Could be stuck a compression ring. With that kind of mileage, it needs
rebuilding anyway.
Tom Shirley - Chattanooga, TN
http://www.geocities.com/baddogracing/
----- Original Message -----
From: Dan Buettner <danb@thelittlemacshop.com>
To: <triumphs@autox.team.net>; <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 09, 2000 1:49 PM
Subject: Spitfire first drive - bad news
>
> Well, I got new tires for my '77 Spitfire today, put them on the car,
> and took it for a slow cruise around the neighborhood. All was well,
> except for a stutter when applying a lot of throttle -- but that's
> been there for a while.
>
> When I rolled to my first stop sign, I noticed some oil smoke, but
> thought it was probably just burning off drippings after sitting for
> two years.
>
> It got worse with every stop, though, and when I got back into my
> driveway I popped the hood and saw that oil had been coming out of
> the dipstick tube (dipstick is still in).
>
> I checked the valve adjustment on #4, and it's right at spec. My
> breather system is a single hose running from valve cover to air
> filter on a Weber DCOE, and the hose is not blocked.
>
> So ... compression check. #4 cylinder is at 89 lbs., with the other
> three ranging from 119 to 125 lbs. Ouch.
>
> I'm thinking at least one broken ring on #4; this was the situation
> with the first motor in this car -- oil spewing out of dipstick tube,
> and it turned out that there were broken rings on two cylinders after
> the DPO rebuilt it. I took the current motor out of a parts car, and
> it ran reasonably well until now.
>
> Anyone disagree with my assessment?
>
> And now for the big question ... what to do about it? I guess I'm
> inclined to do a full rebuild on this high mileage (100,000+) motor,
> but if this is not strictly necessary, I'll consider other options.
>
> (and what would a full rebuild cost?)
>
> Dan
>
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