Engine trouble. Need help urgently!

[gsommo]

Hi there guys, so once again I have been at the car trying to sort out bits and bobs. I really want to get the blooming engine running properly but I am having all sorts of issues.

So, it would not start off the key (battery did not have loads of charge either), and so I changed the spark plugs but still nothing.

I took out one of the plugs and fitted it to the lead and turned the engine over to see whether or not I was getting a spark (not sure if you are meant to do this but oh well lol), there was a big bang coming from the exhaust, no idea what it was and thought that I had broken something, however sort of thought that it might just be some fuel in the exhaust system.

So I then tried to bump start it with a mate and we managed to get it running which was good, tried to move the car and it jsut sounded weird and when it was trying to drive it cut out (could have just been lack of revs from my mate), got it running again and warmed it up and tiinkered with the mixture screw and all was well, choke was off and it was idling great all on its own. I then noticed that a rubber pipe at the rear of the engine bay was leaking, leaking coolant and I touched it and the coolant was pretty hot. The engine bay was pretty warm now and when I revved it there was backfiring coming from what I presumed was the exhaust manifold so I played with the mixture screw again and it sort of stopped.

The revs then started picking up on there own, and when the engine was revved the revs went down but not quickly like the response was super slow. The revs where low but sort of changing .

My friend said that this could be a head gasket problem or something like that.

This car is really getting me down now as everytime I go and try to fix something on it more stuff seems to be going wrong and it is pissing me off.

If any of you have any ideas or tips I would really love to hear them as I am in severe need of some help in order to try and get this thing going. I want to try and sort it myself as I have put alot of time etc into it already and want to try and do it myself. If you think that there is no hope then I guess I will have to get the pros in.

Thanks guys

G

[Henry]

Hiya mate, what carb you running?

And what colour are the plugs when taken out?

Henry

[gsommo]

Hi mate, running SU. The old sparks where black as night. New ones not checked after running so not sure, ill check tomo. I presume a bit black too though.

[Jordi]

Unless the head gaskets shot, shot it should run with a misfire but i wouldnt say violent back firing. You can get a compression tester for about £10.

Thats fairly right for checking the spark. Take em out n earth them to the body n c if they all spark.

I know when i did my cam belt it was a bitch to setup and caused really lumpy running. If your cambelt is on it way out timing cud be all to cock. I managed to get mine to run 180* out.

Cheers
Jordi

[gsommo]

right ok so what I might to is change my head gasket stuff, gaskets and things are like £30 and Im sure I will be able to do it. If the timing etc is out how do I go about sorting this out as this is somthing that I am not sure about. Timing belts etc all that stuff, can you help?

[chan]

hi there mate.

you can pick up a head gasket set from ebay for about £21 delivered. its got the head gasket, cam seal, dizzy gasket, thermostat housing gasket, valve stem oil seals, exhaust gasket, inlet gasket, rocker cover seal, rocker cover gasket and fuel pump gasket..

if youre going to change the head gasket, while its off you could service the head, relap the valves and renew all gaskets ect.

should be able to change a head gasket in 1/3 hours really.

i suggest you get a haynes manual for the fitting of a timing belt.

cheers

[Jordi]

Haynes manual for the timing belt is essential.

Basically remove fan and cambelt cover, before removing the old belt i think u set cylinder 1 to TDC. Swap belts and turn it over BY HAND! To make sure your somewhere near.

The haynes goes imto the specifics of getting the timing right using markings onthe pullys and block. But i cheat as i have a timing light.

If you havnt got a haynes ebay from a £1 or any book related shop can get em.

Jordi

[ROBBIE]

Jordi said he cheats cos hes got a timing light, i wouldnt say its cheatin id say sensible

[gsommo]

Cheers for the help lads.

How can I tell if it is the gaskets that have gone (the head gasket that has gone anyway? Yeh I saw the set on ebay I think I can get it for 30 delivered o somthing like that which seems reasonalble.

In terms of the haynes... I have the downloaded manual thing which I think is the full haynes manual, it is pretty good anyway.

Is it eay to bugger anything up when taking the head off and replacing the gasket, also do I need grease or gasket seal or something like that as well as the gaskets??

Thanks

[gsommo]

Oh and chan I saw you photos of central locking kit, looks good, I will be fitting mine when I have the car up and running first.