Story so far series 1 resto

[DavidLaver]

Was worth testing.

[frankxhv773t]

Would it be worth lifting just the rocker cover to see if anything obvious shows up? You might be able to dose the valve stems with a little penetrating oil.

[lancianut666]

Hi all
I have took the rocker covers off and everything is moving as it should but I guess a valve only has to stick open a couple of mm to prevent any compression building up. I think the way forward is as you say get some oil down the valve guides and keep spinning the engine over. On the starter motor the engine might spin over at what? 50 rpm tops but if it would start and run we would get 500 rpm possibly and that might warm the head up and free off the guides. Another thought was to heat up the engine with a sump heater but can't seem to find one suitable. The ones I have seen advertised are for greenhouses and would probably set the car on fire!!!
Clarkey

[frankxhv773t]

If you can form a bit of a tent over the engine with something not too obviously inflammable then a fan heater should get things pretty warm.

[lancialulu]

Quicker to whip the head me thinks....

[DavidLaver]

If the valves are sticking doesn't that introduce a danger of piston to valve contact? 

How long and where has it been standing?  Could the valves have got damp and rusted and now need grinding in?

Would coke give these symptoms? 

Able to peek at the piston tops?  What were the plugs like?  Know anyone with an endoscope?

[DavidLaver]

Rocker clearances ok? 

While "as long as it closes" is a start it has got to both open long enough to suck something in as well as close to compress.

[lancianut666]

Hi all
Big thanks for all the advice..had another play this afternoon and we have some compression on all 4 cylinders still very low around 30-40 PSI but better than yesterday. Last thing I did yesterday was just spin the engine over with the plugs out. After today I am encouraged it is just sticky or very poorly seating valves so it might yet come to taking the head off.
Clarkey

[lancianut666]

Update
tried the engine warmer thing with the fan heater worked a treat! prob is the valve clearances on some of the inlet valves got bigger indicating the valve is sticking a bit lower down will try again tomorrow when it has cooled down
Clarkey

[nistri]

The Appia engine is a rare case of a two camshaft engines in which removal of the cylinder head does not change valve timing. Why not removing and servicing the cylinder head? It is not a difficult job, Andrea

[lancianut666]

Hi all
Got sidetracked today so no progress... On reflection Andrea is probably right I just wanted to check the gearbox and clutch were OK before I went mad on the engine..so tomorrow might see the head off as I have a new head gasket to hand. I would have preferred to do this type of stuff with the engine on a stand so I might take the whole lot out. Hmmm......
Clarkey

[simonandjuliet]

I would probably take the head off as well, and so long as it isn't stuck on its studs, it is very easy ......

[nistri]

A simple method to free the cylinder head (once ALL nuts are undone and the coolant is drained) is to turn by hand quickly the crankshaft (with the starting handle or spanner) with the plugs fitted. Any reasonable compression will lift the head. Andrea

[lancianut666]

Hi all
any special tools needed to take the valves out..my valve spring compressor has gone walkabout.
Clarkey

[simonandjuliet]

You can bounce them out with a socket - find a suitable socket , 19 or 22 1/2" for example. Place it on the valve spring cap (not on the valve stem) and tap firmly, not hard, with a rubber hammer several times, quickly and it should flick out the collets.

Putting them back is easier with 2 people if you don't have the spring compressor

NB best if you have the head on a flat surface covered with a sheet of cardboard or similar