CHAPTER 48 Engine Problems

by
Russell Krick
Publisher
The Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Tinley Park, Illinois
Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only
Why is diagnosis important? Symptoms of engine mechanical problems Decide what type of engine repair is needed Evaluating engine mechanical problems Service manual troubleshooting charts
If a technician does not know how to properly diagnose engine problems, time, effort, and money will be wasted An untrained technician may rebuild an engine when a minor repair would have corrected the fault
Excessive oil consumption Excessive crankcase blowby Noises Exhaust smoke Poor performance Coolant in the oil Engine seizure
Engine Mechanical Problems
Pre-Teardown Inspection
Run the engine Look for external problems:
oil leaks vacuum leaks part damage contaminated oil
Listen and watch for problems
Check Oil Condition

Check for coolant in the oil
shows up as white or milky oil
Check for gasoline in the oil

smell the dipstick for gasoline
Oil-Fouled Spark Plugs
Indicate internal oil leakage into the combustion chamberscaused by worn rings, cylinder walls, or valve seals
Oil In Coolant
Causes:
a leak in the radiator oil cooler head gasket leakage a cracked block or head
Engine Oil Leaks

Causes:
gaskets harden and crack seals wear fasteners work loose parts become warped or cracked
To isolate leaks:
clean the affected area trace the leak upward to its source
External Coolant Leaks

Causes:
hose problems rusted freeze (core) plugs warped, worn, or damaged parts
Use a pressure tester to locate leaks
Engine Blowby
Engine Vacuum Leaks

May produce a hissing sound Affect idle quality more than high speed conditions
leaks represent a greater percentage of engine airflow at idle than at high speed
Engine Exhaust Leaks

Produce a clicking sound Causes:
leaking exhaust gaskets a warped exhaust manifold loose manifold bolts
Engine Exhaust Leaks
The leakage path can be easily seen after exhaust manifold removal
Engine Smoking
Abnormal Engine Noises

Indicate part wear or damage Use a stethoscope to find internal noises A piece of hose can be used
place one end next to your ear, use the other end to probe around the engine
Compression Test
Measures the amount of pressure produced during the compression stroke Performed any time symptoms point to cylinder pressure leakage
rough idle popping noise in intake or exhaust blue exhaust smoke excess blowby
Combustion Leakage
Compression Testing (Gasoline Engine)

Remove all spark plugs Block open the throttle Disable the ignition and fuel injection Screw the compression tester into a spark plug hole Crank the engine through 46 compression strokes, noting the readings Repeat for each cylinder
Compression Tester
Installing Adapter
Connect Compression Gauge
Cranking Engine
Replacing Plugs and Wires
Compression Testing (Diesel Engine)

Use a diesel compression gauge that reads up to approximately 600 psi (4000 kPa) Remove the injectors or the glow plugs Install the tester in the recommended hole Disable the injection pump Crank the engine, noting the readings Repeat for each cylinder
Wet Compression Test

Performed if a cylinder fails a compression test Helps isolate cylinder and ring problems from valve problems Oil is squirted into the cylinder before the compression test
if the pressure rises, the rings and cylinder are suspect if the pressure does not rise, the valves are suspect
Wet Compression Test
A. Perform dry test B. Squirt oil into cylinder C. Measure again

Compression Test Results

Refer to service manual for specifications Typical gasoline engines
125175 psi (8601200 kPa)
Typical diesel engines

275400 psi (19002750 kPa)
Maximum variation 1015% between cylinders

Cylinder Leakage Tester

Measures the amount of air leakage out of a cylinder Shop air pressure is forced into the cylinder on Top Dead Center Pressure gauge reads percentage of leakage out of the cylinder Typical maximum leakage is 20%
Cylinder Leakage Tester

If leakage exceeds specifications, listen at various points to isolate leakage Oil filler capring leakage Throttle bodyintake valve leakage Exhaust pipeexhaust valve leakage Radiator bubbleshead gasket or cracked head, block
After performing inspections and tests, decide what part or parts must be repaired or replaced Evaluate your pre-teardown diagnosis If you still cant determine the problem, partially disassemble the engine for further inspection
Valve Train Problems
Burned Valve
Causes an engine miss, a popping sound at the throttle body or exhaust

