Hi,
Thanks to everyone who replied to my questions about power. I have an odder
question this time. Twice in the last few months I've heard a very
pronounced rattle/metallic noise from my engine. This is accompanied by
several (apparently) of the cylinders no longer firing. The engine then
refuses to start normally, and can only be induced to go with the aid of the
dreaded ether spray.
The first time this happened was when I was idling back into the pits after
a race. The car was going fine and then this noise occurred - it would rise
and fall with the engine speed and would seem to come and go. When I put the
clutch in the car stopped dead and would not start without the use of ether
(that CRC start engine stuff). When it did run the noise was still there.
After some time (and because I had to make a long trip in the car the next
day) I decided to abandon my days racing and drive home. The car ran fine
and the noise did not re-occur.
Yesterday on the way home from racing the noise occurred again, this time at
about 80 MPH as I was passing a car. Again several of the cylinders seemed
to cut out. I pulled over to the side of the road, but as the car was still
running decided to try and make it to a place of shelter (it was pouring
down). The 'death rattle' had disappeared by now, and as I limped along by
the side of the road the car started to run properly again. I made to a
service station and opened the bonnet and everything seemed fine (apart from
a slight miss-fire which I believe is unrelated). I continued on home with
no further problems. The car has been fine today driving around Wellington.
So, to summarise, this has occurred twice now, once at low speed and once at
high speed. I can't really think of a common factor apart that both times
have occurred when racing for the day, once coming in off the track, and
once on the way home. As I had plenty of time to observe while crawling
along at the side of the road I noted that the oil pressure was 42 psi and
the temperature was about 180 degrees.
Does anyone have any idea what this problem could be? My own theory is that
for some reason there is a problem with the hydraulic lifters which causes
the rattle due to increased free play in the valve train and will also cause
some of the cylinders to stop firing properly.
Any other theories or ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks
By the way, in the last race I was keeping in front of a nice Mk II Jag
until an ignition misfire from all the spray took me out of the race.
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Simon Sparrow
Enterprise Network Architect
WANG NZ Ltd
simon.sparrow@wang.co.nz
Telephone: +64-4-382 0239
Facsimile: +64-4-385 6067
Mobile: 025 230 8048
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