Vega 2300 info please!

[bugdewde]

My newly acquired '73 GT was slightly modified by the owner's father who owned the car since '78. Most obvious mod is the H.E.I. ignition.
Seller said the engine is a sleeved block.........? Is there a way to check this without disassembly? I'd thought about seeing if a magnetic pickup tool down the cylinder would attach to the cylinder wall while I had the spark plugs out............

I am in the process of trying to "tune up" this engine as it idles roughly, dies when stopped in gear(unless I adjust the idle to around 1500-2000 rpm), and smells a bit rich at the exhaust.

I have replaced the spark plugs(0.035" gap), distributor cap and rotor button and tightened the carb hold down nuts but still have a miss down low at idle. I have not located a set of plug wires yet.......Runs great at speed.... and does not appear to burn any oil.

How do I identify what modifications might have been done to this engine?
Would a set of stampings or castings identify what year block was used
-what year/type of head
-hydraulic or mechanical valvetrain
-Cam
-holley 2-barrel carb info, etc.......??????

What can I do to ID this engine? and what has been done to it?

[bugdewde]

Here's the plugs I pulled out of it:
Gaps appear to be erroded to around 0.045" gap.
H.E.I. distributor has an external coil.... what year is that from?

[bugdewde]

I've run two tanks of fuel through the engine..... as well as a couple cans of fuel system cleaner (Chemtool, I think).

360 miles have been logged since I bought it.
I've only gotten 20 mpg with both tanks...... over 9 gallons each fill up!

There is an old carb rebuild kit that came with the car(as well as 2 carbs and an intake)..... the rebuild kit box has been sealed with duct tape.... like something has been used out of it.

Are these holley 2-barrels fairly straighforward on a rebuild?
I have a Clymer's Vega shop manual as well as the Haynes manual and both the Peterson's books of Vega to assist.

[Kenova]

Seller said the engine is a sleeved block.........? Is there a way to check this without disassembly? I'd thought about seeing if a magnetic pickup tool down the cylinder would attach to the cylinder wall while I had the spark plugs out............

That should work.

Ken

[rpoz-29]

To determine if you have hydraulic lifters, remove the cam, (valve), cover. With a lobe pointing up, turn the lifter and see if there are two holes 180 degrees apart. If so, you have a mechanical head. Also, check the tune up specs on a HEI Vega. My '75 Vega tune up specs say to gap the plugs at .060. Don't use the specs printed on the underside of your hood, since they are for a point-type ignition. I think the wires for a Chevette will work for HEI Vegas too. Finally, the only thing that gave me trouble on the Holley carbs were the floats saturating, (and therefor sinking), and the power valve diaphram tearing. The floats don't come in any of the rebuild kits I've bought, but the valve did. And all of the Vegas with HEI had an external coil.

[bugdewde]

OK, thanks for the info....
While looking over the '73 Shop manual, I noticed the holes in the lifters for adjustment. Should be an easy check.... hope the valve/cam cover gasket doesn't leak.

As for the gap, the Chilton's manual, Clymer's manual states 0.060" for '75 only 140's .... the rest are all 0.035"--- including '76 and '77. I don't know what would make the '75 require 0.060". Anyone know? How do I figure out what mine would need?

I've found some wires on ebay.... but don't have the debris boot made into them that covers the plug hole.

I sort of read the '73 Shop manual section on the Holley 5210.... I'll see what I can do with one of the spare carbs and the rebuild kit .....

[flracer]

the engine can be identified by the number on pass. side of block [just above and in front of starter].I have an old chiltons book with the codes [my 72 has CAY 77 140 2bbl.].I believe 76 and 77 are hydraulic lifter engines and 77engines were blue.
My 72 GT [w/77 engine]and saginaw 4 speed gets well over 20 mpg to work and back some stop and go.My parents live about 40 miles away and on several trips to and from gets 36/37 mpg.Has 2 bbl. holley 5200 on Offenhauser intake and header with exhaust split into duals.Rebuilt Vega carbs arent to expensive on ebay.

