Well, what stated as a simple timing belt/water pump replacement has ballooned into something altogether much larger. After doing the job and getting everything back together and putting a few miles on the car, the car was down on power--not a ton, but a fair amount. And I got an intermittent Check Engine light. I got home and pulled the plugs, and found #3 to be wet and clean, although it was clear that it had been firing.
I assumed a leaky fuel injector, and ordered up a set because, well, I was in there and the car has 240,000 miles with no evidence in all the records that the injectors have ever been replaced or cleaned. Since it was also in the plan to adjust the valves, I popped off the valve cover tonight, which is also necessary when you pull the injector rail. And . . . found this rascal under the cover. Intake rocker arm for cylinder #3, which kind of fits with the wet plug.
I don't think I did anything during the timing belt and water pump that caused this, but who knows? I suppose I could have clacked a valve and a piston during the wrestling matches with the crank bolt, but I used hand tools and was pretty careful. Anyway, it looks like I'll be in good company, as there are lots of youtube videos about this very problem. Seems straightforward enough, but not what I was hoping to see.
Of course, having gone this far, I might as well strip and repainting the valve cover in wrinkle finish red paint, and . . .why not refinish the intake while at it? As frequently happens with my car projects, this one is experiencing mission creep. Three years ago, I replaced the fuel injectors and intake gaskets on my 1985 911, and, a couple, months and a ton of bucks later, I had re-plated all the hardware, powder coated the manifolds, and otherwise gone way overboard. Here's a gratuitous shot of that car's engine:
At any rate, it looks
I assumed a leaky fuel injector, and ordered up a set because, well, I was in there and the car has 240,000 miles with no evidence in all the records that the injectors have ever been replaced or cleaned. Since it was also in the plan to adjust the valves, I popped off the valve cover tonight, which is also necessary when you pull the injector rail. And . . . found this rascal under the cover. Intake rocker arm for cylinder #3, which kind of fits with the wet plug.
I don't think I did anything during the timing belt and water pump that caused this, but who knows? I suppose I could have clacked a valve and a piston during the wrestling matches with the crank bolt, but I used hand tools and was pretty careful. Anyway, it looks like I'll be in good company, as there are lots of youtube videos about this very problem. Seems straightforward enough, but not what I was hoping to see.
Of course, having gone this far, I might as well strip and repainting the valve cover in wrinkle finish red paint, and . . .why not refinish the intake while at it? As frequently happens with my car projects, this one is experiencing mission creep. Three years ago, I replaced the fuel injectors and intake gaskets on my 1985 911, and, a couple, months and a ton of bucks later, I had re-plated all the hardware, powder coated the manifolds, and otherwise gone way overboard. Here's a gratuitous shot of that car's engine: