Blew this one up good....

[racer-xerols]

Finally disassembled my 87 CSX today to figure out why there was NO compression on cylinder #1.

So, if I can stand a flat blade screwdriver up between the edge of the piston and the INSIDE edge of the piston ring...is that a bad thing? :banghead:

So, I guess I'll be putting in new pistons at the very least.

The car is running a CB 2.5 balance shaft motor, TU S70 garrett, A523. I want to keep the balance shafts because I have filled mounts and open exhaust. The head (mildly ported, 58mm TB with port matched intake) is in fine condition so I'm going to leave that alone. The headgasket wasn't even blown! However, I think I will be investing in a new set of injectors just to be safe.

Anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for pistons or the rebuild in general? It's been so long since I actually turned a wrench on one of these things I forget all that I had managed to learn... The car's going to be mainly a bracket car, but I want it streetable so I can beat on Honda punks at will, LOL.

[butchsuppe]

Buy forged pistons (wiseco,s ) from Turbo,s Unleashed, APR, rod bolts, main studs and if you can afford it get the head studs too. Buy the Mopar Perf. manual for the 2.2 motor. Read everything about the rebuild TWICE, take your time so you don,t have to do it twice.

[racer-xerols]

I have the books, and have rebuilt a few back in the day...I've just forgotten a lot of what I used to know and didn't know if there were many advances in the 2.2/2.5 platform since then. I do like the TU H-beam rods, might have to look into them, and a friend is a dealer for CP Pistons (www.cppistons.com) so might give them a go too depending on price. It's gradually coming back to me, LOL.

[2.216VTurbo]

Were you able to diagnose what happened? Was it running on the edge of lean or did your fuel pump sputter, might not just be that injector-don't want your shiny new motor to suffer the same fate...

[racer-xerols]

Well, I know the cal is a hot-timed 2.2 cal set for 3bar..I think I was getting 18psi (maybe 20?) on the computer thru the S70. So I suspect that was it. A/F was in line, so was EGT. #2-4 pistons look perfect - rich, if anything...so I suspect it was a bad injector on #1 combined with too much timing. The pump was a new Walbro when the engine was installed if I remember right...but I'll doublecheck that to make sure. I even had a FP gauge under the wiper at the time, and the pressure never fluttered a lick (I was still dialing in my base pressure when she went "poof"). I'm also going to doublecheck my injector harness - the intake was well-grounded (double, actually) to the firewall so I know I had good ground...but maybe a fried hot wire or something to the injector. <shrug> Gotta get the shortblock torn down first, worry about peripherals after it's reassembled and installed, LOL. Thanks for the tips though, I'll definitely install my injector noid light for checking once it fires back up.

[turbovanman²]

Well we all know running a 2.5 on a 2.2 cal can be tricky, especially with a bigger turbo, it could have been you hit some detonation and leaned out, bam, instant ashtray.

Anyhow, we needs pics-

http://www.westwoodracing.com/forums/images/smilies/needpics1.gif

[ScottD]

I've always been hesitant to run a 2.5 on 2.2 electronics, and maybe Simon's suggestion is on the mark there. If you are going to be running a lot of boost then forged pistons may not be a bad idea. I used cast pistons for the 2.2 CB I built for the 89 C/S, but I'm not planning on running big boost, at least not over 18lbs. T2 rods have proven to be pretty durable, I personally don't see the need to use anything else unless you plan on making huge hp. If you pull the balance shafts I think that is 10-15hp right there, I don't know if they would offset the racket of filled mounts and open exhaust :-)

[racer-xerols]

Forged pistons are a given, as is a true 2.5 3-bar cal. Last time was on a budget - this time is "do it right, go fast for a long time". Pics? Gotta find the camera that *somebody* managed to lose, LOL. Let's just say the piston is not nearly as pretty as the been-in-a-barn-for-four-years black Chrysler paint from 1987. Yah. Ugly picture, that, LOL. And I think I'll leave in the shafts. Couple more PSI, that 12hp is right back in there :) Hell, at this point I'm just psyched to be back working on a TD. The Harley/Buell are fun; the Magnum R/T is a great streetable 13second car that sounds AWESOME with the SLP exhaust....but I miss the "pssshst" of a nice loud BOV!

[turbovanman²]

For a 2.5, unless you have it balanced, I would leave the BS's in, maybe I am just getting old, :lol:

[ScottD]

They are fun to drive, after the R/T got hit for the first time in 13 years I had NO old TDs that were tagged and roadworthy. The SRT-4 is nice but it doesn't creak and rattle like a TD. The withdrawal was brutal :-) That's what drove me to get the GLHS on the road.

[racer-xerols]

Well, the SO finally found the digital camera (tucked "safely" away in the mother-in-law's glovebox...in Vermont). I'll take some pics of the ashtray...er, piston this evening when I get home tonight. With and without the standing screwdriver, LOL.

[turbovanman²]

Well, the SO finally found the digital camera (tucked "safely" away in the mother-in-law's glovebox...in Vermont). I'll take some pics of the ashtray...er, piston this evening when I get home tonight. With and without the standing screwdriver, LOL.

Sweet, me and you have something in common, I dropped a valve on Sunday night, :(