99em1civicsi

I have a built b18c1 with wiseco pistons and eagle rods. The Pistons were like 8.5:1 at 81.5mm bore. Had the block bored and honed. I gapped the rings to wiseco specs. Head I bought from a seller that was redone with supposed all skunk2 valve train, was never ran and looked to be new as he stated. I used an oem head gasket with arp head studs. Got everything together and to my tuner yesterday. Car made pathetic power. Only made 260hp on 18lbs of boost with a precision 5858. Tuner doesn't know why besides blaming my cast log manifold. Regardless I got the car home and did a compression test with the motor warmed up and I'm getting 125 across all 4. Any ideas? This was a dry test.

civic-steve-94

Are you valves adjusted correctly? Did you do the compression test with the fuel injectors unplugged and at WOT? If you answer yes to these questions do a leak down test to fine out where your compression is going.

99em1civicsi

I pulled the fi engine management fuse. Before the tune I set the intake gap at .07 and exhaust at .08. How long does it take the rings to seat? Maybe my compression tester is junk?

cruizinmax

iTrader: (2)

I would double check your mechanical timing and valve adjustment.

99em1civicsi

Timing has been checked and rechecked I even bought one of those cam locking tools

civic-steve-94

If you doubt your compression gauge either use on a known good engine or use a known good gauge. Do you have blow by when the oil cap is removed with the engine running?

99em1civicsi

I have a catch can setup with 4 10an ports on valve cover and 2 10 an lines to the back of the block. There is a small amount of smoke from the filter on the catch can. I'm going to Sears tomorrow to get a new compression tester. This one is over 10 years old and I'm not sure that I trust it.

99em1civicsi

I was hoping to find that my problem was ultimately a crappy Zerg intake manifold gasket leaking under boost, just tried to test the compression first to try and rule one thing out at a time. The throttle body gasket from Zerg leaked immediately and I could hear the hiss. Changes it to an oem one and the idle was nice and no more hissing.

motoxxxman

if the compression is even across the board, either the cam timing is off, or the guage is wrong, or it truly has a lower compression ratio than you think it has.
also possible is if valve lash is set evenly, but to wrong specs. you said .07 and .08. is that in inches or millimeters? is the decimal in the correct place? check your feeler guages to make sure...

99em1civicsi

Headed to Sears now to pick up a new compression tester. The intake was .007mm and the exhaust was .008mm. What number should I be looking for on 8.5:1 Pistons 81.5mm bore

civic-steve-94

Assuming you using dished valves around 170psi. If your using flat faced valves around 190psi.

99em1civicsi

Leak down was 35% and compression is 135 across the board. I can hear air coming out of the fittings on my valve cover to the catch can and a small amount out of my dipstick tube. Any ideas?

civic-steve-94

You have a problem with something in the bottom end like piston rings, piston to wall gap or something of that nature.

99em1civicsi

The bottom end of the motor was assembled and left covered for almost 2 years before it was finished and fired up. Wild that make any difference

civic-steve-94

I know what like. Is it burning oil?

99em1civicsi

Doesn't seem to be. Was only really driven on the Dyno, but when it's idling I don't see a cloud of blue smoke or anything. Guess l will have to pull the head, pistons and rods and rehone it and throw in a new set of rings. Just crazy this happened. Everything was done at a machine shop that build dirt track race engines.

civic-steve-94

Did they happen to supply you with a build sheet?

PyroProblem

Why so low on static compression?
With low even numbers across all cylinders' I would also suspect camshaft timing being off but if you said it's good then we'll assume it's good also what kind of camshafts? Where are the camshaft degreed using a degree wheel or just the markings on the gears?

Compression numbers do seem quite low. I'm wondering how much those 8.5 cr pistons are contributing to that?

How many miles are on the engine now? Still Rings still need time to break in?
30% leakage past the Rings is not a good sign.

99em1civicsi

I just used the marks on the cam gears and the crank. Stock cams with skunk 2 cam gears. Motor only has dyno time no actual road miles. Mid 200hp on 18psi seems pretty bad dont you.

99em1civicsi

ordered a new set of wiseco rings. Going to pull the head, pull pistons and rods and do a rehone.

civic-steve-94

Make sure to check piston to wall gap!!!!!

99em1civicsi

with gauge or filler ribbon?

99em1civicsi

i gave the pistons and rods to the machine shop when they did the work. I remember when they came back they had sharpie on the tops of each with like .003

99em1civicsi

99em1civicsi

This is the head im using. Seller said it was all skunk2