WISEMEN- New head build, low compression, leakdown results. HELP!

[swarm]

First let me start by saying that this is my first ever head swap, build, etc.

1991 Eclipse GSX MTX
*Stock Bottom End
*Stock 1g nonturbo head with turbo cams - rebuilt, not warped - head was milled very smooth, nobody in my area could measure the RA, but it was very smooth.
*Emissions Removed
*ARP head studs

Car started right up, ran fine -- overheated. Boost felt great. I havn't felt boost in a while.

anyhow...... the car has a hard starting issue, and recently started NOT boosting. felt like a boost leak, but there was none. I did a boost leak check- oldman would be proud.

Okay, so anyhow, I did a compression test and the results are as follows
compression numbers, leakdown results were at TDC for the appropriate cylinder.
1=140psi, extreme leakage
2=130psi, extreme leakage
3=110psi, extreme leakage
4=155psi, not any leakage
During 1, 2, and 3, the car sounds like it is leaking air from the exhaust manifold, which generally means exhaust valves?

While cranking the car, it makes the coolant bubble, but during the leakdown, there is no bubbling .

I am very confused about this situtuation, and the only thing I can think of is if the valve seats on the exhaust side were not done properly, but I would like some input before i start tearing this car apart again -- it is just too expensive to keep doing.

Thanks for all your input, and thanks Luda for this site.

 

[Scott_S]

are you 100% sure the timing is correct? Sounds like it could be either valves or a hg(it would explain the overheating and coolant bubbles) The bubbles from cranking are caused because the waterpump is turning.

 

[swarm]

Thanks for the response.

Timing is dead-on. New belt, New tensioner -- checked, checked again, and tripple checked with the 6-rotations method. it is dead on.

The head is newly rebuilt, so the valves should not be bent... when I put the head on, all pistons were 50% down, and then i turned #1 up after the head was torqued... watched in the cyl. hole with a flashlight to ensure we were not turning the wrong way. timing is right.

I am leaning toward head gasket, too -- but why would it blow immediately? it was torqued to 85foot-lb using my ARP hardware. Also I screwed the studs in, waited 30 min, wiped the oil away from the head stud holes, turned them in further, waited a few more mins, wiped up the oil.. repeated process until no oil.

 

[Scott_S]

When I did my arp install I was told to put the studs in hand tight and torque the nuts to 75ft/lbs with the moly lube.did you verify that the vavles were seating properly? Also that the valve margine was correst because if it was to small you could have burnt a valve pretty quick. basically the things to look for are, headgasket: two adjecent cylinders having equally low numbers(if its blown between cylinders), rad hose getting hard very fast due to compression getting into the coolant. I guess you could try a wet compression test to try and narrow it down.

 

[underpressure25]

How many miles are on the block? Are you sure when you did the clt test that the cylinder was at tdc of compression stroke and did you ensure that the engine did not turn due to the air being put in the cylinder? Also did you pull the oil dipstick and listen or feel for air escaping? Also pull the valve cover and check to make sure all your roller rockers are seated properly, I've seen them be cockeyed and cause thes symptoms during a clt test.
Goodluck