Calling All Dsm Experts

[killab443]

Ok so here's the story, I bought a head online and installed it to my block with arp head studs and a 3 layer mitsubishi gasket. The block is in good shape and was in a running car previously. Both surfaces were clean to the bone. I also purchased a full timing belt kit too. Anyway all was installed to perfection. Head studs hand tightened. Nuts, studs and washers lubed and installed (torqued nuts to 81ftlbs). I installed the timing belt with perfection. Everything lined up and was checked and rechecked and checked again. So I decide to turn the motor over by hand since the engine is outa the car. I turn the motor and compression test each cylider. It appears that only 2 cylinders put out a compression number. 60psi in cylinder 2 and cylinder 3 had 18psi. The other cylinders had nothing ,zero... nada. I did everything right, I even posted pics of the timing to make sure all was good. So now Ive found myself in a jammy because I just took the head off to see if maybe the head i got was bad. I check the valves and they dont really look bent. The thing is some valves seat completely some kinda dont. Now my question is, is there anything else it can be besides the valves? Head studs and gasket are both new. Ill post pics shortly of the valves.

 

[Nanan]

If you are sure the valves are not bent then its got to be the piston rings that are bad. While you have the head off look at the walls in each bore and look for vertical grooving. A little vertical groving is fine but really it should look crosshatched at 45-60deg angles to the upright.

 

[killab443]

Cylinder walls still show crosshatching

 

[killab443]

i took some pics the quality isnt good enough to even see the valves. my camera sucks

 

[SmokeyGST]

Well damn you are my soulmate. I just finished a complete rebuild on my engine i used 4 layer metal HG and torqued to 81 lbs, i am reading about 30psi compression. When i try and start it it just turns it over with no pulses. Now i am wishing i didn't get as far as i did with it since i am really leaning toward a headgasket as the problem...

 

[killab443]

this is the second block that ive tryed, i asumed that the oldblock had a warped deck. So i purchased another block that was recently rebuilt. Now i have a rebult block and a rebuilt head that was recently redecked. I have done everything in my power with this setup and it seems like nothing works. I have a set of stainless steel valves that I can install into this head and if it doesnt work Im stumped. Can it be anything else? The entire motor is basically new

 

[InFlames]

The thing is some valves seat completely some kinda dont. Now my question is, is there anything else it can be besides the valves?

The layered headgasket.

 

[NOSLO2PT0]

Cars run just fine with bad/blown headgaskets. They just tend to leak coolant and pressurize the coolant system. You cannot turn the motor over by hand and do a compression test. You MUST use the started and crank for a minimum of 5 seconds. As for getting those lo #'s, I really hope you had the head decked when using a metal HG. Also, I always get my heads vacuum tested before I slap em on a car. Nothing like wasting an entire day doing a head swap on a head that has bent valves. And NO, you can't always tell just by looking at them.

 

[Defiant]

I check the valves and they dont really look bent. The thing is some valves seat completely some kinda dont.

Those are bent, replace again.

 

[killab443]

do the exhaust valves not go in as far as the intake.? all of the exhaust valves in the car seem to stick out a little compared to the intake side(all equal), which look like there flush with the chamber. Also Since i took the cams out to start changing valves, I was wondering if the exhaust cam went on the intake side and the intake went on the exhaust, could that cause a compression problem?

 

[92awddsm]

Did you bleed the lifters before you reinstalled them? If not, they will hold the valves open and cause no compression. Pull the lifters and compress them in a bench vice to bleed the oil out.

 

[NOSLO2PT0]

Did you bleed the lifters before you reinstalled them? If not, they will hold the valves open and cause no compression. Pull the lifters and compress them in a bench vice to bleed the oil out.

If you install the lifters fully expanded, and try to start the car, you WILL introduce the valves to the pistons.