HELP! Car stalls and hard starting.

[Anonymous]

There's a leak on spark plug no. 4. I've checked the nuts and it's tight enough. I pulled the plug and the engine didn't stutter, which means I got a non-working cylinder perhaps? I haven't opened the head. Maybe this weekend when I have the time. What could be the cause?

Here's another problem. After an hour of driving, the car's engine died. I checked everything: fresh battery, connections are not corroded, oil filter is ok, fuel is 3/4 filled, air filter isn't clogged. It starts hard only after a couple or more. It will hesitates while driving. I pulled over and saw this tube (for engine oil) is smoking like hell. I removed the cap took a picture but wasn't able to capture the smokes. Engine oil level is ok. What's happening?

Please help me on this one, Thanks a lot!

For pictures please check out this link:

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/542464/2

 

[addo]

By leak you mean no compression? Can you try a compression test with and without oil, across all cylinders? That would be best before pulling the head. It could be anything from a busted carb power valve to a broken ring. Or maybe just a bent pushrod. It sounds as though there are several issues to address, and the internal ones are perhaps the most important to test for.

Adam.

 

[Anonymous]

You pulled the spark plug and there's no change in the engine?Could the points need changed?Maybe a bad dizzy or plug or wires?I'm not sure.Also how bad was the smoke coming from the valve cover?

 

[Anonymous]

You pulled the spark plug and there's no change in the engine?Could the points need changed?Maybe a bad dizzy or plug or wires?I'm not sure.Also how bad was the smoke coming from the valve cover?

I changed my point a couple of years ago. Had my engine rebuilt. New gaskets. Fixed the dizzy. Change spark and wires. The likes.

About the smoke. It's like someone left his cigarette in the ashtray.

Addo,

I don't know how to do a compression test with or without oil. I don't even have the tools to do it.

 

[addo]

OK, sounds as though some basic inspections are required. You could really benefit from having a few basic instruments - the "tune up set" with a tacho/dwell meter, timing light, vacuum and compression gauges is good going. Not really cheap, but worth owning.

Your points are best adjusted by dwell, rather than gap. The distributor cam can wear and this makes the "gap" approach innaccurate. Using a dwell meter preserves accuracy. A tacho setting on the meter is soooo useful for idle adjustments, on the low RPM setting, you can see a change too subtle to hear.

The vacuum gauge often doubles as a fuel pressure unit, and vacuum is the more useful of the two. You'll quickly learn that low or wobbly vacuum readings aren't good. The timing light is simply invaluable - again know what you're doing, before you just trust your ears for what "sounds right".

Compression testing will pinpoint the culprits of a low vacuum reading. A good compression gauge will screw into the spark plug hole with a flex hose. The rubber nozzle push-in ones aren't so good.

Compression testing should be done with the engine warm, and some prior planning (have everything ready and laid out like a surgery). Once the thermostat is open the motor is considered hot enough; shut it down and immediately remove all spark plugs. Take the centre lead out the distributor and jam it against a metal part to ground.

One by one, you screw the gauge into the cylinder and crank the motor until the needle no longer moves, note the results. If you have a helper, they can crank the motor. If you're working alone, short out the solenoid with a screwdriver or wire to cause cranking. Typically five or six "pulses" will reach the maximum result.

Next, with a veterinary syringe or similar squirt about a tablespoon of engine oil into each cylinder as you retest, front to rear. Again note the results. This is the "wet" test.

Now you have two sets of figures - wet and dry. If the wet numbers are more than 10PSI over the dry, you have sealing problems - worn bores or rings. If the pressures are low and stay low, then head work is the problem. If the pressures vary between cylinders, you can expect either one of the problems mentioned already (but due to damage not wear), or a blown head gasket.

I know it's a bit of a warp speed run-through, but it might get you started in the right direction!

Regards, Adam.

 

[61Futura]

I wouldn't worry about some smoke from the oil fill tube, that is normal on a warm engine that is stalled. It could be as simple as a bad spark plug or wire to the #4 cylinder. If that is the only weak cylinder, it shouldn't be a head gasket problem. But it could be a bad valve. The hesitating and stalling with a difficult restart shouldn't be happening from 1 weak cylinder without something else going on. A lowered idle could cause it to kill, but it should restart easily. Hummm.

Steve

 

[Falcon62]

I changed my point a couple of years ago. Had my engine rebuilt. New gaskets. Fixed the dizzy. Change spark and wires. The likes.

About the smoke. It's like someone left his cigarette in the ashtray.

Your points are a couple years old? They are at their best when brand new, but start deteriorating on the first startup. I'd replace them, the condenser, cap, rotor, and plug wires unless they are all new.

How many miles are on the rebuilt engine? Some smoke may be ok, but I wouldn't expect to see much on a new engine. This is a typical problem on an old engine with many, many miles on it, too much blow-by getting past the rings because they are worn out.

Follow Addo's advice on performing a compression test. That will tell you, and us, about the internal condition of your engine and help to diagnose what's going on.