[tech]: i'm going to cry (long)(sigh)

["Michael Abatzis" <abatzis2@hotmail.com>]

i finished my head swap today, with no joy.

the short version:
put in a new 2l 16v block keeping my 1.8 head; i get the symptoms that i'll 
describe below. diagnosed as a bad rod bearing by a mechanic. put in ANOTHER 
shortblock (rebuilt this time), again keeping the head. same thing. figured, 
it's gotta be the head. this weekend swap heads, now using a 2l head. 
ominous sign: the old head looked fine when i took it off. and yes, same 
freakin' thing happened. i did reuse my head gasket and bolts this last time 
'round.

what happens is that the engine will start, and run very poorly. it shakes 
like a mofo (haven't tightened all the mount bolts yet, but i don't think 
that's it), with no throttle response. it sputters and almost dies before it 
accelerates. sounds like it's on 3 cylinders, or like it's in limp-home 
mode. there is a loud, hollow, knocking coming from somewhere; it sounds 
like the head but i'm not positive. if it runs long enough, thin wisps of 
smoke come out the back (not a lot, but enough to make me shut the engine); 
i can't tell from where, but below the exhaust manifold. wtf is going on? 
i've swapped heads, and 2 blocks now. i'm getting awfully tired of this. 
i've checked the timing many times, at the cam and the flywheel. i can't 
really check the dpr too well, but i haven't screwed with the mixture since 
the car was working. at this point i would lean towards a fuel issue, but 
why the knock and smoke? running like crap is one thing, smoking is another. 
smoke shouldn't even be able to get out of the back of the engine though, 
right? head gasket? this is the third time i've put a head on/off, and it's 
done it every time. compression seems high if anything, 210, 195, 195, 225. 
the water looks clear, as does the oil (how obvious is water in oil?). a 
little white smoke from exhaust on first start, but it went away. i'm still 
using my old tranny, but the flywheel looks like it's moving evenly, and 
there's no change when i put the clutch in or out or change gears (with the 
clutch in).  i'm out of ideas, time, money, and patience. i can't find a 
good mechanic, but i guess i'll have to suck it up. please help if you can.
-michael
"all work and no car makes michael something something..."

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