Found the problem

[Mercury Mike]

Locked starter due to: Blown head gasket! Niagra falls in there. I called the shop that built my engine for me, and they told me to give them compression numbers. 192, 190, 194, 192, 195, 196 I think is what they are. They said those are too high numbers, and that's why my head gasket keeps going out. The engine cranks good and everything seems alright with no plugs. They're sending me a new head, from a later model 200. (Better flow?) It will have the 1 3/4 carb opening, which is what the from-the-factory carter carb I have is. I will get a 68+ distributor, maybe a DSII system, and go from there. I am excited about that. =))) Everything will work out GREAT! I should get a little more power with the bigger throttle opening, right? I will need help setting up that carter carb for my system, but I will ask later.

 

[pedal2themetal45]

Hi
I'm not so sure those numbers are too high... do you know if they milled the head?? some times with the milling of the head the head bolts bottom out and don't realy tq down right.. you might try adding some washers under the bolts and re-tq them.. all tho the new head may be better Your call.
tim

 

[Mercury Mike]

Well, the new head's on the way. I plan to use washers this time, as well, just because it can't hurt anything. I know for a fact they milled the head, but I am using the bolts that they sent me so.... I don't know. I'm gonna use washers, use the new carter carb instead of the holley that I rebuilt that is a total POS, and a new distributor. I bet it will run better than ever. I am gonna pull the head tomorrow when I wake up (I get off of work at 9AM, then go to sleep... so I might be pulling head bolts in the dark. Oh well. Getting the head off is easy, though. Nothing to it. I hope to have the new head soon, so I can torque it down and get back on the road. That new carter looks way good, though. It has an electric choke on it now... gotta find some place to wire that too. Other than that, all seems well. If it runs good with the new head, and I have less worries, than I will be better off. They said that compression should be around 170~ for the 200. I'll post updates. =)

 

[matt1967]

Well, the new head's on the way. I plan to use washers this time, as well, just because it can't hurt anything. I know for a fact they milled the head, but I am using the bolts that they sent me so.... I don't know. I'm gonna use washers, use the new carter carb instead of the holley that I rebuilt that is a total POS, and a new distributor. I bet it will run better than ever. I am gonna pull the head tomorrow when I wake up (I get off of work at 9AM, then go to sleep... so I might be pulling head bolts in the dark. Oh well. Getting the head off is easy, though. Nothing to it. I hope to have the new head soon, so I can torque it down and get back on the road. That new carter looks way good, though. It has an electric choke on it now... gotta find some place to wire that too. Other than that, all seems well. If it runs good with the new head, and I have less worries, than I will be better off. They said that compression should be around 170~ for the 200. I'll post updates. =)

by going to a later head, you will decrease compression and HP. stock you have 9.2:1 but the old heads have 52cc chambers, and the later heads have 62cc chambers so there's a 10cc diffrence.

 

[addo]

Rather than a new head, I'd be bleeding off CR with a lumpy cam!

Also I would look at a reduction drive permanent magnet starter - better product to begin with.

As the head shows no signs of leakage with those compression numbers, I would urge leave it on for now, or at least retorque with great attention to detail when refitting - if it's been removed already.

 

[Mercury Mike]

The head was leaking the way it is now on the exterior, but then the engine wouldnt crank over. I know I might lose some HP, but I want it to RUN for now. This head is free. I plan on getting mikes aluminum head soon. =)

 

[Anlushac11]

8)

Just me but sounds like the classic milled head causing head bolts to now bottom out and not get a tight grip.

Could be the fire ring is holding pressure but the rest of the gasket cant seal.

You could always mill head to bring compression back up. It will definately require washers.

 

[Mercury Mike]

You all might be right. I would rather just put the new head on, with washers, that I know isn't warped, use the brand new carb from Ford, and a brand new dizzy, and then just drive. Just got off work, so I will pull the head when I wake up, and let it sit without a head for a week while I wait for delivery. All in all, I'm pretty happy that I'm going to get back on the road.

