Compression test,results and advice

[ga.spyder]

A little background.My 82 has original motor with 85K on the meter.Never been apart at all.I took a long road trip with Denise following in her 72.We left the 2 cars alone all night behind closed doors.Her Juan and my Fiona :shock:That dirty old man with a younger woman.


The car ran,and currently is,running flawlessly.After a 2 hour interstate run,we got into the dreaded Atl. in city traffic.Denise noticed that after sitting in traffic,my car would belch a little blue smoke on takeoff and between shifts.I noticed it in the mirror.The oil level was exactly where I keep it.When I sat for more than a few minutes it definitely smoked .After it cooled it didn't seem to do it.On the way back,I was glued to the mirror,and didn't really notice much,but there was definitely some.(Denise said ''not very much smoke'').Oil level was good on returning home.
I have always had some smoke on start up,after sitting more than a couple days.I have always figured valve seals.I spoke with Beek about sending the head or a head to him for rebuild.I plan to do that this winter.Anyway,today I did a compression check.The cylinders were freakishly close 148-150-150-152.Not bad for a 30 something motor!These were dry numbers,I didn't bother with a wet test.Some questions I am anxious to hear some opinions on;
1 With good comp numbers.should I worry with the entire engine being rebuilt? I am not mentally,or financially ready for that big step.I don't have the tools ,or ability,to undertake a rebuild.The car is strong and ,other than a couple leaks,tight.
2 I have a 1800 head.It is an unknown quantity.Is there enough performance gain (FI car) to have the 1800 head rebuilt instead of my original known good 2 liter head?
3 Should I proceed to a leakdown test? Does anyone have a tester I can borrow? I left the air in the comp guage for several minutes,and none showed any leakage.
4 I spoke with a couple good local mechanics(not familiar with Fiats),and both felt my symptoms,following the positive comp. test seemed to point to bad valve seals.Thanks for any feedback
Craig

[BEEK]

sent pm

[ga.spyder]

Thanks,Beek

[seabeelt]

Just my 2 cents, +1 on the valve seals........ Is that a receding hair line or the top down on that dirty old man
R

[RRoller123]

just for a reference point, my 80FI shows 145, 150,145,150. Uses no oil (but it does leak some)

[131]

If it blows the occasional puff of smoke due to bad valve stem seals, just keep driving it and enjoy it. It's a lot of work to do the head for a rather benign symptom. The seals can be done with the head on the car, but the camboxes have to come off, so you're more than halfway to having the head off anyway. I'd be enjoying my driving and ignoring the mirrors.

[ga.spyder]

Thanks Mick.I think that is what I will do.I was advised the same thing by a man far wiser than me.I will monitor my oil use and keep an eye on it.

[vandor]

+1
Just drive it

[narfire]

Plus whatever the number....just drive it. You have mentioned all the positives with the engine including compression numbers that are just fine/great for the engine with those miles on it. Burns no oil...
Save some loot, don't look back

The 1800 head by itself will hardly give you a noticeable gain in performance.(you might notice a bit) I've done all kinds of swaps and the best was a massaged head with after market cams and adjustable cam wheels and degreed in properly.
Chris

[ga.spyder]

That is what I thought re. the 1800 head.I really would rather not go the route.The cars performance is fine as is.I bought a Japanese roadster( I didn't say it!!) that is pretty heavily modified to do track days,etc...I find myself using the Fiat for styiin' and cruisin' I don't baby it,but I don't run it nearly as hard as I used to.

[fiatfactory]

.

[Exit98]

Craig,

Sorry to pile on but, geeze man, relax. Your obsessing.

These motors are tough as nails. A little blue smoke now and then is no big deal, hell it's 30 some years old.

Sooner or later you'll decide to do a head job. When it breaks fix it, till then just drive and enjoy it. And don't baby it in the meantime. The yellow part of the tach: that just means your getting close to the red and you should start thinking about shifting.

[ga.spyder]

Good one Doug !! This car has been a lot of things,but babied hasn't been one of them!I took an 1 1/2 hour drive thru the mtns. today.The car ran great,and there was very little blue smoke visible looking in the mirror.The leaves are in full color,temp in the 50's...perfect Fiat weather.
I am going to just keep driving it.I feel much better after doing the compression test.I was pretty worried about the engine,and the smoke,before getting good test results.There has never been any loss of power.So....drive on!!