Removing the head

Tavalin said:
JimD,
Looks like it. I will check today when I install the squiggly bracket.
BTW, that engine looks perfect!!! You tease me so.
I have a hose clamp under the engine I have to change and then almost all hose clamps will be new. Then, back on the alternator. It doesn’t want to play nice but I will figure it out. I have the alternator backer loose but just can’t seem to get it lined up. Oh well, it will happen...
Thanks,
Mike
Click to expand...
On my '86 w/o A/C, I find that removing the long lower pivot bolt helps. It lets you rotate the pulley to the left and forward enough to "catch" the belt and let it drop into the pulley's v-groove, then pull it back and rotate right so that it's back into the normal plane it occupies when mounted, then re-insert the bottom pivot bolt and continue as usual.
 
Tavalin said:
JimD,
Looks like it. I will check today when I install the squiggly bracket.
BTW, that engine looks perfect!!! You tease me so.
I have a hose clamp under the engine I have to change and then almost all hose clamps will be new. Then, back on the alternator. It doesn’t want to play nice but I will figure it out. I have the alternator backer loose but just can’t seem to get it lined up. Oh well, it will happen...
Thanks,
Mike
Click to expand...
Got the squiggly thing installed on the air thingy hoses and the spring on the air intake plenum. Replaced a hose clamp on a small diameter antifreeze hose underneath the X. Called it quits after that.
Starting to feel like crap. Hope I didn’t catch anything from all the sick folks coming to work instead of staying home.
Anyway, didn’t tackle the alternator. The last thing before I complete the engine (that and the air intake plenum install). Then put the belts on and reset the timing to top dead center and change the oil.
The radiator is next but that will be a different thread.
Almost done, thanks to everyone here. I can’t wait to hear her for back up. Gary is getting excited so that is a good thing. He has calmed down on calling me names...lol
Mike
 
Dan Sarandrea (Phila) said:
On my '86 w/o A/C, I find that removing the long lower pivot bolt helps. It lets you rotate the pulley to the left and forward enough to "catch" the belt and let it drop into the pulley's v-groove, then pull it back and rotate right so that it's back into the normal plane it occupies when mounted, then re-insert the bottom pivot bolt and continue as usual.
Click to expand...
Dan,
I think I will install the top bolt loosely and then try to wiggle the bottom brackets to play nice. I will take out the alternator and just start all over again.
Thanks,
Mike
 
I got the alternator installed. Next will be the A/C compressor and the intake plenum. I need a gasket for the distributor. Somehow the one I had is gone. I will take the distributor with to a parts store and get one.
Also, going to try and find a threaded sleeve for the coupler that is stripped out and had the helicoil in it.
After that, belts, timing and change the oil.
Then on to restoring the radiator I got and install it.
Easy peasy... lol
Almost there,
Mike
 
Last edited:
I have what I am calling complete. All I have left to do is the distributor gasket and set the timing. Then fix the coupler that holds the two pieces of the timing belt cover and the head gasket replacement should be complete.
Took a lot longer and more expensive than originally estimated due to scope creep.
Thanks everyone,
Mike
The radiator is next...
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Update on the progress...
I have oil in some antifreeze (1.5 gal) and out the belts on.
Went to start it and it sputters and stalls. Runs for about 2-3 seconds.
Maybe timing... I will check that again tomorrow. However, I checked the flywheel, crank and cam and set the distributor to number 4 spark plug. Acted like the timing was off.
I will check again tomorrow unless there is something else wrong.
Mike
 
If it is running for 2-3 seconds it is likely running only on the cold start injector.

You might work your way through the various connections to the rest of the system. Work your way through the FI manual.

Stupid things mentioned because I have shown myself to be stupid: are the intake hoses actually on and tight? Are the injector grounds tight on the valve cover studs?
 
kmead said:
If it is running for 2-3 seconds it is likely running only on the cold start injector.

You might work your way through the various connections to the rest of the system. Work your way through the FI manual.

Stupid things mentioned because I have shown myself to be stupid: are the intake hoses actually on and tight? Are the injector grounds tight on the valve cover studs?
Click to expand...
kmead,
Going to check those tomorrow. Thank you.
I do have a couple of plugs that are not tight. I will check them.
I will also recheck the timing. I will turn the cam until it is TDC and look into the distributor and flywheel.
Just troubleshooting from now...
Mike
 
If it runs it is unlikely to be the timing that is at issue, it is something electrical or a missed connection.
 
kmead said:
If it runs it is unlikely to be the timing that is at issue, it is something electrical or a missed connection.
Click to expand...
kmead,
Acting the same as when the timing was way off. Starts, runs a couple of seconds then sputters dead.
I will troubleshoot everything you said tomorrow. I hope to get it back on the road and to car shows again.
Mike
 
I checked everything and all looks good. I got it to run for about 5 secs but then stalls out. Not getting any reading on the voltage on the dash so I don’t know if it is a voltage issue, alternator.
All the hoses look good unless I connected some incorrectly.
Frustrating but I will get it. I didn’t get the time to check the timing again. Wonder if the white dot and indent on the flywheel is 180 degrees out??? All this started because of a timing tensioner issue and when I purchased the X1/9 it was 180 out. I am going to rotate the flywheel one turn to see if I see any marks and set from there to see. If that doesn’t work, ask you all for some more suggestions.
Baby steps from here on out.

