2t not turning over

[weapon x]

hey, drove from geelong to melbourne (1hr drive) yesterday, before i got to melb the car overheated 100degree, i pulled over and filled it up with water (motor still runnin)...

got into melb and let it sit for a few hours, released the cap to relieve the pressure to try and make it back to geelong, got to point cook (15mins) and 100degree again, so i pulled over and added more water...

each time i add water it took in about 2-3 litres of water in the radiator, the radiator had been known to have a leak a while back, but i couldn't see it leaking from that area, couldn't see any other leaks in hoses, and i coudnl't see where any water was dropping from...

eventually i made it into geelong with a couple more stops to refill the radiator....
but then the died on my whilst driving and woudln't restart, as i was still rolling i tried to drop the clutch to get it going, but it wouldn't... so i got a tow home.

so far i'm having trouble getting a spark, pulled the centre lead from the distributor cap and managed to get a small arc from that, so i assume its not from the coil end...

pulled out a spark plug from the motor and tried to see if i'd get a spark from the lead... i got my finger zapped through the lead rod thingy... (thingy... technical term) but i never actually saw a spark come through the spark plug...

i'm about to put on a new set of points to see if that's the problem...

i duno if it is the problem, how does overheating affect the points?
water did go EVERYWHERE a few times.. but i have since added wd40 to both the distributor cap and directly into the carby...

if the points are not the problem, what else could the problem be

the oil was low but it's not milky so i doubt it's a cracked head?

any help, thanks

jamie

[w810sc]

if the water isn't leaking in the engine bay, have you tried your heater tap to heater core connections. Also check if the engine block coolent drain plug is secure it is located under the exhaust mainfold near the engine mount.
Check the earth connection to the block/chassis/head.
Check your points if they are pitted, if so change them.

fonzy

[merc-blue]

Mate,
so it is turning over or its just not starting?
do it logically, (firstly make sure the WD40 evaporates before your try to start it, some embarrasing moments have been had there)
do the normal
1. Check the spark,
Spark issue you recon?
-check the point gap
- run some emery paper over the rotor button
- put in another coil
- check the resistance of the leads

2. Check fuel take the air filter housing off teh carby while cranking check the carby is feeding it, look in the fuel ffilter is it full or empty?
3. Check you have good battery voltage
4. Check the compression (just for my sake)

[YelloRolla]

The title says that that engine is not turning over? If I understand the term correctly (that is it refuses to crank), either the motor has seized, the starter motor has clagged it, or the timing is way out, OR (my personal preference) you have water in the cylinder and are achieving hydraulic lock. The engine turning over never (ever) has anything to do with spark.

When a head gasket goes (or the head cracks), oil and water are not always immediately joined. Sometimes the gasket blows between a cylinder and the water jacket and the combustion pressure pushes the water out of the system, and in some extreme cases, water gets sucked into the cylinder (with a trailing throttle).

[Grega]

take plugs out in case of hydraulic lock, and turn over just in case as yellorolla says

[Hurricane]

hydraulic lock, thats what i will be goin for

[merc-blue]

if you tryed to roll start it (while traveling quick) or cranking it while it hydro locked i would be putting a scope down the spark plug hole and looknig at valves and see nothing is bent or warped,

[weapon x]

just to clear up the not turning over part...

i turn key and the battery works as if to start, makes start sound, but no actual turn on of the motor if you get me... just "rurr rurr rurr" as i turn the key.

i've just bought some new points... what's the gap i need?

didn't know about the other stuff you guys have mentioned... will look into that.

thanks guys, tomorrow i will get to seeing what the issue is... will keep ya's posted

cheers
jamie

[weapon x]

finally got through on the blower to my mechanic...
he reckons it's the head gasket or a cracked head.... =(

neven had any experience with a head gasket... are they easy to fix?
assuming that's the problem

[merc-blue]

thats y i wanted you to check the compression
running hut is general a cracked headgasket sign,
Can be a easy fix or can be a real PITA depends on whats damaged, on a 2T i would try to find another one, generaly people give them away in running condtion

[weapon x]

alrights then... time to learn some new things... how does one check compression?
any fancy tools required?

i got 2 other motors, one in another car, one out... the one inthe other car runs, but is pretty up and down, needs a tune...

the other... i got no idea if it works or not?

[weapon x]

oh yeah, mechanic wanted to know if they are alloy head or not?
i'm sure it's a noob question, but i dont know.

[merc-blue]

yes alloy head,
Compressiontest is done with a compression tester, it screws into the sparkplug hole and you turn the engine over a few times

[GasedT18]

The chances are you've blown a head gasket. Not good but not the end of the world. They are costly to get done because it takes a lot of time and you may have warped your head.

If there's no 'water' in the oil and no oil in the water and there's no leak in the radiator it must be going out the exhaust.

If you've got a spare engine - good. Chances are it would be cheaper to have it installed and tuned up. If not you might try to see if you can get a reconditioned engine. A bit of a longshot because it is an old engine. Repco do some reconditioned engines and you will have the benefit of a nice fresh engine.

The fact that you couldn't get it to fire at all, not even a kick, and you've got spark suggests a lot of moisture in the cylinders or a vapour lock/fuel issue.

As you are already in touch with a mechanic - it takes 15 minutes to find out. If you can be there when the test is confirmed that's good.

Two ways to test

The compression test as mentioned and a coolant pressure test. When you get hit in the eye by coolant shooting out of the sparkplug hole when the engine is cranked you know you've got a blown head gasket.

If you want to save money, have good skills with tools, can read and follow instructions, are patient and methodical and have a fair bit of time on your hands, you can do it yourself. You will learn heaps.

In the future, if your temperature guage ever goes up again and keeps going up, even after a radiator refill, you will have learned that unless you can sort out the situation at the time it is best to get a tow. Driving an overheated engine can damage the whole engine. Another thing is that with alloy heads you shouldn't put water in the radiator as it corrodes the head and can lead to head gasket failure. Use a good quality coolant - the more expensive 'green stuff'

D

[weapon x]

lol... i like ur sense of humour, comes in handy when one is looking at replacing the entire motor of their only on road vehicle... lol

luckily for me though, i have an old man, who whilst not helpful in teaching me simple motoring mechanics, is very helpful when lending me his 95 mustang whilst my car is off the road. =)