Gibbo87

basicaly got a fiesta cheap and one of the pistons packed up...the bloke says he has removed the piston and rod and the cars runs but quite bumpy...is this possible ? :S

Thanks

oldford

Can it run? Probably, just don't ask how.
I have seen engines with a large hole in one of the pistons and they were still running (more or less).

Karl 3dr

iTrader: (9)

I would imagine it would run but very badly, but why go to the trouble of stripping it down and then building it back up with a rod and piston missing? Is say he's talking shit personally.

LHD220Turbo

iTrader: (4)

i wouldnt think it would run?, imagine trying to start the thing from cold. Sounds like bullshit to me, but i await to be corrected!

even if it did run, surely the engine would be completely unbalanced and shake itself to death? cant see it lasting long. unless he's removed the injector too, all the fuel would just fill up the sump eventually

my bro in laws transit had a cracked piston before he got it rebuilt and that was a pig to start and was so rough with clouds of smoke out the back

spinus

i think it would
when the learner motorcycle law changed from riding a 250 on l plates to riding only a 125
there was a load of conversions brought out for the lads who just brought a 250 and now couldn t ride it
the kit comprised of a piston with no top on , and a blanking plate to remove the carburettor.
obviously the bikes involved were twin cylinders

Gibbo87

It's a 1.1 mk3 so carbed....the engine will be coming out when I can get it home so doesn't matter about damage etc...he said he drove it but it was bumpy but made the journey

chaffe

Well as much of a wind up this could be.... Prehaps you need to consider the valves opening into what would be the sump if there was no piston present! not only would this make the engine breathe very heavy as the exhuast from the manifold would be exposed to the crankcase, the inlet would also suffer, the car would be very blue due to oil ingress. And inlet vacuum would be down considerably. Prehaps if the rockers were removed so the valves never opened it would run fine.

St3V3_C

I agree with all of this.


Especially the wind up bit

jasper jones

My grandfarther did tell me years ago about some high mileage cars that were used as taxis,that had a piston gone (6 cylinder engines).What they used to do was take the sump off and pull the piston and con rod out the bottom,turn the big end shells round and tie them onto the crank with a hose clip (so to keep oil pressure) Then remove the rockers (so the valves would stay closed) The drivers would carry on using them for some time like that

RS Grant

iTrader: (1)

You could install Water Injection, it would probably sort this issue out.


Cheers,
Grant

vroooom ptssssh

As said, he's either a complete mongoloid or he's talking shit.....

Chances of piston coming out the bottom in one piece is unlikely (not impossible) so it may have come out in peices, which means it would probably have damaged the bore...Oil pressure, crankcase pressure, valves opening (unless he removed rockers) and yes it would run, but how well depends on what he's done and not done...worst case scenario its pishing fuel into the sump, breathing heavily, low oil pressure.....

wallllk awaaaaay


P.s. In answer to your original Question:
Errr, no usually cars can run on all pistons, not just 3

Gibbo87

The rockers have been removed...it does run but lumpy ...the car will be stripped and for 100 quid its a good project...its an old couple who have tje car not no young lads

Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

if your going to be throwing the engine in the bin then go for it.

it will drive but like a bag of shit so hopefully you wont have to go far!

report back here with pics!

i personally would offer Ł50 and drive it straight to the scrappers and weigh it in for Ł200 lol

Gibbo87

Been looking for a mk3 for while so going for it just wanted opinions on to attempt to drive or not...old man.whose selling is gonna follow behind just incase...scrappers down.here give ya 120 most for cars mates weighed couple in and that all they off3rd

Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

will you be putting a different engine in, and how far do you have to go?

as if petrol is going into the oil, its going to screw the bearings, followers, all moving parts basically

Derby_Gav

I read somewhere a while back about a guy in america who went to the speed week at the bonneville salt flats with his beetle.

After he had ran it with all 4 pistons, he would remove 2 and go again with just two pistons.

I'm sure it was in EVO magazine a few years ago but I can't find anything on the net about it.

Gavin.

scoooby slayer

iTrader: (4)

lol it would have no oil pressure with a rod missing what a lemon

Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

thats why i was asking how far he has to go lol and post pics of the result

Gibbo87

Yeah diffrent engine will be going in lol...about 40 miles ...Il get pics up on Saturday if it makes it back ha

Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

40 miles! i hope you have AA cover! (or RAC lol)

Gibbo87

Err nope just a tow rope lol...might be less miles ...still got couple days yet so might find a trailer by then

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

I bet it would smoke a bit too.

stevieturbo

if it is done properly, then of course it could run on 3 cylinders. No different than how it would run if you pulled a plug lead off.

