COYS
SILVER Star
This 80 was handled by Japanese Auto Service in CO. Really nice owner(s) I exchanged DMs with on ig.
Gl!
Gl!
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Sticky place.Took it to a new mechanic today who specializes in motors and has worked on plenty of 80’s.
His quick diagnosis was a broken valve spring causing a misfire.
He says the noise is up high, not a rod knock. Found pressure in cylinder 1 at 65 and dropping. Cylinder 2 is good at 120.
This was a favor to diagnose this on a Sunday for free. The mechanic also had another master mechanic motor specialist buddy there, so we had some good brain power behind it.
He will try to work me into his schedule this week even though he is a couple months booked out. He’s also going to give the original mechanic a call to see if he’s capable of doing this fix and making it right, but I am hesitant to bring it back there as you could imagine.
This new mechanic want to hook a compressor up to cylinder 1 at 125 psi, keeping the valve shut and making the springs accessible for replacement.
Any thoughts?
So if a new mechanic finds that the issue is occurring due to improper work by the previous mechanic, where do you guys thinks I go from there? Do I try to get some money back? Get the new mechanics labor paid for? Or walk away and cut my lossesA valve retainer might have slipped out from not being seated properly during head work.
I don’t have any valuable tech advice for you, but I would like share that the manner in which you are proceeding is an example that many people could learn from.When I had heads done my shop wanted the head, shim buckets and cams to do the job. After straitening the head and grinding the valves they would set the gap on the cam shafts and then reassemble. Upon receiving the head I would remove the cams, install the head and finish the job. Without removing the shim buckets and inspecting all 24 valve stems a problem with either a seated retainer or broken spring wouldn't be obvious.
I'd have a conversation with the original mechanic explaining what you have been told and ask him to remove the valve cover and check the valve train.
Cut your losses.Response from original mechanic after looking at the motor again today.
“Yeah I tore it apart. I can't find anything wrong in there. I checked compression and it had 125psi on cylinders 1 and 2. The head looks good, the cams look good.”
I watched the other mechanic test cylinder 1 at 65 psi and losing pressure, so I honestly don’t know what to say. At a loss guys.
Might be time to ship in that donor motor at 228k with newly done head gasket?
As in ship in the donor motor?Cut your losses.
I’d cut my losses and talk with your other mechanic that you found. have him take lead on your cruiser.As in ship in the donor motor?
I agree, I’m done with the original mechanic.Ughhhhh! What a shít situation.
Firstly, kudos to you on how you have handled this. Wise beyond your 24 years.
Secondly, don't let the first guy do anything else. Take the truck back. With his response to looking at the valve springs, you've gone as far as possible with him. Honestly, it doesn't sound like he took cams out to be able to inspect valve springs.
From here on in, I would expect nothing positive from him either in terms of work performed, or any likelihood of getting money back.
The second mechanic sounds like he's got a good approach.
There's some really solid advice on diagnosis from @jpoole @powderpig and others.
Chat to the second guy again see what his opinion is on trying to repair vs new short block.
Ask questions.
Is he confident with his diagnosis? Intelligent diagnosis is such an important part of fixing stuff efficiently
Did he put a borescope into each cylinder?
Takes a few minutes to pull plugs, and put a camera into each pot. If a spring is broken, may even see a valve not fully seated.
How would he go about repairing if it is indeed a valve spring? How much time would he expect that to take?