[bugdewde]

Couldn't find a number anywhere near the starter.....

The distributor # is 1110538 indicating it's a '77 dizzy.

I did pull the cam cover... the lifters are mechanical.
Lash seemed tolerable. I wanted to loosen the #1 exhaust since the 0.014" and the 0.016" feelers combined didn't fit....... but I couldn't get an allen wrench to turn the adjusters!!!!!! They must be pretty worn.

While I was at it, I did a compression test:
#1 showed 145 psi
#2 showed between 155-160 psi
#3 showed a meager 100 psi
#4 showed 150 psi

I rechecked #3 and let the engine turn over about 10-12 times. This time I got almost 130 psi.
I added some 3 in 1 oil to the cylinder and it bumped up to 150 psi.

So I'm assuming #3 has a worn ring.
Don't want to tear it down yet.... having too much fun driving it.

[flracer]

Dwight the pad is at the top of the block about halfway back on pass side.Theres a small flat pad that sticks out a bit where head and block meet.Will have some letters and numbers on it code is 3 capital letters.Pad is like small block Chevy pad on front of block just on side instead.

Checked Chiltons manual from late 75 on hydraulic lifters all 140 engines.


Richard

[bugdewde]

OK... I saw the pad then. but it is painted over very well. There are no legible numbers or letters there. I'll have to scrape/brush it some.

[Jitterbugdude]

Did you ever put a magnet into your cylinder wall to see if indeed it was steel sleeved?

[MIKESMONZA]

That looks like the motor in my mom's first Vega ,,,2300???,,,, ok I also remember a sealed allluminum air filter Housing coming on the car from the factory,, Maybe those were the engines that they were sleeving.,,,, Is it a Iron head on a alluminum block ???? . Oh and the magnet idea is probaly a good ideal for checking for sleeve's.,,,,,Mike

[gt350fme]

That holly 2 brrl carb is not difficult to rebuild, but do check the throttle/butterfly shaft to housing for excessive play, all of mine were worn and caused a vacuum leak. the EGR system also plugs up easily.
Your #3 cylinder is not up snuff, sounds like rings sorry, hopfully the engine is sleeved and a rebuild is in order, if not, and if you don't want to sleeve your engine, and if the cylinders are not terribly scored or anything, along with some head work, you might get away with just replacing the rings, I have a 944 Porsche with the same type of aluminum cylinders, from my readings from the Porsche forums, some owners have simply just replaced the original type rings and were able to get compression back, and kept on going, I know it sounds nutty but it does work if the pistons and cylinders are not to far gone, the ridge at cylinder top was apparently not a problem either, NO GUARAENTEES, just food for thought.
Your engine probably has solid lifters, also the HEI distributor will take a wider spark plug gap as specified.
Time for that V-8???
Good luck with your project

[bugdewde]

I haven't checked the cylinder walls with a magnet, yet. I just picked up an extendable "pick-up" type tool with a strong magnet on the end. Maybe this weekend.

Car runs great at speed but does hesitate at idle. I've sprayed starting fluid along the intake and carb base and found the bolts were loose. Tightened but still rough idle.

I'm running the piss out of the little thing most every morning to work. 80+ mph on the interstate for 6 or 7 miles each way. Runs hard around town, too. Just sucks at idle.

I have a carb rebuild kit and three carbs in the basement. Will try and get one with less play at the butterfly shaft rebuilt.

Gonna run it 'til it pukes, then do the 215 V8 swap..... or try to rebuild it with the spare 140 I've got that is locked up.

[res0o7eb]

Mike,
This is the Vega 2300 engine as it was referred to in the early Vegas. It's also known as the 2.3 liter and the 140 cu. in. Vega engine.
It's an aluminum-silicon alloy block (no steel cylinder sleeves) with an iron head - a Single OverHead Cam (SOHC). The bare head weighs more than the bare block. I hope that refreshes your memories of your Mom's Vega.

Dwight,
Don't swap it. You CAN rebuild it.