Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

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Cottees
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

I went and had another look, since I know what happened, but I need to know HOW it happened. Everything seems to be in it's place, and the only slack on the chain is cause the cam is not bolted to the sprocket. I'll dismantle the timing gear to get a closer look next time I have the time.
Superscan811
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by Superscan811 »

Could be 1 of 5 things.

1. Key sheared on bottom sprocket.
2. Hydraulic tensioner.
3. Oil pump.
4. Oil pickup.
5. The piece of aluminium that broke away from the back of the water pump, went in between the chain and the bottom sprocket, causing the chain to skip a tooth or 2..


Since you already have the timing cover off, 1,2, 3 and 5 are easy to check.

If the oil pickup is blocked or loose, low oil pressure or aeration of the oil could cause the hydraulic tensioner not to work properly.


Hope this helps.

Cheers.
A112H
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by A112H »

Could have been out since day 1, you said it was running rough. You thought it was the carb, you messed with the carb and timing.
I would say it was out all along and that is why it was running rough, by getting the timing so far advanced to compensate you built up more pressure in the cylinders before detination. On the last drive around the block it was detinating with the valve slightly open, this put undue stress on the rocker and broke one. The pre-mature detination would also be responsable for the slight bend you will find in your valves when you remove them, that is why they are staying open, IMHO (H)
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

A112H wrote:Could have been out since day 1, you said it was running rough.
84GKSIG and I checked and double checked to make sure the new timing chain all lined up with the alignment marks etc, so don't think it was that. The engine ran smooth, but would hesitate during the progression. After RTFM (Reading The Manual), and following what it said, that is when I got the carbie working properly. It looks like how I was trying earlier was making it run too rich.
Superscan811 wrote:5. The piece of aluminium that broke away from the back of the water pump, went in between the chain and the bottom sprocket, causing the chain to skip a tooth or 2..
That is what I was thinking when I saw the piece missing from the timing cover. And it looks like it could have skipped up to 7 teeth, putting the cam 35-45 degrees out. How it did that still is baffling.

At the moment I am considering fixing up the GN and leaving the LC for a while so I can take my time and go over the engine with a fine tooth comb to make sure everything else is ok.

Another option is to drop another known working engine into it, and fix up the engine out of the car. As is, a stock 4G52 would bolt straight up, but so would a narrow 4G54.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

Curiosity got the better of me so I pulled out all the timing gear to have a closer look.

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Superscan811 wrote:1. Key sheared on bottom sprocket.
Key is still intact, and firmly still in it's slot on the crank.
Superscan811 wrote:2. Hydraulic tensioner.
It has a Magna style oil pump with a locking tensioner which was locked and holding tension when checked.
Superscan811 wrote:3. Oil pump.
4. Oil pickup.
There was plenty of oil in the head, just not on that #1 intake rocker, so looks like if there was a blockage, it would have been near that rocker itself.
Superscan811 wrote:5. The piece of aluminium that broke away from the back of the water pump, went in between the chain and the bottom sprocket, causing the chain to skip a tooth or 2..
I think that is it. Everything else looked fine, chain guides still attached firmly, everything looked good, except for this:
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It is hard to see, but there is a scratch mark in between the teeth on this lower sprocket.

Hypothesis on what happened is looks like the #1 intake was open for the intake stroke, the piece of metal fell into the chain stopping the cam long enough for the piston to come back on it's compression stroke, hitting the valve. The #1 intake cam lobe was probably near the top, or at the top, and as the piston hit the valve bending it, and pushing back on the rocker leaving it no where to go but up. Then the rest of the intakes were trying to open during the compression stroke, and bending the valves, but the cam was moving again so the lobe could get out of the way to not break the rocker.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

I borrowed a valve spring compressor off 84GKSIG to assess the damage to the head, if any. I ended up pulling intake valves #1 and #2 out. #1 is on the right, #2 is on the left.
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The valve guides seem to be ok. I will put some straight valves in to double check.
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The only damage I can see so far is a little bit of combustion chamber lip damage on #2-#4. It looks like it should be fixable.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

Haven't had time to work on the Lancer because of work or my bad back, but here are some pics.

