did Mr. Valve meet Mr. Piston?

bigjangin · Sep 26, 2003

At first glance, I thought I had an odd electrical problem when my car was giving me trouble. It threw a cel on the way home, then it idled horribly and died when I restarted it. The next time it started up perfectly fine. However, from that point on it would idle for a few seconds and die, and now it wont start.

The timing belt was replaced in january, so i didnt think that would be a problem. I checked everything inside and out to do w/ spark and fuel and found everything to be good. I gave up and had it towed to a local shop. Compression test results: 45-70-50-80. Not good. The weird thing is that they said the timing marks all line up. However, I'm thinking the tensioner failed on me and I jumped timing(and bent valves). I am gonna look at it myself to make see for sure if the timing is off or not.

Give me hope and a reason i would get 45-70-50-80 compression and a no start situation. Anything I can think of right now doesnt seem likely(headgasket?), I really think timing jumped and mr. valve and mr. piston met. Anyone know how expensive it is to replace valves? Or shed some hope and give alternate reasons for my low compression?

cait sith · Sep 26, 2003

Looks more like rings to me?

When I bent my valves (on two seperate occasions, mind you), I wasn't getting ANY compression. Like dead ZERO.

Try pouring a bit o' oil in the cylinder before a compression test to check the rings.

A compression test tool won't cost more than 30 bucks at Sears, although you will learn to loathe these tools as either they give GOOD or BAD results...

bigjangin · Sep 26, 2003

Would rings just go out like though.
There is one thing that sticks out as EXTREMELY odd in my situation.
Here is the sequence of events:
1. Started up car, it had a cel on.
2. got car home and tried to restart it, idled like crap for 10 seconds and died
3. reset ecu and restarted car, everything was fine. Good idle and no cel.
4. Tried restarting the car again and idles rough for 10 seconds then dies
5. no more starting it up anymore, just cranks and cranks.

If I jumped timing, or the rings failed, why the hell did it start back up perfectly fine? Isnt that weird? Thats why I thought it was an fuel or spark problem. Anyways, Im going to get the car back and test the compression my self.

cait sith · Sep 26, 2003

It's just that the compression test results sound really, really low, but not ZERO, which makes me think rings.

Is there any valvetrain noise other than the usual lifter tick? It'll sound AWFUL and sound like a coffee grinder if you've got bent valves.

When you get another compression test done, check it out.

RoasT BeeF · Sep 26, 2003

Originally posted by cait sith
It'll sound AWFUL and sound like a coffee grinder if you've got bent valves.

It wont even run if you have bent valves.

NOSNUSE · Sep 26, 2003

What CEL code did it give you? That should give you an idea of what to look for, as far as your compression, something there isn't right, but it does sound like a blown head gasket.

bigjangin · Sep 26, 2003

When I reset the ecu it got rid of the cel, and it wont throw another one Im guessing because it wont start.

WHen I started it up it didnt sound like metal thrashing against each other, it sounded like a bad misfire. Now when I crank it it sounds like it just barely wont start. I slept in today(I work nights) so i didnt get to pick up the car yet. Thanks for the replys.

Oh and is it possible for a headgasket to totally go out like that. I had no signs(no blowing smoke or anythng). I'll report back here with my findings.

cait sith · Sep 26, 2003

Originally posted by RoasT BeeF

It wont even run if you have bent valves.

My JDM motor ran with bent valves.

Twice.

Then again, I only killed one cylinder per time.

---

Back on topic: Take off your valve cover and check the valves on the top side. See if the lifters wiggle at all, etc.

pneumo · Sep 26, 2003

Jumped timing would account for the bad compression, but there could be other stuff wrong, too.

The cam sprockets have two timing marks on them, you have to make sure you have the correct marks lined up. Put the cam timing pins (dowels) at the 12 o'clock position and look to see if two notches on the cam gears are level with the center of the cam gear bolt. Don't just eyeball it, get a straight edge and lay it right against the cam gears. Both timing marks should also be pointing at each other, ie; exh. cam mark at 3 o'clock and int mark at 9 o'clock. Next check that the timing mark on the crank sprocket lines up, too. Good Luck, HTH.

bigjangin · Sep 27, 2003

thanks for all the help guys. I went out and bought a compression tester and it turned out good(150 across). So I'm pretty sure I didnt jump timing. I am getting fuel because Im getting gas on the plugs after cranking it. However, I'm not getting any spark. Any advice on common causes of spark failure?

cait sith · Sep 27, 2003

Check your wiring of the Cam Angle Sensor. One of my solders went bad and it didn't work at all. Also, test the CAS with a voltmeter.

Good luck!

bigjangin · Sep 28, 2003

i was sitting staring at the rear of my block like an idiot like "duurrr, wheres the cam angle sensor?" I read up and found out that on 95 & 96 the cas is behind the intake cam gear. I looked at the wiring and it seems as I have an oil leak right there(probably valve cover gasket) and it has leaked all over the wiring for the cas. Its really a pain to get to all that wiring since its behind the intake cam gear. Im busting out the voltmeter right now...

bigjangin · Sep 28, 2003

I used a multimeter to test the cam angle sensor and I'm getting 12volts to the power wire, constant 5 volts to the signal wire with the ignition on. When I crank it with the multimeter hooked onto the signal wire, it fluctates around 3 volts, but it doesnt fluctate from .4volts to 3 volts as the manual indicates. Maybe the multimeter doesnt respond fast enough, but im definitely getting power and some sort of signal from it.

The Central Hub for DSM Community and Information

did Mr. Valve meet Mr. Piston?

bigjangin

cait sith

bigjangin

cait sith

RoasT BeeF

NOSNUSE

bigjangin

cait sith

pneumo

bigjangin

cait sith

bigjangin

bigjangin

Similar threads

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds