hlee96

As some of you already figured it out, I had recently acquired an '83 Euro S CIS engine from a fellow Rennlister with plans to put it in my Blue Iris "1978 5 spd". With possible recent history of engine out gasket replacement (2-3 yrs ago), I was hoping to avoid taking another CIS engine apart so soon after I did it with my original 4.5L.

However, with a nice cheap engine camera from Costo, I later found a nice not-so-pleasant surprise inside the injector-valve. Wow! Hopefully, nothing else close to this will be in the cylinder bores when I disassemble this engine.





Cylinder 4








That shaft is a valve stem

bronto

Is this the engine type that has been debated whether it is an interference engine?

Randy V

How the heck did that get in there?

Cosmo Kramer

Wow, consider yourself lucky that didn't fall in there. Ask me how I know!

hlee96

Pretty sure this '83 euro s CIS engine is a non-interference engine.

Yeah I feel lucky I didn't get lazy and just try to start it. Now I will be breaking this engine down and buying all new gaskets.

Daniel5691

Hoi,
Is that perhaps a cam tower bolt and washer?

Thanks, and GOOD SAVE ! ! ! ! !

STRIKEMASTER

If it's a 28/11 engine then it's non-interference. I wonder how long that's been in there.

linderpat

wow! Did anyone try to start it previously? Hope no issues are found!

Ducman82

looks intact. i doubt it was run like that.

terry gt

can you fish it out with a magnet ?

MainePorsche

Bolt, yes. That washer - I don't know about the success
of that. May not hurt to try.

Speedtoys

I think it was..see how the threads are all hammered?

I might expect some wear marks on the valve stem there as well.

hlee96

I heard that the engine required some starter fluid to run before selling the Euro car to the person I bought it from. Waiting to hear from the PO what was done to the engine before being sold to him.

When I have some free time this week, I will take off the air intakes and see if the valve stem and other items are damaged. Ugh! I was so trying not to have to send it out for repairs.

When I took off the injectors, their stafts were caked with dry thick carbon. Figure it will be similar inside the cylinders. I see a need for some good AF meters and CIS tester in the future for me...

BTW, does anyone know any places that does good engine bore-cylinders machining and valve jobs in Philly area?

hlee96

Bad news :-(. Finally took off intake manifolds from passenger side and got a much better look at valve #4 with the cam tower bolt in it.

It appears that the bolt/washer were jammed pretty tight by the valve stem and I can see the DEEP CRACKS to the visible top of the piston underneath where the bolt would be coming in contact with it. I had to push the bolt back in to the cylinder in order to release the tension off the valve springs.

Now, it seems like the new-to-me euro s engine is pretty busted. What are my options?
1. Disassemble the engine and try to find a new piston (assuming no other parts are damaged?)
2. Transfer the top of this euro s CIS engine onto my '78'4.5l CIS short block?
If I go for option 2, what will be the expected power increase then?

Thanks for all and any advice.

Daniel5691

Hoi,

First let me say than I am uneducated, untrained and only very-slightly experienced thus far in engine dis-assembly and inspection. And I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn. I have my heads off, and at the machinists as we speak. That's all.

I would carefully check the area on your cylinder head where the valve would have normally seated and closed. With a wayward steel bolt protruding through the valve orifice, I would fear that a lot of "machining" could have been done to the aluminum surface of the head.