Around the same time the engine went pop, the rear driver's side tyre got punctured.
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So she is back onto one stockie again.
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Also looked at the Lancer vs Celeste badges. Looks like the pins on the back are different, but that isn't too bad.
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A112H
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by A112H »

Any movement here cottees? I drive past the poor thing everyday, it looks sad :(
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

No progress yet. Been resting my back. Looking at fixing up the Sigma to give me a little more time to get the Lancer sorted.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

Found the valves from the original head that was in the Lancer. They are a fraction smaller, but should still fit ok. I put the unbent valve into the head, and looks like the valve guides are undamaged.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by Superscan811 »

Cottees wrote:and looks like the valve guides are undamaged.
Remove as much of the carbon from the port and double check there are NO cracks at all on the bottom of the guides.

The last thing you need is a piece of cast iron falling into the cylinders.

Cheers.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

Progress! Well, sort of. Got a new badge in the mail from Affa, so I had to try it on for size.
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It will need a custom bracket since the LC's grill is pretty deep compared to what the badge came off, but it's looking good.

Speaking of Astron 80s, this is what my poor Astron 80 looks like at the moment.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Lancer LC GL A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

I got a couple new Lancer Celeste badges in the mail.
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They go here:
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

Finally got hold of a Celeste GSR badge, but probably will still use the GT badge I got.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

Here is some self motivation to get the LC back on the road.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by 75glnt »

:thumpsup:
N/A ALL THE WAY
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

Some rust has started to pop up again on the Lancer, so I spent some time sanding and removing it again.
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Also have someone looking out for the LC.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by A112H »

You do know that primer isn't water proof? All you have done here is hide the problem, it will still be rusting underneath and just be worse next time it shows through.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

The primer is there till I can spray on the colour + clear. I just ran out of light today.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by A112H »

What colour did you end up painting it?
We will need pics. Good to see you getting stuck back into this
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

The colour is very close to the dark blue that is painted already, except it is a little bluer. I haven't had a chance to spray it cause of work. Got the next 2 days off, so can do some spraying on the LC, and some engine work on the GN.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

I have a ton of sanding left to do, but I sprayed some of the new colour on the bonnet as a comparison. Left is the new colour, right is the old.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by ozdusterdave »

Keep it up there...budget build LC's are great fun cars.You gonna put the celeste stripe on it?Cars with stripes are so much cooler..
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by geezer101 »

Cottees, what metallic blue are you using? It looks a lot like the starburst blue I used...
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

ozdusterdave wrote:You gonna put the celeste stripe on it?Cars with stripes are so much cooler..
There is a stripe on there at the moment, but will keep that on there.
geezer101 wrote:Cottees, what metallic blue are you using? It looks a lot like the starburst blue I used...
Bleu Ecosse
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by bruggz351 »

Little bits of progress is better than none at all....

Lookin good BTW...

cheers
'82 GJ GSR Silver (family heirloom):)
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

Painted the hatch today. Not happy with the results, but it is ok for now.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

Tried out replicating the GT badge again, and got it a little better. Still not perfect, but better.
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by 75glnt »

Did you make that badge? :O
N/A ALL THE WAY
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Re: Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

Post by Cottees »

Yep :D It is a cast of an original LB badge. Since it won't fit as is onto my LC, and I didn't want to cut the NOS badge, I have been trying to make a copy of it.

The original badge and the first crappy mould I made.
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Made some wax castings since they are faster to make, and could use wax later for metal casting.
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Then I made a new better 2 part mould.
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Looking at the photos now, it has more silver/chrome on the badge than I remember. Will have to fix that up.
That resulted in better castings.
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