Low Compression,Timing out? Help

Ben89

Lifer
am i right in thinking that if the timing was out by enough that it could det and therefore cause excessive cylinder temperatures? could that warp the head/block or would it melt the piston first?
 
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munday

Member +
am i right in thinking that if the timing was out by enough that it could det and therefore cause excessive cylinder temperatures? could that warp the head/block or would it melt the piston first?

The det would more likely kill a piston or the rings before warpage occured, but its not impossible.

The cam timing could cause the low comp, Nino will be checking it soon i think :)
 

TO82

Member +
Cheers for all the replys, im confused about it now lol

If the rings were shot how big a job is it to replace them? Any tutorials on here? obviously its not a small job but how hard would it be?

I think i will try swap the turbo soon and see if it is still smoking, i noticed that it was smoking on partial throttle the other day rather than when WOT, this another symptom of knackerd rings?

Cheers :)
 

scot-ish

Member +
dont know if there is a tutorial, but its whole engine out, sump off, main bearings, pull the pistons, change the rings, and then reverse it, is easy enough if your mechanically minded, and have the tools/space to do the job, and you might aswell do the HG etc if your doing rings

obv there is more to it than what ive said, but thats the basis of it
 

jabran200

Member +
Before you start getting worried do a leakdown test.

How much smoke is coming from the breather hose that attaches to the intercooler pipework, the one between sparker plug hole 1.

Mines was pushin a few drops about every ten seconds and you could see a jet of smoke from it as you rev.

I actuall checked the timing twice until I borrowed my mates leakdwon tester (didn't realise we already had one lol) which confirmed ringlands.
 

nexia201

Member +
if the timing is out enough as you suspect the timing then yes you are gona get a drop in compression cos the valves are going to open on the compression stroke and leak some of the comp through the valves hence the low reading mate so i wouldnt worry before checking the pistons
 

TO82

Member +
I have checked the timing belt and it seems to be all fine, but once i fired the engine back up i noticed that when i rev it and it starts to settle back to idle there was a bit of a rattle from the head, maybe the cams, well was coming from that area, am i correct in thinking if i do a leak down test this should show me where the pressure is leaking from, eg listening for leaks from the exhaust valves?

Any other opinions appreciated :)
 

Chris@CCM

Member +
tbh dude theres alot of crap talked on this lol
if all 4 pistons were fooked u would be geting a good bit of oil out of the breather , the rattle is prob the cam gears not preloaded rite , have u tryed a new tester ? almost ever starlet ive rebuilt has broke more then 1 pistons most if the time 3 pistons go, check ur timing marks on the pullys (this can not be chacked with a timing light as that only checks ing timing)and the 2 marks on the cam gears , defo dose not sounds like a head gasket, i would also check the valve clearance making sure there not too tight.

its not too bad to replace 4 pistons head off sump off etc
 

TO82

Member +
tbh dude theres alot of crap talked on this lol
if all 4 pistons were fooked u would be geting a good bit of oil out of the breather , the rattle is prob the cam gears not preloaded rite , have u tryed a new tester ? almost ever starlet ive rebuilt has broke more then 1 pistons most if the time 3 pistons go, check ur timing marks on the pullys (this can not be chacked with a timing light as that only checks ing timing)and the 2 marks on the cam gears , defo dose not sounds like a head gasket, i would also check the valve clearance making sure there not too tight.

its not too bad to replace 4 pistons head off sump off etc

Cheers for that, when i checked the timing belt the hole in the cam gear lined up with the little indent behind it and the grove on the bottom pulley lined up with the 0, is that fine?

I will try another comp tester but i think its definatly loosing compression as it just doesnt feel good off boost at all. I dont think its the rings as it runs fine and doesnt breath heavy, and not headgasket as it never overheats.
 

jabran200

Member +
The timing on those bits sounds good as long as the hole in the cam gear is the 4e one. What about the lining up the marks on the cam gears?

Also as Chris has said the rattle is most likely the inlet camshaft because you probbly didn't put a bolt through the service hole and didn't retension it.

Do a leakdown it will rule a lot of things out like valves open a bit, ringlands and stuff like that.
 

bridog

Member +
i had this problem , i was showing 120 acorss all cylinders - then i made sure that the cam lined up with the 4e mark on the head ( which it did )but the timing marks on the back of the cams didnt line up with each other , and found that the inlet cam was 2 teeth out - so corrected that and now im showing 180 acorss all four !
 
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when your notch lines up with the 0 marker and your top pulley is on the 4e marks. Pop the rocker off and check where the cam gears meet.

The cam gear closest to the inlet will have two little dots and the cam gear closest to the manifold will have one dot these should be lined up together,
 
also just to add when double checking your timing when set up crank the engine by hand.

19mm socket on bottom nut turning clockwise spin it twice so everything lines up and check to make sure the cam gears are still lined up correct.

It does sound like the symptons of the timing being out,
 

TO82

Member +
also just to add when double checking your timing when set up crank the engine by hand.

19mm socket on bottom nut turning clockwise spin it twice so everything lines up and check to make sure the cam gears are still lined up correct.

It does sound like the symptons of the timing being out,

Cheers for the help buddy, rep'd :)
 

TO82

Member +
Been a while but finally checked the Cam timing yesterday, and everything seems to line up 100%.

So what do you suggest now? I think im going to do another comp test, then maybe a leakdown test.

The car does smoke but only when its been left idleing for a while 5-10 mins and when u give it a slight rev. Im guessing this is the turbo though?


Cheers for any input :)
 
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