Timing on the orange Bosch distributor goes 3421.... (with the 4 & 2 being the back two contacts) the 4 is the back contact inside and the rotor is pointed at it at TDC. That should be good. Flywheel is the only other timing issue I can think of.
Maybe not a timing issue at all too...
Mike
 
When it starts to die, squirt some starting fluid into the intake where the air filter connects. If it picks back up, then it's fuel delivery. If it has no effect, then chase timing/electrical.
 
If it runs, the timing is close enough. It wouldn’t run at all if anything was 180 out.

Using starting fluid is a great way to verify what the issue is fuel or ignition. My bet is fuel, though I have been wrong before :)

Use the injection system troubleshooting guide and go through starting from the first page and plod through it step by step.
 
Update,
When adding more fuel it idols until it is out. It starts runs rough for a few seconds then stops.
Please help!!!
I have done everything mentioned in the troubleshooting guide I am able to. The pressure stuff I could not.
I don’t know what I did wrong but now I am in a hurry to finish this. I have to leave for a while and do not want the X1/9’to sit the whole time I am away.
I am unable to post a video.
Mike
 
So if I'm reading correctly, adding more fuel keeps it running until you stop adding fuel?

This would isolate it to a fuel delivery problem. Either the fuel rail has no pressure, or the injectors are not firing. The fact that it runs for a bit on the cold start valve indicates pressure in the rail.

So that leaves injectors not firing. Someone (Karl?) mentioned making sure the fuel rail ground was hooked up. Has that been verified? In turn, that will need a good ground, so was the engine to chassis ground strap disturbed in all this?

If the grounds are good, then the answer is somewhere in the fuel injection troubleshooting guide. Sure sounds like the injectors are not firing, so I am betting it is a wiring issue somewhere. Something is not reconnected.
 
Tavalin said:
Update,
When adding more fuel it idols until it is out. It starts runs rough for a few seconds then stops.
Please help!!!
I have done everything mentioned in the troubleshooting guide I am able to. The pressure stuff I could not.
I don’t know what I did wrong but now I am in a hurry to finish this. I have to leave for a while and do not want the X1/9’to sit the whole time I am away.
I am unable to post a video.
Mike
Click to expand...

One more thing to check that would also provoke similar symptoms would be the wire from the ignition coil to the fuel injection control unit. Make sure it is properly connected to the negative side of the coil.

Cheers,
Dom.
 
dcioccarelli said:
One more thing to check that would also provoke similar symptoms would be the wire from the ignition coil to the fuel injection control unit. Make sure it is properly connected to the negative side of the coil.

Cheers,
Dom.
Click to expand...
Dom.,
What is the ignition coil to the fuel injection control unit???
I have two wires on the positive side of the coil and one on the negative side. I believe that was the way it was originally. One is a long wire that protrudes from the firewall all the way to the coil. Another comes from the ignition control module.
Maybe the long single wire is the fuel injection control unit wire???
Mike
 
Pete Whitstone said:
So if I'm reading correctly, adding more fuel keeps it running until you stop adding fuel?

This would isolate it to a fuel delivery problem. Either the fuel rail has no pressure, or the injectors are not firing. The fact that it runs for a bit on the cold start valve indicates pressure in the rail.

So that leaves injectors not firing. Someone (Karl?) mentioned making sure the fuel rail ground was hooked up. Has that been verified? In turn, that will need a good ground, so was the engine to chassis ground strap disturbed in all this?

If the grounds are good, then the answer is somewhere in the fuel injection troubleshooting guide. Sure sounds like the injectors are not firing, so I am betting it is a wiring issue somewhere. Something is not reconnected.
Click to expand...
Pete,
I checked the grounds and then the fuel injectors. Number one needed the top clamp tightened so I checked all of them. That was the only one I found loose.
Found another hose that was really loose but it didn’t make much of a difference after in tightened it, antifreeze hose of some type.
I am going to just keep rechecking until I find the issue.
I did notice that when I wiped the fuel injector hose clean from gas a lot of black came off with it. I hope the fuel injectors with the hoses I bought with them are good. I just put them in less than a year ago. I did see a post where Matt mentioned that there were some bad hoses for fuel injectors. I don’t think that would be my case since they are fairly new.
It has to be something simple or else I wouldn’t be overlooking it.
Well, try again tomorrow.
Mike
 
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