Ok, so... i just finished honing the cylinders and puting new rings on the pistons. It ran perfectly well for about 15-20 mins (which is good and i fixed the original problem: oil leaking past the rings on the 4th piston, creating an amazing amount of smoke) then it started rattling loudly. I took off oil pan and the connecting rod of the 4th piston had come loose on the crankshaft (thankfully no visible damage anywhere). i tightened it and checked the torque on all of them, put eveything else back together and started the engine and everything runs fine.


I just drove it up a long hill and i cant get it to go any faster than 60km/h in 3rd or 4th gear. Just before it started rattling (after i'd replaced the piston rings) i was able to get it to go above 70km/h in 4th and was even able to shift up to 5th easily.

is there anything wrong? what could it be?
is the engine so old it wont work properly anymore?
could the comp. ratio ummm like decreased for some reason?

 

At 300K miles, i'd just get a new engine for $1000 (that's if u have the dough).

If everything is A-OK with your cylinders and engine, i'd say check your
-distributor cap & rotor, and the distributor control module (i speak from experience from today as my distributor control module blew out today.. i took apart the whole distributor, tested it at autozone, and replaced for $125) I didn't realize how important the distributor is until today. It the crucial step when it sets up the electrical sparks for the wires to the plugs, etc...
-spark plugs & wires
-maybe even your fuel filter (?)

Or better yet,
take it to a mechanic

 

Have you run a compression check? [sm=goodidea.gif]

 

ill do a compression test on friday if i have time and post the results.


if the compression is not what it should be, what could be possible scenarios/problems??

 

Its gotta be compression......unless you honed too much? But im thinkin that would lead to bad compression anyway.

 

mmk ill check it out tomoro and do a comp test on friday

 

Good idea.......u can get a new block real cheap if need be....

 

A compression and leak down will tell you if you did the job right. Me thinks that you didnt, which will explain the loss of power thus the bad compression. Im aware that there is a break in period but the car shouldnt be a dog like that.

 

id say u prolly need to check the timming. if ur timming is out it will run like u have a potato stuck in the exaust pipe. my bet is that u just either got the timming belt off a tooth or two or u just need to set it. i realy think thats your problem

 

i think i could be be the timing because the idling is slightly irregular, but ill find out tomoro when i take it to school and check the compression and the timing belt setup