I was driving my car the other day, it was running just fine then all of a sudden it just lost power, and sounds really wierd. I thought that maybe the plugs needed replaced so I replaced those, and they did look pretty bad, but it still run horrible. It just has no power and when you are accelerating it kinda sounds like the timing is off or something. Thanks Jon

 

does it sound ok when its running? no clicking or anything...

did u check ur wires?

need a bit more info

 

possibley a baffle inside the mufffler fell apart and clogged up your exhaust.That ussually sounds really weird makes almost a whistley noise.

 

The wires are less than a year old, and they are accels's 8mm wires, is there a way to check them out. I put new plugs in, a new ignition module, and it still runs bad. There isn't any whistling noise out of the exhaust. I ran it a couple of days last week with the timing set way down, and it knocked a little bit, but I changed it back, and the knocking stopped. When I am under the hood it sounds like a littlethumping noise. What do you think about me using a compression tester and testing each cylinder, my dad suggested me to do that. So I went and bought one, but have never used one, whats the best way to do that. Everything inside the dist is all about a year old. What else could it be. Somebody told me it sounds like a stuck lifter or something like that and told me that a compression test would tell me if it was someting internal.Help

 

Get an 8.5 X 11" piece of paper. draw 8 circles in two banks of 4, kinda like the 8 cylinders. (This won't wotrk well with anything bit V8s with out making adjustments.) Tape it to your windshield.

Remove all of the plugs. Keeping them in order so you can replace then in the cylinder they cam out of.

Install the compression tester in a spark pjug hole.

Have someone crank the engine. remember the number that it goes up to until you can write it on the "map" on the windshiled.

Do the same for each cylinder.

Compare the numbers. I don't remeber how close they need to be but if there is a big drop in one, Start wrenching.

 

I'll add to the comp test: disconnect coil, jam primaries of carb open with a screwdriver or something.

You might have a busted valve spring, plugged fuel system, slipped timing chain.

 

Tested all the cylinders, man was that a Bi@#h. All the cylinders but one were pretty close, they averaged around 165-175psi. But cylinder four was 25 psi, that is a pretty big difference, so I took off the valve cover and noticed that the pushrod was disconnected from the rocker arm. That was odd. So I will go and buy a new pushrod, rocker arm and that little washer type thing and put it on, what should I tourqe that too? Jon

 

washer? on the rocker? what kind of motor is it? are you talking about the thing that looks like a ball cut in half?

if its an SBC or BBC you dont torque the rocker, you want to turn the engine till that valve is closed then tighten the rocker till you cant spin the pushrod anymore.

why was it "disconnected" was the rocker broken? pushrods and rockers dont just come undone. Find out what caused it, if its not obvious.

 

he probably ment the valve seal... ya turn the motor over by hand when u do that... don't wanna brake anything IMO

 

if hes talking about the valve seal, then he has the spring and retainer off. he didnt mention that, which is why I am thinking thats not it...

 

oh ok i know what it is... on the stamped rockers there is those bowl type thingys that sit in the bottom of the rocker thats what i think hes talking about.


lol im so pro lol

 

yea, thats what I THINK hes talking about.

 

If the push rod came out of the rocker, either the pushrod is bent or there is more serious damage. You SHOULD be able to see the bend in the pushrod. If you can't see the bend, roll the pushrod across a glass table. Did you do a major over-rev on the engine?

 

Yeah that little thing I was talking about looks like a bowl. I am talking about the rocker arm and pushrod,not the valve seal. IT doenst look bent or anything. Both ends of a pushrod should look the same, this one doesnt. One end has a ball shaped end and the other end has no ball shaped end to it, the other pushrods in my car do. So there is no tourqe specs? Should I replace all of the pushrods, the engine has been rebuilt. Thanks

 

you NEED to find that ball. if that came out that means it it floating around in your engine. if it gets wedged in somewhere it shouldnt, it can potentialy cause some problems...

also yes I would definetly change the pushrods and get a good set from Comp, Crane or another reputable aftermarket manufacturer. if one goes the others may be defective or at least they are just as old. the chance of it happening are slim, but for the price of a new set its cheap insurance.