Low compression in #4 after rebuild

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V12StealthHunter
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Your car is a: 1971 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: San Jose, CA

Re: Low compression in #4 after rebuild

Post by V12StealthHunter »

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1971 Fiat 124 Sport Spider
djape1977
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Your car is a: 1970 fiat 124bc
Location: Belgrade, Serbia, eastern Europe

Re: Low compression in #4 after rebuild

Post by djape1977 »

lobes on cams on n1 cyl should be facing eachother when timing is correct, or on n4, i don't remember. i'll see if i can find an angine at my workshop to take pics
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V12StealthHunter
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:31 am
Your car is a: 1971 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: San Jose, CA

Re: Low compression in #4 after rebuild

Post by V12StealthHunter »

I checked all my valve clearances and they were all completely out of spec. I think I understand how this has happened now. When the valve seats were ground its changed the geometry of the valves in the head. Effectively pushing all the valves slightly higher into the head. Which in turn has affected valve clearances.

You live and you learn!
1971 Fiat 124 Sport Spider
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V12StealthHunter
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:31 am
Your car is a: 1971 Fiat 124 Spider
Location: San Jose, CA

Re: Low compression in #4 after rebuild

Post by V12StealthHunter »

Did the valve adjustment and now I have compression! Didn't start with the previous timing so I timed it back to 5deg BTDC and it started! Running smooth now. So my cam timing was fine to begin with it. I had (negative) 0.007" clearance on #4 that was causing all the issues.
1971 Fiat 124 Sport Spider
laverdaas1
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Your car is a: 124AS 1968

Re: Low compression in #4 after rebuild

Post by laverdaas1 »

regarding the discussion about cyl #4 to be at TDC compression for setting timing marks on pulleys. From FIAT user manual (can be retrieved in italian here http://www.fiat124spider.it/file/Libret ... _serie.zip)

for 124AS 1438cc engine, it clearly states that all timing marks should be set with cyl #1 at TDC compression. Also it says that ignition advance is 10Deg. I'm puzzled can anyone could shed a light here?
131
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Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 1:13 am
Your car is a: 1982 131 Superbrava warmed 2.0 litre.
Location: Tasmania, Australia

Re: Low compression in #4 after rebuild

Post by 131 »

laverdaas1 wrote:regarding the discussion about cyl #4 to be at TDC compression for setting timing marks on pulleys. From FIAT user manual (can be retrieved in italian here http://www.fiat124spider.it/file/Libret ... _serie.zip)

for 124AS 1438cc engine, it clearly states that all timing marks should be set with cyl #1 at TDC compression. Also it says that ignition advance is 10Deg. I'm puzzled can anyone could shed a light here?
1 & 4 are at TDC at the same time, when you line up the cam pulleys, number 4 is at the top of the compression stroke. I've always set ignition at 10 degrees, the yanks do it differently, their weazy low compression smogged lumps are different to what the rest of the world got.
Mick.

'82 2litre 131, rally cams, IDFs & headers.
bobplyler
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Re: Low compression in #4 after rebuild

Post by bobplyler »

laverdaas1 wrote:it clearly states that all timing marks should be set with cyl #1 at TDC compression. Also it says that ignition advance is 10Deg. I'm puzzled can anyone could shed a light here?
Don't mix up cam timing with ignition timing. The cam timing needs to be done with 1st cylinder at TDC. The ignition timing can be done on either cyl 1 or cyl 4.
1979 Fiat Spider (since new)
2005 Lincoln LS (the wife's car)
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier (daily driver)
1999 Honda Shadow VLX 600
1972 Grumman Traveller 5895L (long gone).
131
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Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 1:13 am
Your car is a: 1982 131 Superbrava warmed 2.0 litre.
Location: Tasmania, Australia

Re: Low compression in #4 after rebuild

Post by 131 »

bobplyler wrote:The cam timing needs to be done with 1st cylinder at TDC.
Or 4th cylinder at TDC, considering they're both there at the same time.
Mick.

'82 2litre 131, rally cams, IDFs & headers.
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