Finally got to spend some time this morning in the Garage messing around with my spare 1.8 Brazil engine. I have wanted to know for sure if there was a chance the Pistons could smack the Valves and destroy these rare Power Plants. Well, after getting everything off and squirting some oil in the cylinders - it is time to know.
And The Answer Is:
https://picasaweb.google.com/106523843413447284565/June152013#5889733014245275538
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So good to know, but also glad I got a belt on not too many miles ago.
Couldn't you just turn the cam with the engine top dead center and see if the valve hits and then just reset the cam?
On the inside my car looks like a fighter jet.
The cam was set at TDC for #1 so various valves would be open in 2 -4 cylinders at that time. Rotating the crank moved those pistons to TDC in all 4 cylinders. Had the Valves been too deep it would have stopped the crankshaft. I would think rotating the crank , had the engine been an interference design would be safer , since, if you turned the cam - a valve opening - just might push the first piston away it came to. Then you'd have yourself a mess trying to get everything all aligned back up again. This way, if piston collided with a valve the cam wouldn't turn so easily, allowing the valve to be pushed closed.
Since I didn't know for sure which design it was I was very careful when I first turned the crank just in case i started hitting.
I remember reading about the '80's Ford Escort 1.6 engines which were the interference design. You had to actually check the "Squish" height of the piston to top of head in those engines after having a warped head shaved down. A very easy engine to screw up.
Anyways it is all good with the 1st Gen J-Bodies!! No bumps in the night!!
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MYSTERY SOLVED - Nice Work!
