve seals also and it would be way easier to do the work on the head with it off.

Valve seals are easy and it is easier to do it while on the car if the head is installed now.

I dont have the money to buy the correct valve spring compressor and a couple other things I need and a shop that I se in the area said they would only charge me 50$ to change valve seals and the bad hla if I brought them the head by itself.

The first time I did the valve seals I had the incorrect tool and ended up throwing it away and using 2 screwdrivers. But $50 bucks isn't bad. It really isn't that hard to do the hla or the valve seals.