I have been meaning to share this story since it happened, guess I am
finally just taking the time to put it down. I feel it is a solid
testament to the bullet-proof nature of these 'Birds and, even though,
this odyssey ended up costing me thousands of $$$, it did NOT strand me.
Last fall, I was coming home from a trip, coming up I-55 through
Mississippi to the homestead in Memphis. I was about 80 miles from
home, cruising comfortably at about 65, engine humming like a sewing
machine, guests in the back having fun. Then....
HORRIBLE METALLIC GRINDING NOISE BESIDE MY RIGHT KNEE
Looked in the mirror, blowing black smoke like I have never seen. Lots
of horrible noises from the engine, but no idiot lights, all gauges
reading normal, still cruising down the road at about 50mph at this
point.
Pulled over to shoulder, engine still running, noises have stopped.
Obvious miss, but running. Decide to limp to next exit. Lots of black
smoke, but power to accelerate up to 55. Once safely at a gas station,
called friend who owns diesel shop, he said if it was running, the
gauges read OK, and I could not smell diesel in the oil (which I
didn't), limp it home below 2000 rpm, probably just blew a tip off an
injector, not a big deal. 2000 rpm is about 55 mph. I make it home.
Take to friend's shop next week. Check injector...not the problem.
They have to go in. The final prognosis: broken valve.
A valve broke and went in to the cylinder, carving up the piston face
pretty good. When it had been pulverized enough, it finally went out
the exhaust port, carving up the head along the way. Then, of course,
the remaining parts went in to the turbo, gutting it. So all that was
replaced. Not cheap.
But to me, this story isn't about the fact that I needed an expensive
repair. It's about the fact that my 'Bird, seriously wounded, running
on 7 cylinders with no turbo, got me where I needed to go. I say
that's a true testament to how strong these coaches and their parts
are. I was never more sold on having a 'Bird than I was the day they
ran down the list of everything that had happened in that engine.
So that's my story. Just thought I'd share, especially for any of you
that are debating whether or not a 'Bird is for you.
Scott Forman
82 FC35RB
Memphis
Sorry to hear of your problem...question..by the time it started to
smoke was it to late? Or if you had pulled off and had it towed,
would the damage have been so extensive?..again sorry for the problem.
Bob Lawrence
84 PT36 (Whirlybird)
Tacoma, Wa.
Once safely at a gas station, called friend who owns diesel shop, he
said if it was running, the
> gauges read OK, and I could not smell diesel in the oil (which I
> didn't), limp it home below 2000 rpm, probably just blew a tip off
an
> injector, not a big deal. 2000 rpm is about 55 mph. I make it
home.
>
> Take to friend's shop next week. Check injector...not the
problem.
> They have to go in. The final prognosis: broken valve.
>
> A valve broke and went in to the cylinder, carving up the piston
face
> pretty good. When it had been pulverized enough, it finally went
out
> the exhaust port, carving up the head along the way. Then, of
course,
> the remaining parts went in to the turbo, gutting it. So all that
was
> replaced. Not cheap.
>
> But to me, this story isn't about the fact that I needed an
expensive
> repair. It's about the fact that my 'Bird, seriously wounded,
running
> on 7 cylinders with no turbo, got me where I needed to go. I say
> that's a true testament to how strong these coaches and their parts
> are. I was never more sold on having a 'Bird than I was the day
they
> ran down the list of everything that had happened in that engine.
>
> So that's my story. Just thought I'd share, especially for any of
you
> that are debating whether or not a 'Bird is for you.
>
> Scott Forman
> 82 FC35RB
> Memphis
>
Any idea what caused the valve failure? Was it a broken valve spring?
I once broke a valve spring on a Chevy 400. I removed the rocker and
pushrod and drove it home on 7 cylinders for 250 miles.
Kerry
82 FC 35
Denver
--- In
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman" <sforman@...>
wrote:
>
> I have been meaning to share this story since it happened, guess I am
> finally just taking the time to put it down. I feel it is a solid
> testament to the bullet-proof nature of these 'Birds and, even though,
> this odyssey ended up costing me thousands of $$$, it did NOT strand me.
The smoke didn't start until after the sounds began. I am no
mechanic, but the guys who put it all back together said a broken
valve was sort of a freak thing, something that just happens
occassionally.
--- In
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Bob Lawrence"
wrote:
>
> Sorry to hear of your problem...question..by the time it started to
> smoke was it to late? Or if you had pulled off and had it towed,
> would the damage have been so extensive?..again sorry for the
problem.
