Strange problem, please help

mr2_1989 · 01-31-2008, 06:27 PM

Hello everyone, I have an 89 NA that is running very poorly at the moment. I am going to go through the whole story of what I have gone through until this point.
I broke the timing belt on it a while back and have since replaced the belt and redid the timing, after I got the new belt on it ran fine for one day then it started to run very poorly and leak a lot of oil. I then replaced the head gasket and it continued to run the same, bogs really bad under load under 2k rpm. Last night I tested the compression and came up with...
cyl.1 - 190
cyl.2 - 100
cyl.3 - 70
cyl.4 - 185
so after replacing the head gasket it seems that my compression hasn't gotten any better, the wierd thing is that when the motor is running the exhaust smells like it is burning coolant. But there is no coolant in the oil or vice versa, but it is loosing coolant.
Is there anything other than the head gasket that can result in bad compression on the middle two cyl? but still allow the engine to run fine at idle and above 2k?
also, is it possible that maby the head gasket I put on didn't seal right?

tymr287 · 01-31-2008, 07:42 PM

Put som oil in cylinders 2 & 3, just enough to help seal the rings. Do another compression check. If it stays the same, then no problems there. If it goes up then the rings are at fault. Now, if it stays the same look towards your valves or head gasket leaking between cylinders. Could put compessed air to a cylinder with the valves closed and listen for air coming out of the exhaust, intake, or the other cylinder. That will tell you which valve to investigate further, or if its the head gasket.

mr2_1989 · 01-31-2008, 07:56 PM

ok, I will try this tomarrow when I get a chance.
thanks,
chris

SteveAW11 · 02-01-2008, 12:08 AM

I hope its not but It may be possible theres a crack in the cylinder wall between the combustion chamber and a coolant passage.

Like I said though I hope not.

mr2_1989 · 02-01-2008, 12:31 PM

yeah, I hope not too. But that would still be better than having to replace the piston rings

tjmr2 · 02-02-2008, 01:05 AM

You need to do a leak down test to determine what your problem is. The 4AGE is supposed to be a non-interference engine meaning that if the cam belt breaks the open valves don't hit any pistons. This is the best link I have found for building a leak down tester and will give you an understanding of how to use it.

Tech Tip: Building and Using a Leakdown Tester

Before you replaced the head gasket where was it leaking a lot of oil from?

Something else to look at, remove your coolant filler cap and start the engine, are you getting bubbles in your system? This would indicate a leak between the combustion chamber and the water passage. That may be where your lost compression is going, and it may be sucking coolant into the combustion chamber during intake causing a loss of coolant and a coolant smell at the exhaust.

Which could be something as simple as a head gasket........ Argh he says I just did that.

Do a leak down test, it will tell you exactly where the problem lies. It's a cheap tool to make and can save you from guessing as to what's wrong.

mr2_1989 · 02-12-2008, 04:35 PM

ok, I got my head off, and the gasket is almmost definately the problem. the ROL head gasket just seems like a piece of **** and I am going to put it all back together with an OEM head gasket tomarrow. hopefully it will solve my problem.

Dacia · 02-13-2008, 11:25 AM

I bought a cheep gasket too and ended up, re-torquenig the head bolts because it was leaking compression in the coolant sys.

01-31-2008, 06:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
mr2_1989 No Skills Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Strange problem, please help Hello everyone, I have an 89 NA that is running very poorly at the moment. I am going to go through the whole story of what I have gone through until this point. I broke the timing belt on it a while back and have since replaced the belt and redid the timing, after I got the new belt on it ran fine for one day then it started to run very poorly and leak a lot of oil. I then replaced the head gasket and it continued to run the same, bogs really bad under load under 2k rpm. Last night I tested the compression and came up with... cyl.1 - 190 cyl.2 - 100 cyl.3 - 70 cyl.4 - 185 so after replacing the head gasket it seems that my compression hasn't gotten any better, the wierd thing is that when the motor is running the exhaust smells like it is burning coolant. But there is no coolant in the oil or vice versa, but it is loosing coolant. Is there anything other than the head gasket that can result in bad compression on the middle two cyl? but still allow the engine to run fine at idle and above 2k? also, is it possible that maby the head gasket I put on didn't seal right?

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01-31-2008, 07:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
tymr287 Some Skills Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Orleans Posts: 74 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Put som oil in cylinders 2 & 3, just enough to help seal the rings. Do another compression check. If it stays the same, then no problems there. If it goes up then the rings are at fault. Now, if it stays the same look towards your valves or head gasket leaking between cylinders. Could put compessed air to a cylinder with the valves closed and listen for air coming out of the exhaust, intake, or the other cylinder. That will tell you which valve to investigate further, or if its the head gasket.

01-31-2008, 07:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
mr2_1989 No Skills Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	ok, I will try this tomarrow when I get a chance. thanks, chris

02-01-2008, 12:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
SteveAW11 Cage Fighter Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 131 Thanks: 1 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	I hope its not but It may be possible theres a crack in the cylinder wall between the combustion chamber and a coolant passage. Like I said though I hope not.

02-01-2008, 12:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
mr2_1989 No Skills Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	yeah, I hope not too. But that would still be better than having to replace the piston rings

02-02-2008, 01:05 AM	#6 (permalink)
tjmr2 Cage Fighter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 410 Thanks: 0 Thanked 62 Times in 59 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	You need to do a leak down test to determine what your problem is. The 4AGE is supposed to be a non-interference engine meaning that if the cam belt breaks the open valves don't hit any pistons. This is the best link I have found for building a leak down tester and will give you an understanding of how to use it. Tech Tip: Building and Using a Leakdown Tester Before you replaced the head gasket where was it leaking a lot of oil from? Something else to look at, remove your coolant filler cap and start the engine, are you getting bubbles in your system? This would indicate a leak between the combustion chamber and the water passage. That may be where your lost compression is going, and it may be sucking coolant into the combustion chamber during intake causing a loss of coolant and a coolant smell at the exhaust. Which could be something as simple as a head gasket........ Argh he says I just did that. Do a leak down test, it will tell you exactly where the problem lies. It's a cheap tool to make and can save you from guessing as to what's wrong.

02-12-2008, 04:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
mr2_1989 No Skills Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	ok, I got my head off, and the gasket is almmost definately the problem. the ROL head gasket just seems like a piece of **** and I am going to put it all back together with an OEM head gasket tomarrow. hopefully it will solve my problem.

02-13-2008, 11:25 AM	#8 (permalink)
Dacia No Skills Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: colorado springs Posts: 29 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	I bought a cheep gasket too and ended up, re-torquenig the head bolts because it was leaking compression in the coolant sys.