[DeTomaso] compression, oil question

[Christopher Kimball]

Here's a situation a friend of mine has, can anyone give him some suggestions?  His email is gggraup at comcast.net and he is on the cc line of this email.

Thanks,

Chris



Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 14:41:46 +0000
From: gggraup at comcast.net
To: chrisvkimball at msn.com
Subject: RE: Rescue of Chris' car



Chris.  I am going to do a compression check on my Pantera.   I had hoped to find a broken rocker arm or a flat cam lobe, but it looks like its neither of them.  Lots of blow by  usually means bad compression, and yet the engine does not smoke from the exhaust, but only shoots smoke out the pvc hole and breather.  This engine only has about 4,000 miles on it since we rebuilt it.   Never was overheated or short on oil and has good pressure, so I am really suspecting that I have a broken piston.  Compression check should bear that out.  Here is what I am looking to do.  If it truly is a broken piston,  I would like to replace it as cheaply as possible, providing there is no cylinder scoring or damage.   Its a standard bore engine, and if you would put out the word that I may be needing a piston from a 1971 model engine,  someone in the club may have one lying around they would sell me.  Will know more after the compression check, and pulling the head, so will let you know.  I can't imagine what else it could be that would cause the blowby.   The thing that makes me think its a piston or single cylinder is that instead of getting just a bit of pressure out the breather, it chugs like a steam engine.  In other words, everytime it fires on whichever cylinder it is, it shoots smoke, so it must be confined to one.  Make sense to you?   Can't see how there could be crankcase pressure except past the rings (valve not opening) or a hole in the piston, or maybe broken ring.   Heartbreaking situation.   The only good that can come of it is that I will be able to fix the float in the gas tank when the engine is out.......gotta find a silver lining, right?    Gary
----- Original Message -----
From: Christopher Kimball 
To: dann at tangis.com, 'Warren Lubow' 
Cc: Mike Thomas , kulina at aol.com, flight427 at sbcglobal.net, bwerner at live.com, gggraup at comcast.net, kenny hall , ginny98226 at aol.com, asajay at asajay.com, klckmac at msn.com, dropper9 at hotmail.com, mobil at lewiston.com, gary r staples , dwatkins at vetmed.wsu.edu, roofit at hotmail.com, fmazda at aol.com, alvinbloomberg at comcast.net, Mark Boatsman , Doug Braun , rbrennan at brennanvacations.com, Tim Brennan , tbdent9942 at msn.com, rkcovey at msn.com, vince cross , briandevine at wavecable.com, joanevanger at hotmail.com, rgfrye at centurytel.net, cobraconmox at msn.com, pjhall at aol.com, lyellharris at msn.com, Gary Herrig , 'Roydon Hughes' , 'Bill Ingerson' , 'Ron Larsen' , 'John MacKay' , John Maffeo , hmalafa at wavecable.com, fsart at qwest.net, oldcars at comcast.net, jrmckay8 at comcast.net, deserttwist at juno.com, alaskatramp at netscape.net, morganuci at gmail.com, sm0707 at att.com, wjoliver at wavecable.com, Richard openshaw , chris papendorf , reillyms at gmail.com, kross 04 , ryans machine , steilbunch at aol.com, thefuture98070 at yahoo.com, jefftonn at comcast.net, troger at msn.com, matt at nwpantera.com, lebeter at gmail.com, sabcynrepairs at comcast.net
Sent: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 23:48:51 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: RE: Rescue of Chris' car






I don't think it will even come close to that.  Besides, the police officer will probably have a Glock or something, so the only thing I'll be shooting is film with my videorecorder!

 

Sincerely,

 

Chris

 


 


From: dann at tangis.com
To: warren.lubow at comcast.net; chrisvkimball at msn.com
CC: mbefthomas at comcast.net; kulina at aol.com; flight427 at sbcglobal.net; bwerner at live.com; gggraup at comcast.net; kenny.hall at servatron.com; ginny98226 at aol.com; asajay at asajay.com; klckmac at msn.com; dropper9 at hotmail.com; mobil at lewiston.com; gary.r.staples at smithbarney.com; dwatkins at vetmed.wsu.edu; roofit at hotmail.com; fmazda at aol.com; alvinbloomberg at comcast.net; m.boatsman at comcast.net; doug at silicondesigns.com; rbrennan at brennanvacations.com; tim.brennan at msn.com; tbdent9942 at msn.com; rkcovey at msn.com; becool2 at comcast.net; briandevine at wavecable.com; joanevanger at hotmail.com; rgfrye at centurytel.net; cobraconmox at msn.com; pjhall at aol.com; lyellharris at msn.com; glherrig at yahoo.com; roydon at comcast.net; aa.fueler at verizon.net; ronzolarsen at hotmail.com; johnmackay0800 at hotmail.com; johnmaffeo1 at yahoo.com; hmalafa at wavecable.com; fsart at qwest.net; oldcars at comcast.net; jrmckay8 at comcast.net; deserttwist at juno.com; alaskatramp at netscape.net; morganuci at gmail.com; sm0707 at att.com; wjoliver at wavecable.com; opiecars at verizon.net; chris_papendorf at yahoo.com; reillyms at gmail.com; kross_04 at msn.com; ryans_machine at msn.com; steilbunch at aol.com; thefuture98070 at yahoo.com; jefftonn at comcast.net; troger at msn.com; matt at nwpantera.com; lebeter at gmail.com; sabcynrepairs at comcast.net
Subject: RE: Rescue of Chris' car
Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 15:19:47 -0700





uh...i'm no expert on this and i don't know the whole story here, but the whole firearm angle doesn't sound too good as this sounds suspiciously like what got OJ  into hot water. last thing you want (or i would want) is to be part of a posse brandishing guns, were someone other than yourself get it into their head to do just that.
dan
 


From: warren.lubow at comcast.net [mailto:warren.lubow at comcast.net] 
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:23 PM
To: Christopher Kimball
Cc: Mike Thomas; kulina at aol.com; flight427 at sbcglobal.net; bwerner at live.com; gggraup at comcast.net; kenny hall; ginny98226 at aol.com; asajay at asajay.com; klckmac at msn.com; dropper9 at hotmail.com; mobil at lewiston.com; gary r staples; dwatkins at vetmed.wsu.edu; roofit at hotmail.com; fmazda at aol.com; alvinbloomberg at comcast.net; Mark Boatsman; Doug Braun; rbrennan at brennanvacations.com; Tim Brennan; tbdent9942 at msn.com; rkcovey at msn.com; vince cross; briandevine at wavecable.com; joanevanger at hotmail.com; rgfrye at centurytel.net; cobraconmox at msn.com; pjhall at aol.com; lyellharris at msn.com; Gary Herrig; Roydon Hughes; Bill Ingerson; Ron Larsen; John MacKay; John Maffeo; hmalafa at wavecable.com; fsart at qwest.net; oldcars at comcast.net; jrmckay8 at comcast.net; deserttwist at juno.com; alaskatramp at netscape.net; morganuci at gmail.com; sm0707 at att.com; dann at tangis.com; wjoliver at wavecable.com; Richard openshaw; chris papendorf; reillyms at gmail.com; kross 04; ryans machine; steilbunch at aol.com; thefuture98070 at yahoo.com; jefftonn at comcast.net; troger at msn.com; matt at nwpantera.com; lebeter at gmail.com; sabcynrepairs at comcast.net
Subject: Rescue of Chris' car
 

one more thing if you intent to move the pantera from a tight spot - take at least 2 and if possible 4 hydrolic floor jacks you can the lift and maneuver it with ease..