[Justin svt]

ive been having problems with my car shuttering like it was only firing on 3 cyl. and now when i can get it to start it sounds like when you piy a piece of cardboard in your bike spokes and really loud it wont idle at all...what could it be? hope its not bad..

 

[malim]

Possibly. Don't drive you car if can, wait till people give you an answer. If you drive it, you'll just do more damage than it is.

 

[Justin svt]

ok so i got it home...had to tow it 150km's...and took out all the plugs 3 were fine but one was crushed right in. straightend it back out and put it in again. rolled the car over to see if it would bend it again but it dident so what couldit be? the car starts right up even with the maf and valve cover off

 

[fusor]

the only thing i could think of is maybe a chunk of carbon buildup came off and got caught---- i have heard of stock pistions on turbo cars comming apart and damaging the top end but cant see that happening but its possible--- pull the spark plug and look inside the cyl and see if there is anything in there or if your pistons are damaged or missing the skirting

 

[mikebontoft]

did it rattle when you started? if you could that is....

and if it was a dropped valve seat, you'd hear it banging around in there constantly, until it got into the engine and then you're screwed [hihi] I thought I had the problem, but all that was wrong was the starter motor...the gear didn't retract quick enough.

 

[mikebontoft]

I've also heard though, that the dropped valve issue is a little more common on the SPI than we'd like it to be []

 

[Justin svt]

yeah it rattles all the time hard but the car starts fine ..i shut if after it ran fine then went to start it and it did this...couldit be the timing belt? i think i read that they come appart or somthing

 

[mikebontoft]

check the ribs on your timing belt, if they're worn or missing, then that might be your problem.... yes the car does run with the dropped seat, but if it goes into the engine you're screwed.

 

[Justin svt]

no comp. in the driver side cyl (not sure if its 1 or 4) ill try and get the head off tomarrow after work. hope it dident [][][][][][]* up my piston or walls

 

[mikebontoft]

mmm........by the way, what's the compression in your other cylinders? no way, NO compression in the number 4 cylinder? (I believe it starts at the passenger side, next to the timing belt.....)

 

[Justin svt]

i only tested 2 cus it was damn cold out but the #3 was around 130 according to my tester but yeah...none at all in #4

 

[jeffescortlx]

You dropped a valve seat.

 

[Justin svt]

yeah tore it down yesterday and found some damage to the piston and head like there was metal slapping around but the cyl. walls looked okay so i filled the cyl. with oil and none has leaked down...pulled the valves and found half a seat left and have no idea where the other went but when i tipped the intake manifold up it sounded like some metal fel out is this possible? and is there any upgraded valve seats i can get put in?

 

[00FocusLX]

whatever happened???

just wondering whatever happened to your engine/car???? my 2000 spi just did the same thing, i havent gotten it back home yet, but when i do, what should i do next???? besides what you already said......

 

[1turbofocus]

Either a used engine or a rebuilt engine

Tom

 

[Justin svt]

i was thinkin on a new engine but what if it happens again on that 1 i her i guy has gone through 6 already.. so i figured id get em all put in so i dont have to worry about it ...but i woulda had it runnin by now...lol

 

[mikebontoft]

damn lol.......sorry I kinda forgot about this.....

BUT, when I thought I had the problem, I'd done some research and found some replacement valve seats, but I'm not too sure on the quality of them..... BUT if you can get the head fixed or replaced, as well as the piston...... I think you'd be ok.

IMO, you'd be best off replacing all the valve seats, cause they had some sort of manufacturing defect or something like that, so if one broke, the chances of another going will be pretty high.

 

[Justin svt]

yeah for an extra 60 they upgraded all the other intake valves as well ...i figured why not lol

 

[1turbofocus]

For 60.00 they replaced then with regular run of the mill valves , you would of been just as well of keeping your old ones

Tom

 

[arrestmespi]

http://www.escortfocus.com/html/focus_cvh_cams___valvetrains.html
I have there head, cam, lifters, seals, and springs on my spi and it works out fine up to 7,200 rpm