OK... I got this 1994 Acura Integra for free...

The previous owner ran it with a radiator leak and so it ran till it couldn't anymore. I took the head off and examined everything and can't determine what the problem is exactly (I was kinda hoping for a bad head gasket). The head or engine block aren't warped, and the head gasket seemed fine. The cylinder compression was 1 - 70psi, 2 - 10psi, 3 - 30psi, 4 - 90psi. When I tried starting it (just to move it) smoke came right out of the radiator. So now my only other theory would be that maybe the sleeves are bad. Also, the head seems fine; no leaks.

What are your thoughts on what it may be??

 

do a leakdown test...it'll give you a better handle on what could be wrong...which sounds like quite a few things

 

you kinda opened a can of worms with that motor.

there could just be cracked sleeves, or everything could be shot.

Why didn't you look at the sleeves when you had the head off?

Did you have the head and block checked with a straightedge and feeler guauge or did you just eye ball it?

Where is it smoking from out of the radiator?

 

What exactly is a leakdown test??

The head is still off. I used a straight edge but I didn't use any feeler gauges yet.

The smoke was coming out of the hole that was in the radiator; and not just a little smoke, it was a decent amount.

 

a leakdown test uses compressed air to pressurize the combustion chamber. If there are any leaks such as bent valves, headgasket, cracked sleeves etc. it will show with a leakdown test.

check all the surfaces, b/c if he ran it when it was overheating, its possible the head and/or block is warped.

so theres an actual hole in the radiator? if so replace the radiator.

about the motor having low compression, it looks as if it needs to be rebuilt, just pull it out and take it to a machine shop and see what they say.

 

take head to machine shop and inspect or magnuflux for cracks........same with block.