 

[Mercury Mike]

This is the third time in my wrenching career where I've "Found the problem!" and then had that not be the problem. Well... third time that I've said it aloud and thought it to be completely true. Something just didn't seem right, so.... I pulled the starter bolts, because I had radio and lights and everything. I pulled all the plugs, they're all black as can be. Running too rich, apparently. I rotated the engine with starter out and all plugs out, pulled dizzy, TDC'd the engine, dropped the dizzy back in, put the plugs back in, reattached the wires, and it cranked! =))) So....... I moved the dizzy a little bit, and it fired right up! I have some hesitation, and a huge misfire now, but I can get at those. =) I had it running PERFECT for a drive to the gas station, but then on the way back, it went haywire again. I also found the tubing that goes to the modulator on the tranny very, very loose. I tightened it up, set the timing to 12* BTDC, set the idle, put it in gear, hit the gas, and away I went! I think the carb accel pump is still sticking, or something. Sometimes it will rev up real good, sometimes it won't rev up and it will fall on its face, and sometimes it will drive without stumbling, and sometimes it will stall at the light... So... carb?

 

[johnnyzoom]

Not to jump your topic, but are special kind of washers used when installing milled head?

Thanks-

Is your choke set OK?

 

[Mercury Mike]

My choke? Operates good, when I use it.

 

[addo]

Johnnyzoom - I just buy "hardened flatwashers" from an engineering supplier. Less than 40¢ each, from memory. You can buy name brand ones made for automotive applications that may be different or superior.

 

[JackFish]

I think the carb accel pump is still sticking, or something. Sometimes it will rev up real good, sometimes it won't rev up and it will fall on its face, and sometimes it will drive without stumbling, and sometimes it will stall at the light... So... carb?

I don't know what carb you have, but on mine the enrichment pump can become sticky. It is a piston pump built in to the top plate and is operated by vacuum. The tip of the needle valve it hits can get flattened as well, which I think can cause hesitation.

 

[Mercury Mike]

I will check that out. The needle and seat are new new new, and I made sure that that damn thing wasn't sticking earlier, but I will check it again. =))) Holley 1940 Carb.

 

[JackFish]

The other thing you can do is modify the accelerator pump linkage.
If you shorten it by squeezing the bend, the pump gets compressed further, thereby delivering a bigger shot of gas.
I bent mine past specification, and I have no stumbling or hesitation, and just tapping the gas will lift the front of the car, it's much more responsive.

 

[Mercury Mike]

I did that on my last carb. I will do it again once I get this one running solid. So.... I looked at the gas gauge... and... I'm almost COMPLETELY outta gas. I'm gonna go get 5 or 6 gallons, get it in there, put some of that old fuel treatment in there maybe, and I bet that clears it up a bit. Bad gas can cause a misfire, right? Is there any good additives for this, or to raise octane for awhile to get everything in the right place? I think the bad gas is causing it to run toooo lean. I can tune the carb and everything, and my choke is working nicely, but it runs like hell, and has a miss sometimes, but sometimes it has a perfect idle, back and forth. I will try new gas first, and then go on to try other stuff. I regapped my plugs, and I am gonna change my oil in a couple hours after I get this other engine up on a stand and dissasembled for my friend.

 

[Mercury Mike]

Got new gas in it. It ran better, but still crappy. My carburetor has been hissing, and it's been stumbling around. The timing light shows a major misfire. It will run perfect, then run like hell. It goes back and forth. I think I have a vacuum leak or something. I wish I had a known good carb. *sigh* I will put some more time into it tomorrow.

 

[james singleton]

Is the gas tank old? Has it ever been replaced or cleaned? You mention that you ran out of gas; that means you were picking up gas from the bottom of the tank. In older cars this sometimes means picking up crude that will cause problems with your carburetor. Good Luck, Jim

 

[Mercury Mike]

I will change the fuel filter. I think I am gonna pony-carb my autolite 1100. I planned on doing it anyways, so that should be cool. I like the look of them. I need to change my torque converter still due to broken teeth, so I will do that as soon as I can buy my hands on a C4 converter. =)