Rate my TIPS (spark plug condition) (2 Viewers)

[mudgudgeon]

Short story:
Just put a used engine in my FZJ80.
Condition and history unknown
It sat partly exposed to weather for 6months to a year? Maybe longer.

On start up, timing was off. Had to roughly tweak it to get it running.

It fires on maybe 4 cylinders.
Pulling plug leads suggested a problem with cylinder 1, and 6.

I pulled the plugs after maybe 10-15minutes run time.

Comments sought on plug condition after 15 minutes running.

 

[jpoole]

I'll try to help get this ball rolling though I'm sure better suggestions will follow...

#1 looks really clean and #6 is slightly less clean. Is it possible that 1 is getting no fuel and 6 very little?

Can you get a rod onto the #1 and #6 injectors to use as a stethoscope and listen to see if they are opening/operating?

It should be pretty easy to confirm firing on #1 and #6 and you could also double check that the spark plugs are in the proper order on the distributor cap though 1 and 6 are pretty far from each other and I'd guess hard to switch around. They don't look wet from fuel but no spark anyway.

What are the compression numbers?

 

[ajax1]

1 and 6 injectors plugged in to the harness fully?

 

[YMT]

White is from overheating generally (5), and the brown is from oil (maybe 6, faintly).

Scuff them up with a wire brush to remove any gunk, run it for a while to see if that helps, then pull them again and see if there's any deposits (not likely, if a short time, unless it's burning oil).

Also hard to tell, but double check they're the correct gap. 2 looks like it's not enough

 

[mudgudgeon]

So, I pulled plug leads one at a time with the engine running. Had me stumped, coz 1&2 had very little impact. 5&6 had no impact at all.

Compression test is

1 - 60psi
2 - 55psi
3 - 160psi
4 - 165psi
5 - 15psi
6 - 15psi

Checked each one twice. Added a table spoon of oil. No change.

My short term solution just became another major headache

 

[mudgudgeon]

I put a rod on all the injectors I could get at. They all skinned life they were cycling.

Plug gaps were next on the list

Compression result means the 80 is in disgrace yet again. Might be time for a box of matches

 

[YMT]

How close do you think you are to correct timing?

Those compression number disparities are terrible, but, trying to eliminate things with you.

 

[mudgudgeon]

First attempt at starting had me thinking timing was 1 tooth of in the distributor. I messed about with that, and got it as close as could.
Next attempt it started, but barely ran so I tagged the distributor to get it to idle.

Didn't go as far as putting a light on it.

 

[ppc]

Were the cams installed properly?

 

[mudgudgeon]

Im starting to suspect this engine may have had a turbo on it
It was bought from fraudbook marketplace. From a couple of guys with a collection of 80s project cars, parts cars, and wheeling beaters. They had a couple they'd been messing around with turbos on them.

Not uncommon to have a head gasket go out between pots.
Just seems a little odd to have a head gasket do it in two places at the same time??

If it was boosted, it makes more sense.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Were the cams installed properly?

Unknown

 

[YMT]

Is HG the reason for the swap?

 

[mudgudgeon]

I think next thing to do would be pull the head. Check cams as part of that process.
If the head gasket is toast, easy enough fix for a temporary engine.

I'm pretty sure if I had parts at hand, I'd have the head gasket done in two good days. I just need another project like I need another hole in the head right now

 

[YMT]

Another thought, is, run Blue Devil in it. If it's a minor HG issue, it should be "fixed" to eliminate it as a culprit. FWIW

 

[mudgudgeon]

Is HG the reason for the swap?

Nope. I have another thread here detailing that saga.
OG engine had a HG failure, and hydrolocked. I replaced HG, only to have a beating and crank failure av few thousand miles later. Cracked crank.
Swapping engines was hopefully gonna get the truck mobile while I rebuild the OG

 

[mudgudgeon]

Another thought, is, run Blue Devil in it. If it's a minor HG issue, it should be "fixed" to eliminate it as a culprit. FWIW

I think 15psi compression is well beyond a minor issue

 

[micruz60]

Try valve adjustment?

 

[jpoole]

Sorry this replacement engine wasn't a plug and play win for you. Not needing another project and then running straight into troubleshooting after the effort to get this engine in and started has got to be frustrating.

It seems possible that the compression issue is from a cam timing issue, head gasket compression leak or valve adjustment/damage issue. A leakdown test followed by a valve train/cam timing inspection may be worth considering if nothing else comes up. Sticking borescopes into the cylinders can sometimes be informative and easy if you have one around though mostly for clearly visible issues like a steam cleaned cylinder.

Hope you catch a break on this or at least the solution falls into place satisfactorily. If fire is involved you could put on a paid livestream of the event for all of us to watch and contribute towards a replacement...

 

[BILT4ME]

I think 15psi compression is well beyond a minor issue

Considering that most HG failures are in 6 and 5.

 

[ozarkmud]

This sounds really rough.

Are you going to bail on the motor, or tear into it?