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| Overheated - Now starts hard, runs ro... |
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Joe Shmoe
Member
Username: boomvang
Post Number: 5
Registered: 06-2008
| | Posted on Friday, June 26, 2009 - 01:05 pm: | 
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Well I guess I get to join the dummy club. My 1984 351 PCM (no elec ignition) got overheated the other day. When I realized it I idled back to the dock. I found a leak in the hose to the water pump (hence no water leaking when I checked).
The motor didn't seize, it ran fine idling back to the dock. When I got home and it cooled down, I started it briefly, seemed ok. The next day I changed all my hoses, new impeller (old one was destroyed). Now the motor is very difficult to start. Cranks like crazy, acts like it wants to start but can't "catch". Then when it does start, it runs very rough for a minute or two and then dies (like it's not getting enough gas).
One oddity - took off the distributor cap, cleaned up points and rotor, put cap back on and it wouldn't even TRY to start. Took the cap off, confirmed that I had put the rotor back on (I had), put the cap back on and it immediately changed back to the earlier symptoms of (hard starting, stalling). Seems to indicate that the distributor is somehow involved?
Sorry for such a long post. Thanks in advance for help.
Steve |
thomas white
Member
Username: thomasj29108
Post Number: 8
Registered: 03-2009
| | Posted on Thursday, October 08, 2009 - 12:45 am: |
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had exact same issue one day and did just what you did to get home. i had found out the next day that the head gasket had actualy faulted(not blown, just was weak between #1 and #2. replaced it and was good to go. hope this helps some. |
makomark
Senior Member
Username: makomark
Post Number: 1630
Registered: 09-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, October 08, 2009 - 11:00 am: |
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pull the plugs and look for water. if any found or any 'fresh' rust spots, very likely to be time for head work.
A leak down test can be used to verify the situation. To a lesser extent, a compression test can also help. |
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