B_Swapped93

Stock k20a2, tested it myself at 185psi COLD in the dead of winter with the same comp tester I used today, put supertech 92lb springs and retainers in. And now I have 47-55 PSI max in 2/4 cyls, other two are most likely the same battery died so I didn't get them. I test cyl 2 and 4, the timing is dead on?(see pics) i'm totally lost at this point. Yes, I re-used the HG and head studs, as I've done on countless B/D series with no comp loss. I haven't even owned and engine with this low compression before.


Cylinder is at TDC here, is this not correct?



Both those holes line up when I have the cam gear marks matched with the piston at TDC.





UPDATE: pulled the head, deck and head surface seems fine not even a scratch, HG was fine too. Valves, shouldn't have been able to take damage as I never ran the car from the time I tested it till now.

1HGEJ2

iTrader: (1)

i would use a new headgasket. show us crank marks

B_Swapped93

Can set the cams easily, but am I lining the crank up correctly?

JRCivic1

NOPE !!! You have found your own problem B swapped93. Your crankshaft is 180' out when your cams are at TDC. The dot on the front of the crank gear (as well as the crank pulley keyway slot) face up and point to the small triangle arrow cast into the block... which in your first pic above is pointing toward the "WZ" stamp on the crank gear.

Find the three dark colored links on the timing chain. Set your cams and crank at what you believe to be TDC, place the timing chain over the gears in such a way that the dark links are directly over the DOTS stamped on the cam gears and the dot on the crank gear (very close to the base of the teeth of the gear... and cannot be seen once the chain has been installed) at about the 7:30-8:00 O'clock position when the dot you have pictured above is at the 12 O'clock position in line with the arrow pointer. Then install your chain guides and release the tensioner so that pressure can be applied to the left chain guide.

B_Swapped93

Ok, thank you very much. This 2nd little dot I haven't seen yet, just the one pictured which must be lined up with the cast arrow on the block. I'll get some better lighting and look in that area, that's more than likely what I missed last time.

stayontrack

i would also buy a new or modified crank timing gear. they are known to wear out and break or at high hp. i bought a motor that had the back pin snapped off the gear and the motor was stock.

B_Swapped93

PISTON RINGS, we set the timing 100% tested it 63-67 psi in all 4 "dry" , put a table-spoon of oil in a watched it shoot up to 110/115/185/185. Let me say this first, I was foolish and let water and brake parts cleaner sit in the cylinders as I was careless while cleaning it. When I pulled the head the cylinders were rather rusty and the engine hard to turn. My friend said we got the super low numbers as the cylinders/rings had absolutely no oil and a bunch of rust. Could the WET test we did get them to "go back to normal" and stay at around 185ish psi as that's what I tested it at when I bought it in February.

jdblock

Yes. If there was rust on the rings, keeping them from expanding 100%, oil could loosen them back up.

Look at old engines that have been sitting for decades. First thing you do when you get them running is to put oil in the cylinders to loosen the top end.

I wouldn't worry about it now that you're getting good numbers.

B_Swapped93

That's what my friend was saying, I was confused to how the rings could just be "toast" after getting a bit of rust and sitting for 3 months at most. e ended up getting 185 in all of them at the end of out test which re ran each cylinder twice.