I got my compression check done and spoke with the mechanic this morning. The results were interesting and leads to me question if my engine was ever rebuilt with lower compression 9:1 vs. stock 11:1 L46. I have a 69 L46 that supposedly was rebuilt in 1991 with around 9:1 compression which was 4 owners prior to me. I got the car in 2005 with 8,500 miles since the rebuild and now have put on myself an additional 18,000 miles. All I can determine is that I have the HEI conversion, aftermarket dual plane intake, stock heads, Edelbrock 1901 carb. She runs good but does burn/use some oil using 1qt every 650 miles cruising and 500 miles in town when I am laying black tire marks down the road.
6 cylinders running between 180~190 (after squirting in oil on the 190 cylinder pressure jumped to 210)
2 cylinders running both at 170 (after squirting in some oil pressure jumped to 190)
The mechanic says very first initial compression stroke all cylinders jumped right up to about 95 which he says is a good sign?
Also he said that compression of 180~190 was very good if I truly had 9:1 compression? Is it possible that the compression was never lowered on my car and/or does 11:1 vs. 9:1 compression affect the compression test readings?
I never see any blue smoke after letting her sit for several days and then firing her up and the only time I ever noticed any blue smoke is inbetween shifts when I am hammering the gas pedal but that I can't actually see it while driving as it is a very small quick puff of blue smoke (saw this on the auto-cross video I was being filmed). He said that is my exhaust valves not sealing with the oil being sucked out the header and burning off. He found the two cylinders (both corners near the firewall) with the fouled plugs and said to run a tad hotter AC Delco plug #44 vs. currently I have #43 on these two cylinders that would help keep them from fouling.
Also he said I needed to run plugs gapped wider for my HEI and not the old 69 plugs as I had installed regular AC delco 69 plugs not realizing with the HEI conversion I should be using plugs from a 78 vette with HEI.
He did not do a leak down test as the said that it would be a waste of monies given that he was able to determine pretty good from talking with me, seeing the plugs, and doing the compression check of what is going on inside my engine.
His overall impression of the engine that it was in pretty good healthy idling smooth, sounding great, and responds/accelerates smooth & strong. I was thinking worse case scenario but now things are not sounding too bad. She is not the mose powerful thing on the street but she is lots of fun and has been very reliable for me for the 18,000 miles I have put on her. My main concern was the oil consumption but he does not seem to think this is much of an issue.
So what are your all thoughts? I will get the printout details later tonight when I pick-up my baby...
6 cylinders running between 180~190 (after squirting in oil on the 190 cylinder pressure jumped to 210)
2 cylinders running both at 170 (after squirting in some oil pressure jumped to 190)
The mechanic says very first initial compression stroke all cylinders jumped right up to about 95 which he says is a good sign?
Also he said that compression of 180~190 was very good if I truly had 9:1 compression? Is it possible that the compression was never lowered on my car and/or does 11:1 vs. 9:1 compression affect the compression test readings?
I never see any blue smoke after letting her sit for several days and then firing her up and the only time I ever noticed any blue smoke is inbetween shifts when I am hammering the gas pedal but that I can't actually see it while driving as it is a very small quick puff of blue smoke (saw this on the auto-cross video I was being filmed). He said that is my exhaust valves not sealing with the oil being sucked out the header and burning off. He found the two cylinders (both corners near the firewall) with the fouled plugs and said to run a tad hotter AC Delco plug #44 vs. currently I have #43 on these two cylinders that would help keep them from fouling.
Also he said I needed to run plugs gapped wider for my HEI and not the old 69 plugs as I had installed regular AC delco 69 plugs not realizing with the HEI conversion I should be using plugs from a 78 vette with HEI.
He did not do a leak down test as the said that it would be a waste of monies given that he was able to determine pretty good from talking with me, seeing the plugs, and doing the compression check of what is going on inside my engine.
His overall impression of the engine that it was in pretty good healthy idling smooth, sounding great, and responds/accelerates smooth & strong. I was thinking worse case scenario but now things are not sounding too bad. She is not the mose powerful thing on the street but she is lots of fun and has been very reliable for me for the 18,000 miles I have put on her. My main concern was the oil consumption but he does not seem to think this is much of an issue.
So what are your all thoughts? I will get the printout details later tonight when I pick-up my baby...