> Bob Lawrence
> 84 PT36 (Whirlybird)
> Tacoma, Wa.
>
> Once safely at a gas station, called friend who owns diesel shop,
he
> said if it was running, the
> > gauges read OK, and I could not smell diesel in the oil (which I
> > didn't), limp it home below 2000 rpm, probably just blew a tip
off
> an
> > injector, not a big deal. 2000 rpm is about 55 mph. I make it
> home.
> >
> > Take to friend's shop next week. Check injector...not the
> problem.
> > They have to go in. The final prognosis: broken valve.
> >
> > A valve broke and went in to the cylinder, carving up the piston
> face
> > pretty good. When it had been pulverized enough, it finally went
> out
> > the exhaust port, carving up the head along the way. Then, of
> course,
> > the remaining parts went in to the turbo, gutting it. So all
that
> was
> > replaced. Not cheap.
> >
> > But to me, this story isn't about the fact that I needed an
> expensive
> > repair. It's about the fact that my 'Bird, seriously wounded,
> running
> > on 7 cylinders with no turbo, got me where I needed to go. I say
> > that's a true testament to how strong these coaches and their
parts
> > are. I was never more sold on having a 'Bird than I was the day
> they
> > ran down the list of everything that had happened in that engine.
> >
> > So that's my story. Just thought I'd share, especially for any
of
> you
> > that are debating whether or not a 'Bird is for you.
> >
> > Scott Forman
> > 82 FC35RB
> > Memphis
> >
>
The guys who put it back together said that based on the amount of
damage, they think the valve face seperated from the stem, sending
the two pieces into the cylinder.
--- In
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
wrote:
>
> Any idea what caused the valve failure? Was it a broken valve
spring?
> I once broke a valve spring on a Chevy 400. I removed the rocker
and
> pushrod and drove it home on 7 cylinders for 250 miles.
>
> Kerry
> 82 FC 35
> Denver
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman" <sforman@>
> wrote:
> >
> > I have been meaning to share this story since it happened, guess
I am
> > finally just taking the time to put it down. I feel it is a
solid
> > testament to the bullet-proof nature of these 'Birds and, even
though,
> > this odyssey ended up costing me thousands of $$$, it did NOT
strand me.
>
Also...as far as towing...I asked that same question, they said that
it all happened in a few seconds...once the horrible noises stopped,
the damage was done, and driving did not worsen it.
--- In
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Forman" <sforman@...>
wrote:
>
> The smoke didn't start until after the sounds began. I am no
> mechanic, but the guys who put it all back together said a broken
> valve was sort of a freak thing, something that just happens
> occassionally.
>
>
> --- In
WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Bob Lawrence"
>
wrote:
> >
> > Sorry to hear of your problem...question..by the time it started
to
> > smoke was it to late? Or if you had pulled off and had it towed,
> > would the damage have been so extensive?..again sorry for the
> problem.
> > Bob Lawrence
> > 84 PT36 (Whirlybird)
> > Tacoma, Wa.
> >
> > Once safely at a gas station, called friend who owns diesel shop,
> he
> > said if it was running, the
> > > gauges read OK, and I could not smell diesel in the oil (which
I
> > > didn't), limp it home below 2000 rpm, probably just blew a tip
> off
> > an
> > > injector, not a big deal. 2000 rpm is about 55 mph. I make it
> > home.
> > >
> > > Take to friend's shop next week. Check injector...not the
> > problem.
> > > They have to go in. The final prognosis: broken valve.
> > >
> > > A valve broke and went in to the cylinder, carving up the
piston
> > face
> > > pretty good. When it had been pulverized enough, it finally
went
> > out
> > > the exhaust port, carving up the head along the way. Then, of
> > course,
> > > the remaining parts went in to the turbo, gutting it. So all
> that
> > was
> > > replaced. Not cheap.
> > >
> > > But to me, this story isn't about the fact that I needed an
> > expensive
> > > repair. It's about the fact that my 'Bird, seriously wounded,
> > running
> > > on 7 cylinders with no turbo, got me where I needed to go. I
say
> > > that's a true testament to how strong these coaches and their
> parts
> > > are. I was never more sold on having a 'Bird than I was the
day
> > they
> > > ran down the list of everything that had happened in that
engine.
> > >
> > > So that's my story. Just thought I'd share, especially for any
> of
> > you
> > > that are debating whether or not a 'Bird is for you.
> > >
> > > Scott Forman
> > > 82 FC35RB
> > > Memphis
> > >
> >
>