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low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings...

Old 10-16-2005, 02:18 PM
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Default low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings...

ok so here is the scenarios guys:

okay so the compressoin numbers are as follows

180-180-150-180

and there is a clear loss of power.

i took apart the motor and so far the cylinder walls are normal wear and tear for 8k miles. second, the pistons are fine there is nothing visible AT ALL or any signs of damage. rings have been inspected and checked, they are A okay !!!

now what are the possiilities for the loss of power ?!?!? could it be the valve seals ?? valves needed to be adjusted ?!?! i have no clue ?? head gasket could have been bad ?!?! but there was no leak anywhere or mixture of oil and coolant....

any help would be greatly appreciated as i am trying to get this car back on the road ASAP !!!

Thanks

Nirav
Old 10-16-2005, 02:26 PM
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maybe bent valves?????
Old 10-16-2005, 02:56 PM
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Default Re: (nos51)

this is a possibilty, but to the naked eye they look perfectly fine to me. i will have the head checked at a machine shop for leaks, then hot washed, and new valve seals, and if needed new valves. but thanks for the input !!!

keep it coming guys...


bump for a guy who needs help !!

Nirav
Old 10-16-2005, 03:03 PM
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Default Re: low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings... (EK_GSR)

Could have just needed a valve adjustment. On BoostedCivicSedan's car compression tested 180, 0, 180, 180. Adjusted the valves and got 180 across. It was a freshly built motor.
Old 10-16-2005, 03:08 PM
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Default Re: low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings... (0x64)

yea im thinking that was the problem, i kinda hear the valves sounded a bit loose, but i wanted to make sure... all it will cost is a new headgasket, and a timing belt. but i can put my head on the pillow ya know !?!?! but thanks i will def. adjust the valves a couple times and check them twice before i turn it over later this week after a bit of cleaning up.

THANKS !!!!

Nirav
Old 10-16-2005, 03:10 PM
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Default Re: low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings... (EK_GSR)

How many miles are on the bottom end and head?
Old 10-16-2005, 03:49 PM
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Default Re: low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings... (0x64)

after rebuid ?!?! about 7k

total.. i have no clue... but the head, and everything has been cleaning and kept in immaculate condition... i've put maybe a total of 35k on the head / block including the 7k whcih was after a COMPLETE rebuild.

but the vavles WERE loose i could hear a couple of them... i will check that out.
Old 10-17-2005, 06:11 AM
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Default Re: low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings... (EK_GSR)

^^^ TTT.

thanks guys, there is a nother thread where the guyhas the same prblem as me and did a valve adjustment and everything was fine. so lets hope. !!!!
Old 10-17-2005, 07:23 AM
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Default Re: low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings... (EK_GSR)

i assume you took the pistons and rings out of the block?
Old 10-17-2005, 01:09 PM
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Default Re: low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings... (Si Shane)

yea everything is out and looks perfectly fine... just normal wear and tear for 7k miles.... which makes no sense... i think it was just the valves needed to be adjusted... but lets see im going to have the head checked out and then replace the valve seals since the block is already out.... and then we'll be able to tell....

Old 10-17-2005, 01:53 PM
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Default Re: low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings... (0x64)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 0x64 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Could have just needed a valve adjustment. On BoostedCivicSedan's car compression tested 180, 0, 180, 180. Adjusted the valves and got 180 across. It was a freshly built motor.</TD></TR></TABLE>

ditto .. i had to adjust my valves . i got 20% leakdown before adjustment now its hovering aroudn 4-5% leakdown after adjustment. HUGE difference. !
Old 10-17-2005, 02:32 PM
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Default Re: low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings... (project dc2)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by project dc2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

ditto .. i had to adjust my valves . i got 20% leakdown before adjustment now its hovering aroudn 4-5% leakdown after adjustment. HUGE difference. ! </TD></TR></TABLE>



And scary at the same time. BoostedCivicSedan and myself spent Friday, Saturday, Sunday and a little bit of Monday building, assembling, swapping, wiring, installing, tuning, etc. his motor/car. Then it shows 0 compression on a cylinder Then after a simple valve adjustment it shows 180
Old 10-17-2005, 04:10 PM
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the valves being tight will cause you to loose compresion.. being loose wouldnt hurt it...if your valves are loose they will be ticking from how hard they are CLOSING to tight and they will not close....


remember being to tight is refering to them being to tight against the cam which will push them open more.

