She died on me today

[Mick The Cabbie]

I've done only a handful miles in the uber reliable 4door ghia since late last year. So after givin her a thorough valet yesterday, i thought i'd go for a play this afternoon.

 

Did a few local miles and she suddenly lost all power and started to run like a dog. After some initial investigation, she appears to ave popped her head gasket for no obvious reason whatsoever.

 

I aint had the head off yet. But i think she's blown between no 1 & 2. Zero compression in those two pots + she's blabbing back through number one carb choke. No mixing of fluids tho. Very odd.. Rockers & valves workin as they should so has to be the gasket (me hopes)

Very much hoping to have her up and running for the big day. Although i have no more days off work at all, so will need to be spannering of an evening.

 

Fingers crossed.

 

And then very very very very sadly, she's gonna be for sale.. I've been putting it off for ages. Gonna be the saddest moment for me when she goes. I've become very attached to her even tho she was only ever meant to be a stand in until i got my other projects sorted

 

 

 

 

An old pic but one of my faves. She still had the crossflow in when this was taken

[baz105e]

bad times mick but im sure that a man of your caliber can do a head gasket in no time

[Pipster007]

That's unlucky Mick

 

Hopefully you'll get it ready, just in the nick of time

[2litreScapri]

Bad luck man, hope you get it sorted asap.

 

Put it up for sale at the right price & there might be an interested buyer

[banarama]

3 hours job done

[baz105e]

3 hours job done

i had it down to 45 mins in my anglia (did take 5 times as practice tho)

[lurch914]

no how you feel mine went on the way to dads day out just died then ran on only 3 cylinders with loads of smoke took the head off to find this

 

 

had to buy a new one had a mates wedding to saturday just gone, thanx to ebay and my sisters credit card i managed to get it sorted

 

 

hope you get it sorted

[Trevmk3]

hope you manage to get it sorted, still think you should put the engine in out of the staret

[Mick The Cabbie]

Nah, the Starlets a real hoot Trev!!

 

There's another YB turbo lurking in me garage destined for the Mk1 Escort. Although I've often thought about droppin it in the Ghia instead just to be a little different..

 

Anyway, popped out and whipped the head of tonight. 1 + 1/2 hours including numerous distractions

 

Look wot appened

[rallyesport04]

crickey easy fix tho

[w p e]

opps something ain't flat anymore

[Boreham]

 

This is exactly what happened to my Mk1 escort 4 dr. 1600 xlfow..

 

2 schools of thought..

 

1. running to lean and both cylinders #2 & #3 got the brunt ..due to more flow on the GT manifold for the 2 middle cylinders

 

2. running on Fiesta (1100)electonic dizzy..(which has incorrect advance curve for the 1600..

 

3 a combination of 1 & 2.

 

 

 

oh it blew the gasket too... between the cylinders...

[bortaf]

if it was the dizzy it'd be on all 4 pistons surely ? i ran a 1600 Mk2 cortina on a fiesta dizzy for 4 years without doing any damage.

That water lookas like shite don't anyone run antifreeze anymore

[Boreham]

if it was the dizzy it'd be on all 4 pistons surely ? i ran a 1600 Mk2 cortina on a fiesta dizzy for 4 years without doing any damage.

That water lookas like shite don't anyone run antifreeze anymore

 

sorry for robbin the thread....

 

but open to advice to .."why 2" cylinders would get hammered....

1 in paticular........ got melted like a candle..

 

again....

sorry for robbin the thread....

 

but maybe we can all learn summit here..

[Mr Sam]

hope you get it sorted Mick, and good luck with the sale tis a lovely motor but way out of my price range

[Mick The Cabbie]

Thanks Sam

 

Feel free to rob the thread chaps.

As has been said already, we may learn something

 

I have 3 theories why my gasket popped

 

1. She runs approx 210psi of compression and ign timing of approx 34deg @ 3000rpm. I put a splash of low octane std unleaded into her completely drained tank, just to move her from A to B a few weeks ago. This could possibly caused her to detonate. (I forgot about the crap fuel and was givin her a bit of a spanking..)

 

2. The above compression & timing on a std motor factor head gasket. Although she's had a fair amount of abuse previously with no issues at all.

 

3. Possible water ingress into the float chamber of the front carb after jet washing the engine made her run lean for a moment (unlikely me thinks)

 

 

Head, cam belt & exhaust fannymold nailed back on last night.

Gonna pop out there now to hopefully finish her off.

[GT_lenny]

Thanks Sam

 

Feel free to rob the thread chaps.

As has been said already, we may learn something

 

I have 3 theories why my gasket popped

 

1. She runs approx 210psi of compression and ign timing of approx 34deg @ 3000rpm. I put a splash of low octane std unleaded into her completely drained tank, just to move her from A to B a few weeks ago. This could possibly caused her to detonate. (I forgot about the crap fuel and was givin her a bit of a spanking..)

 

2. The above compression & timing on a std motor factor head gasket. Although she's had a fair amount of abuse previously with no issues at all.

 

3. Possible water ingress into the float chamber of the front carb after jet washing the engine made her run lean for a moment (unlikely me thinks)

 

 

Head, cam belt & exhaust fannymold nailed back on last night.

Gonna pop out there now to hopefully finish her off.

 

 

so what you doing about the melted piston mick?