Advice on tight engine after head rebuild.

[southside]

Just after a bit of advice. You will have to bear with me in the sketchy details as in only going on what I've been told by the previous owner.

Basically I bought a fiesta xr2i just before Xmas. It's the 1.8 early Zetec/efi engine model. Apparently the head gasket went on the previous owner, he and a mate removed the engine and stripped the head off. The head was sent away to an engine specialist who did a full rebuild on it. The head was returned and re-fitted by previous owner and mate. Engine was cleaned up and put back in but never ran again. Before I bought it I was told the engine wouldn't even turn over.

I got it recovered home and charged the battery. The engine does Infact turn over but very slowly. Anyway left it a few weeks over Xmas then had another look at it today, first thing first we tried tow starting it as it needed to be moved from my mums house to mine round the corner anyway. Engine turned over freely on tow in gear but didn't fire, may have been down to the fact the battery didn't have an ounce of charge in it.
Got it back to mine and charged the battery again. Same thing turned over on the key but very slowly but now has a tight rubber stretching sound at the same time. Next step took all four plugs out and the engine turned over freely, put no1 plug back in and still turned over fine, no2 plug back in still fine, no3 plug back in and starts getting tight again and struggles, no4 back in and back to square one.
Any idea's? Got spark and fuel, can't check compression at the min as my tester hasn't got the right thread adapter.

[skylinedave]

Have you checked the timing ? Do you know if a its a home built job or done by a professional ?

[southside]

Not checked timing yet but nothing appears to be touching internally. Don't think its the starter/battery either as a still tight to turn over with a bar on the crank pulley bolt.

I was told head was rebuilt professionally and cost a few hundred quid, but as I say that's all I was told I have no proof of this. Does appear to have been dipped and skimmed though as it's very clean compared to the bottom end.

[dodgerover]

Is no 4 plug wet or oily? Could it be hydraulic'd? Try spinning it over on the starter with the plugs out to see if it chucks anything out the plug holes. Bit of a bodge but see if it will start and run with only the other 3 plugs in.

[jetfiremuck]

Here is what I think. Sounds like the engine overheated and blew head gasket. The level of overheating is unknown. It may have caused distortion of the piston to bore, rust in the cylinder bores from sitting with coolant. I would pull remove timing belt and plugs, and see if the engine turns either way with a spanner on the crank pulley. You are checking that it rotates freely. If it does I'd do the same to the cam pulley. I think the cam runs in the head without bearings.

[southside]

Not tried it on the crank pulley but engine turns over as it should with the plugs out on the starter. Only struggled under compression with plugs 3 & 4 in.

All four plugs are wet with fuel when removed after cranking.

[dodgerover]

Does it struggle with just plug 3 or 4 in?

[southside]

To be honest I've not tried that yet. Will have a go tomorrow.

[tineca]

Could it be stuck exhaust valves? Pressure building up as you turn it over? Blocked breather?

[southside]

Right, tried it in reverse order today. Took cylinder 1 & 2 spark plug out and left 3 & 4 in. Engine span over fine. So it's not linked to one specific cylinder, it's just getting tight under compression.

[Darkspeed]

Check the engine is correctly earthed.

[ems1]

My sons Golf turned over slowly, could hardly turn it by hand with the spark plugs removed. I called a mechanic who said it's probably a seized alternator. Went out and removed belt and car turned over easily, fitted a new alternator and the car's been ok since.

[southside]

Feb 2, 2016 22:28:50 GMT ems1 said:

My sons Golf turned over slowly, could hardly turn it by hand with the spark plugs removed. I called a mechanic who said it's probably a seized alternator. Went out and removed belt and car turned over easily, fitted a new alternator and the car's been ok since.

I did have this myself on an MG ZR I had years ago. Was convinced the engine was seized but just tried it as a last resort and it worked. It would also explain the rubber creaking noise.

I'll remove the belt the weekend and try that.

[gavs1]

Check timing and get a compression test done before you go to far,
You say the plugs are wet so fuel is getting in so check for spark remove aux belt so less tension on engine

[southside]

Braved the bad weather today, removed the altenator belt but the altenator and waterpump are free with no resistance.

Cleaned the earths up and put the plugs back in and it's turns over as it's supposed to now which is good news but it's still not starting it's not even attempting to fire even with a spray of easy start into the intake.

[skylinedave]

Timing timing timing .

[southside]

Feb 6, 2016 17:26:05 GMT skylinedave said:

Timing timing timing .

That's my next port of call. I was hoping it would have simple timing marks but upon checking the Haynes manual it's a bit more advanced than that. Will have to wait until the wind and rain has stopped.