It may run like fuck all, but yes it could be made to run. And if you think such things never happen, they bloody well do !!

A friend bought a car from Auction in Scotland once. Omega 2.5td not running properly. Easy fix he thought for a few quid.

Until it was discovered some cunt at removed a rod/piston, welded the oil hole in the crank so it wouldnt be chucking everywhere. And blocked up the injector so it wasnt squirting fuel in.

Dont recall what they did with the valves, but think they use rockers, so again an easy "remove"

Wasnt he sick when he discovered that !!!

Understandable from whoever sold it. That 2.5 BMW td engine is a total piece of shit.

Gibbo87

Ohwel there is only one way to find out I guess

stevieturbo

Would it not just be easier and more sensible to weigh it in for scrap ?

Gibbo87

Could do...but as i said its for a project and I like the mk3s with the small bumpers instead of the usual rs/xr

stevieturbo

Thats fair enough. But if there really is a piston removed, then the engine is for the bin. Just fit something better

Gibbo87

Yeah thats my plan when.its home...people want to much to tow it home so its got to he driven...just wanted to no if it would drive like it as I've never heard of it before...but Il no tomoz as the journey will hopefuly begin

James

lol thats quite funny, how pissed off would you be to take the sump off and find no piston rod!

I did hear a few years back of a petrol v8 land rover that went into the dealer for warranty work after only a few days of being new, it went in cos of knocking noise and missfire. only to be traced to there being 8 rods and only 7 pistons!!!!!!!!!!

James

lol thats quite funny, how pissed off would you be to take the sump off and find no piston rod!

I did hear a few years back of a petrol v8 land rover that went into the dealer for warranty work after only a few days of being new, it went in cos of knocking noise and missfire. only to be traced to there being 8 rods and only 7 pistons!!!!!!!!!!

Gibbo87

Well its home...had to leave dipstick out and oil cap as kept blowing them out...did about 20 miles till it chucked oil out then had no power when got hot...towed rest of way after that. Still runs like it would with 3 cylinders just don't like being hot ...Il try get pics up soon

Ginge !

im sorry to sound like a old cunt,,,,,, but you drove a car that you know had a piston missing as you couldbt be bothered to arrange it to be towed and no regard for other road users with this car spitting out oil and prob smoking all over the place no doubt

makes you wonder what other things people are willing to ignore in order to save a couple of quid,,,,,,,, wont even get on the fact is 12 quid a month to join the AA for a policy that will tow you to anywhere of your choice but its a much better idea driving a car that is clearly dangerous and not in a road legal state

Gibbo87

How did it put other road users at risk....did you.not read my last post....it got towed after so many miles...clearly you had nothing better todo last night...

xr2wishy

iTrader: (2)

same thing happened to my brother, bought a car and it wasn't great on power or fuel. was cheap so thought nothing of it and would get it sorted soon. he took it to a garage and got a compression test done, further investigation showed no piston or rod in cyl no.4.
injector plug was undone, followers removed and jubilee clips holding shells to crank.

to be fair if it wasn't down on power and poor on fuel consumption, you would never have known.

car was scrapped, can be done safely, but engines come up cheap often, so replace if it's worth it.

Icurus

This reminds me of an article in Practical mechanics, I think, Cades garage?

They had a V12 engined car come in, and the owner wanted the rough idle sorting.

Turned out he had 'converted' the V12 to a V6 to save on fuel by removing the rods, pistons and jubilee'ing the shells to the crank ect

Not sure if all those Cade's articles where true, but I think they have some grains of truth to them

stu170

There is a bloke who lives over the road from me. nice chap but doesn't let the truth get in the way of a good story. he once told me that his old bsa bike broke down on the way home from work. After some investigating it turned out a piston had cracked in half.
i thought he had done well to work this out on the road side but it got better. he then using a penknife made a new piston with a bit of hawthorn hedge.
i just had to walk away

Rs Baz

intresting read

xr2wishy

iTrader: (2)

brilliant story!!

chaffe

Ive done 42000 miles with only three cylinders, and they will be taking me home in half an hour too! no problem at all in my opinion. 1.4 polo tdi all the way

studabear

whats the mpg like on them engines chaffe?