Worn Valve Guides and Stems

Causes tapping noise, oil consumption, spark plug fouling, or stem breakage
Leaking Valve Stem Seal

Lets oil drain through the clearance between the stem and guide Oil will be pulled into the intake port and burned Causes blue exhaust smoke, especially after startup
Valve Breakage
Caused by valve stem fatigue or by a broken or weak valve spring Usually causes severe piston and cylinder damage
Stuck Valve
Valve stem rusts or corrodes and locks in the valve guide May happen when the engine sits in storage
Valve Float
Excess engine speed, weakened valve springs, or lifter problems cause the valves to remain partially open Usually occurs at higher engine speeds Engine may miss, pop, or backfire
Worn Timing Chain
Causes reduced compression and power

Worn Timing Belt

May break, jump off its sprockets, or skip a few teeth Severe lack of power, no-start, and valve damage can result
Camshaft Problems
Worn cam lobes Worn journals Broken cams Worn distributor drive gear Loose or worn fuel pump drive eccentric
Cam Lobe Wear
Reduces valve lift and power output

Rocker Arm and Push Rod Problems

May cause clatter (light tapping noise) Rocker arms may wear Push rods may be bent To check, roll the push rods on a flat bench
Valve Train Clearance
Excess clearance can produce noise

Worn or defective hydraulic lifters may produce valve clatter To check, remove the valve cover Try adjusting the valves If adjustment will not quiet the noise, check for valve train wear If the valve train passes, the lifter is bad Low oil pressure can cause lifter noise
Hydraulic Lifter Problems
Piston Knock (Slap)
Loud, metallic knock that is loudest when the engine is cold

Piston Pin Knock

Too much clearance between the piston pin and the pin bore or connecting rod bushing Makes a double knock The noise does not change much with engine load
Worn Rings and Cylinder
Worn Ring Grooves
Burned Piston
Results from prolonged preignition or detonation Causes low compression, blowby, smoking, and rough idle
Burned Piston
Crankshaft Problems
Journal wear Main bearing wear Rod bearing wear Low oil pressure
Rod Bearing Knock

Light, regular rapping noise with the engine floating Loudest after warm-up Caused by wear and excessive rod bearing-to-crankshaft clearance To locate, short out or disconnect the spark plug wires, one at a time The knocking bearing may quiet down when its cylinder is disabled
Main Bearing Knock

Similar to rod bearing knock, but slightly deeper in pitch More pronounced when the engine is under load Worn bearings and journals are letting the crankshaft move up and down Usually reduces oil pressure
Main Bearing Knock

To verify, remove the oil pan and pressure test the lubrication system Excessive oil flowing out of one or more of the main bearings implies too much bearing clearance If the crankshaft is not worn, the bearing inserts may be replaced
Excess Crankshaft End Play

Caused by a worn main thrust bearing May produce a deep knock when applying or releasing the clutch On an automatic transmission, a single thud or knock may occur during acceleration or deceleration
Broken Engine Mounts

Allow the engine to move in the vehicle To check:
open the hood engage the parking brake shift transmission into drive or into gear with the brakes on, slowly increase engine speed or release the clutch pedal if the engine moves excessively, the mounts may be broken
Broken Engine Mounts
Charts list possible problems and needed repairs Refer to the chart when you have difficulty locating or correcting an engine mechanical problem

CHAPTER 48 Engine Problems

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by

The Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Engine Mechanical Problems

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Listen and watch for problems

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Check Oil Condition

Check for gasoline in the oil

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Oil-Fouled Spark Plugs

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Engine Oil Leaks

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

External Coolant Leaks

Use a pressure tester to locate leaks

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Engine Vacuum Leaks

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Engine Exhaust Leaks

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Engine Exhaust Leaks

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Abnormal Engine Noises

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Compression Testing (Gasoline Engine)

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Connect Compression Gauge

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Replacing Plugs and Wires

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only

Compression Testing (Diesel Engine)

Wet Compression Test

Wet Compression Test

A. Perform dry test B. Squirt oil into cylinder C. Measure again

Compression Test Results

Typical diesel engines

Maximum variation 1015% between cylinders

Cylinder Leakage Tester

Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only