being to loose will mean they arent as close to the cams so the will close harder and tick
Old 10-17-2005, 04:20 PM
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Default Re: (D@nnY)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by D@nnY &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the valves being tight will cause you to loose compresion.. being loose wouldnt hurt it...if your valves are loose they will be ticking from how hard they are CLOSING to tight and they will not close....


remember being to tight is refering to them being to tight against the cam which will push them open more.

being to loose will mean they arent as close to the cams so the will close harder and tick</TD></TR></TABLE>



Found this out first hand when my compression shot up after loosening my valves during an adjustment, go figure
Old 10-18-2005, 08:54 AM
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Default Re: (VTC_CiViC)

thanks from the input guys, but from what i remember the valves were not tight, if anything they were loose and the compression started dropping slowly meaning progressively so im thinking valves can not progrssively get tighter.... or can they ??? any other possibilities ?? car temp was over normal several times, tune was extremely messed up thanks to a tuner in miami who tuned the car to 13.7 AFR on boost !!!! at 7.5 lbs and he then turned around to tell me that it was fine, and ferrari this and STI that... i told him to shove it . what parts could have gotten damaged by this ?? possible head gasket? any way to tell if the head gasket was damaged ?!!??

there seems to be alot of carbon build up on the bottom of the head, and on the pistions... but there is no damage to the pistons or the head from the naked eye.
Old 10-19-2005, 01:26 PM
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Default Re: (EK_GSR)

^^^^
Old 10-21-2005, 02:13 AM
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Default Re: (EK_GSR)

i forgot to mention that the spark plugs showed a massive difference in the cylinder with lower compression than with the other three.

1, 2, 4 - where greyish

3, was somewhat brownish....

does that help any ?!?! or tell any signs of what might possibly be the problem. ????
Old 10-21-2005, 11:47 AM
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Default Re: (EK_GSR)

^^^
Old 10-21-2005, 12:44 PM
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Default Re: low compression whats wrong with it ?!?! not pistons or rings... (EK_GSR)

dude, I just wanna know if you took the motor apart for fun? why not a leakdown first or any normal troubleshoot before pulling everything apart?

at this point you should take the head to a local machine shop and pressure test for leaks...

damn this makes me really curious about my valve clearance... my compression measured around 160 across but that was less then 1k miles... now I have about 13k miles on it and havent drove it since I heard a loud canking noise comming from the head...

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 0x64 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">



And scary at the same time. BoostedCivicSedan and myself spent Friday, Saturday, Sunday and a little bit of Monday building, assembling, swapping, wiring, installing, tuning, etc. his motor/car. Then it shows 0 compression on a cylinder Then after a simple valve adjustment it shows 180 </TD></TR></TABLE>

is that bastard running the streets again?
Old 10-22-2005, 06:45 AM
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Default Re: (EK_GSR)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EK_GSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thanks from the input guys, but from what i remember the valves were not tight, if anything they were loose and the compression started dropping slowly meaning progressively so im thinking valves can not progrssively get tighter.... or can they ??? any other possibilities ?? car temp was over normal several times, tune was extremely messed up thanks to a tuner in miami who tuned the car to 13.7 AFR on boost !!!! at 7.5 lbs and he then turned around to tell me that it was fine, and ferrari this and STI that... i told him to shove it . what parts could have gotten damaged by this ?? possible head gasket? any way to tell if the head gasket was damaged ?!!??

there seems to be alot of carbon build up on the bottom of the head, and on the pistions... but there is no damage to the pistons or the head from the naked eye. </TD></TR></TABLE>

You cannot tell if a valve is bent looking at it...roll it on a table or spin it in a drill....it may need valees and a new valve job to seal....you may have a screwed up piston ring also
Old 10-22-2005, 02:59 PM
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Default Re: (D@nnY)

i took it apart because there was something clearly wrong with it, and i cant do a leakdown test on my own... and i couldnt take the car anywhere and im going to school at UM... so i dont have time with 6 classes so i work on the car here and there... but i am going to get the head checked out.


for the ringlands is it visible ?!?! if they go bad.. i had them looked at by my mechanic who put the motor together with me and he said rings and pistons are perfect condition which is why im wondering... and again i understand nothing minor can be seen my the naked eye which is why i will replace the rings. and all and see how it goes... lets hope it goes well other wise i will go N\A....


.....

i hate to stop so close.. i had the car running and all....
Old 10-23-2005, 06:44 AM
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Default Re: (EK_GSR)

^^^^
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