Been through my motor for the 4th time since the rev limiter incident at the track a month ago. Still have less than 60psi of compression on my #2 cylinder and can't figure out why. I have replaced the head gasket, rehoned the one "bad" cylinder, had 3 different pistons and rings in it now, and still NO freakin compression. If I do a leak down on the car, it sounds like it is leaking through the exhaust valves slightly but the valves are undamaged and the seats look fine as well. When I put it back together today, I thought I had it dead on finally but, no luck. Still the three cylinders of fury and I don't know where to go next.

I need either some exhaust valves I guess or a 9mm for myself because I just can't find the F'n problem and it's driving me nuts. I would just take it to the shop and drop it off but I just don't have the spare cash right now to throw at a car. Anyone have any advice or ideas as to what might be wrong?

On a good note, the practice has gotten me to where I can tear a B16 down to a short block in 1 hour and 15 minutes.

 

Have you put alcohol and food coloring through the ports and sprayed it with air to check for blowby at the valves or are you just assuming that since they're not at a right angle to the valve stem that they're perfectly fine? If you overrevved a B16 (how the expletive you did that, by the way, I have no idea) you almost definately damaged the valves.

Also, be sure you change the spark plugs as one or more of them might have been involved in some of the fun piston-to-valve contact that goes on at 10k+ rpm. Air can leak by there too, you know.

 

OK, a little more clear here, I just hit the 8600 rpm limiter but it was in third gear at the drag strip on the spray. I wasn't quick enough off the throttle and melted the tip of the #2 plug, the ceramic also cracked and went somewhere, I was assuming out the valves but I could find no damage when the valves were opened and inspected.

As far as the food coloring and alcohol, I have not heard of this technique before, is there a link or something explaining it so I would know what to do? It sounds like it should be my next step.

And I couldn't see any marks on the piston or valves to indicate any contact, just seemed that it got really really hot in there when it hit the limiter as it well should have.