s2000tim

WTF is going on????? gggggggrrrrrrrrrr

Drove in to work (20 mile trip) as normal yesterday morning thinking to myself how happy I was with my new (to me), tight engine. (only had it 2 days)

Went out to get some lunch and she struggled to start, then sounded really rough when she did start, then cut out after about 5 seconds???? Tried to start her again but she wouldnt.

Called my mechanic (the guy who fitted it). He was shocked after telling me it was genuinely the best 2nd hand engine he had ever seen previously. He asked if all the leads were properly connected. Asked me to check the fuel injection fuse etc etc. I couldnt see anything wrong.

So, he made the 2 hour, 30 mile journey from Surrey to East London to sort it out thinking it was gonna be a minor thing. Took the spark plugs out and checked the compression with his finger. 4th had nothing!!!!!! He told me the 4th is probably knackered, same as my old engine. But this has only done 24000 miles, I said!!! He was as shocked as me.

I arranged to get it lifted on the flatbed this morning back to his garage. Was told when I arrived that it had started first time when the recovery man tried and that it was "purring" like it should on all 4 cylinders when he first moved it to line it up. He turned it off, then went to restart and nothing again!!! WTF???

After being transported to my mechanics garage, I had a very suprised call to say, "Tim, its purring again like it was, I cant believe it" He now thinks that it might be the Hydraulic lifter for the 4th getting stuck. Says there may be some old oil stuck in it where its been sitting there for a while. Hes going to do a flush on the engine and put new oil in, again!!

What do you fellas think? Surely if the 4th was knackered, it would not fire up at all and certainly wouldnt sound right (which it does now). Is a stuck hydraulic lifter something that happens in the F20??

Please Help!!!!!!!!!!! I cant believe my luck.

s2konroids

Sounds a feasible explanation. How long was it sitting for though?

I think it would still just fire up on 3 cyclinder but run like a bag o shit.

s2000tim

When it started on 3, it sounded like a total bag o shit. He said the reason it would not start again was that the fuel cut off switch was cutting in to prevent unburned fuel flooding the engine. He was overriding it to start her up.

AndyPsycho

Dont know but it sounds like his rudimentary compression check showed no comp on No4.

This could either be a head gasket, piston, bore or valve problem.

Valve problem could be due to the lifter and its unlikely that a piston or bore prob would be intermittent - though same could be said of a valve on a conventional engine. I would also expect it to run on 3.

I follow you mechs reasoning - I would let him see what he finds and hope for the best........

Vixen

Bad luck Tim Fingers crossed he can sort it for you

Ultra_Nexus

Hydraulic lifter? Err, don't think so.

The only thing hydraulic on VTEC engines is the VTEC system.

SOunds to me like you have a sticking valve

s2000tim

What makes a valve stick, and how do you sort it out?

Ultra_Nexus

Because the engine has been standing, probably without oil and possibly in a humid environment, you are bound to get some corrosion.

You way very well get away with giving it a good long 500 mile drive/thrash to try and free it up.

Whether this will be a temporary measure to the ultimate solution of Head off, new valve guides is hard to say.

Wish it could be better news.

If it makes you feel any better, the supposedly brand new engine I bought for our MR2 lasted 6 month 1 week (outside warranty) and the headgasket went.

I know your pain

lower

Hypersonik is spot in in saying that the F20C doesn't have hydraulic lifters and a sticking valve is a definite possibility.

Hate to say it, but one cause of a sticking valve can be a bent valve stem caused by an over-rev.

If your mechanic is adamant that there's intermittent loss of compression and the fault isn't being caused by a poor connection in the ignition system then its likely that the heads going to have to come off.

You'd do a proper compression check before you get to that point though.

s2000tim

Wouldnt a bent valve stem cause a tapping noise when running on all 4? It sounds perfect.