Just fitted 1.3 engine but I have problems

[wehey]

hiya all.
I just posted this on the Micra Facebook page but thought I would post here too just see if there are any more ideas

Just fitted a 1.3 into the car. Turned it over without the spark plugs in to check the oil pressure, which was fine.
Fitted the Sparks and started it up. Ran fun for about 2-3 mins then a puff of smoke appeared and the engine stopped abruptly.
It seemed seized as it wouldn't turn over at all on the starter. it took a lever bar to turn it over on the flywheel. A coupe of turns and it seemed to free up, so I popped out the Sparks and it turned over fine on the starter.
Put the Sparks back in and it started fine and 20 seconds later it stopped, as if seized. Rinse and repeat.
The 1st cylinder has a really oiled spark plug but all the others are fine.
It has 1.0L Pistons fitted so high compression.
Someone suggested regarding the spark timing a bit which I will try tomorrow.
Any ideas folks??

 

[frank]

the oily plug is a concern eh wehey, any oil smoke ?

 

[wehey]

I didn't look at the exhaust Frank. Was too concerned with the smoke coming from the engine

 

[wehey]

I get the smoke briefly before it dies

 

[wehey]

Someone has suggested that piston ring gap might've been too tight.

so when you cold start, there's just enough clearance to let it run but once the ring, piston & bore starts to heat up n expand after few mins the end gaps touch n the bigger ring has no where to go so it begins to squeeze against the bore, scraping all the oil off till it's metal/metal, which heats up even faster n burning the oil into smoke till it gets so hot n so much friction that it seizes n welds itself together.

once it cools down n contracts n loosens??

Just putting ideas out there.

 

[pollyp]

replied on FB, I suspect a tight ring end gap.

if the new bores were lower mileage the transferred ring's could be too tight on the newer smaller bore?

...yeah that ^^

 

[wehey]

Thanks for the reply.
The rings now in the 1.3 are the engines original rings.
Basically I brought the 1.0l Pistons already on 1.3 rods. I then removed the 1.3 Pistons and rods from the engine and transfered the rings onto the new 1.0 Pistons and fitted the

 

[detach8]

Is the fouled plug only on cylinder 1? Maybe your cylinder 1 injector is stuck open and a combination of that with timing too retarded causing your engine to flood?

 

[wehey]

Is the fouled plug only on cylinder 1? Maybe your cylinder 1 injector is stuck open and a combination of that with timing too retarded causing your engine to flood?

Hi. Yes it's just cylinder 1. The engine siezes solid so I doubt its as simple as that. I wish it was lol.
Anyway the engine is back out and I should have the 1.0L back in today or tomorrow.

 

[detach8]

Hi. Yes it's just cylinder 1. The engine siezes solid so I doubt its as simple as that. I wish it was lol.
Anyway the engine is back out and I should have the 1.0L back in today or tomorrow.

yeikes... seizing sounds bad and that is not something i have encountered... good luck

 

[wehey]

So today I finally got around to ripping the engine apart to see what caused the seizing.
All cylinders, pistons and rings are intact and as good as new.

Now when I was fitting the 1.0L pistons I put a small scratch in one of the conrod shell bearings. So I contacted Nissan and they sent me a replacement.
When it arrived I noticed that it had a hole in it and as the original ones don't have a hole I got back in touch with them to make sure it's the correct part. They checked and double checked and assured me that it was and that all Micra shell bearings now have a hole.

This is what I found when taking out the piston from the 2 cyclinders, the one with the replacement shell

As you can guess the crankshaft is equally fecked

 

[frank]

the shells are usually graded in size eh wehey, lack of running clearance i guess ?

 

[wehey]

the shells are usually graded in size eh wehey, lack of running clearance i guess ?

Yep it seems that that's the case. Do you think I was sent the wrong part? Surely a standard size shouldn't have caused this?

 

[frank]

you,re supposed to calculate the size/grade needed from the letter stampings on the crank and block, or else use plastigauge eh, i usually assemble the rods onto the bare crank, torque them up and check the clearance

 

[Skinner_87]

I know the cranks are line bored but if you did want another iv a few sat here mte

 

[wehey]

I know the cranks are line bored but if you did want another iv a few sat here mte

It's very tempting mate. I'm just worried the same thing will happen again as I'm still 1 bearing short

 

[frank]

i should have some shells you are welcome to wehey, have you tried cleaning up the crank journal ?

 

[wehey]

i should have some shells you are welcome to wehey, have you tried cleaning up the crank journal ?

It's as shagged as the bearing mate so probably junk. I wouldn't want to risk using it as another disaster will finish me off lol

I would actually need 2 rod shells as the crank has chewed the other one up too

Would the shells be a match to skinner crank tho??

 

[frank]

the shell surface is only soft white metal wehey, the journal might clean up ok ? and same scenario with paul,s crank eh, assess the running clearance and go from there (you need about 1" thou ideally)

 

[wehey]

I have just checked it out and if you run your nail over it you can really feel the grooves

 

[frank]

if its white metal smeared onto the crankpin then it should clean up, but if it has scored the steel underneath then its toast eh

 

[wehey]

if its white metal smeared onto the crankpin then it should clean up, but if it has scored the steel underneath then its toast eh

How would you attempt to clean it. I'm curious now?

 

[Skinner_87]

How would you attempt to clean it. I'm curious now?

Very fine wet and dry 0r emery paper with plenty of oil maybe

 

[frank]

Very fine wet and dry 0r emery paper with plenty of oil maybe

aye, held in some sort of lapping tool, and a close watch on the colour patches of the 2 different metals

 

[wehey]

I have just had a go at cleaning it up and I think its toast. There are a few small pits and dings on the surface