Compression results

ahmedsalem89

Member +
hi guys, a couple of weeks ago I took out my spark plugs to inspect them and noticed that the one in cylinder 3 had a little bit of liquid on it, So I suspected broken piston rings and have been driving gently since then.

today after a very long drive in the very hot weather I did a dry compression test and it showed around 120 PSI in Cylinders 1,2, and 4 and around 112 PSI on cylinder 3.
also there was no oil at all on any of the spark plugs nor there was any smoke from the exhaust.

P.S. Oil level was around 60% on the dipstick. it was around 75% right after the change and then 60% when I painted my valve cover I know I shouldn't have let it drop like that, I will be refilling it today and will keep track of it.
 

sx_turbo

Lifer
piston number 3 is a common problem with 4e engines, its to do with the cast restriction in the exhaust manifold.

if you still have a cat in place, then chances are you wont see much smoke, the cats on these things for some reason hide a lot, it did on mine.
 

zero_2k3

Member +
The rings and there bases can broke by too much heat. This heat came from the manifold. The exhaust gas dam in the outlet of the 3 cylinder in the manifold and overheating.
 

ahmedsalem89

Member +
piston number 3 is a common problem with 4e engines, its to do with the cast restriction in the exhaust manifold.

if you still have a cat in place, then chances are you wont see much smoke, the cats on these things for some reason hide a lot, it did on mine.

The rings and there bases can broke by too much heat. This heat came from the manifold. The exhaust gas dam in the outlet of the 3 cylinder in the manifold and overheating.
so even with the compression test made with throttle closed it's clear that there's a problem with cylinder 3 right?
is there a way to measure the damage it has done till now? without taking it apart?
would removing the restriction in the exhaust manifold do any good now?
 

zero_2k3

Member +
You can do a drop pressure test. There is instrument that give pressure on the cylinder over spark plug hole. Than can you hear where the air comes out. Out of the oil cap or throttle body, exhaust and so on. When the pistons have damaged then the must come out of the oil cap. Then can the air flows around the piston and came out in the oil pan. My english is not the best, i come from Germany. So i hope i can help you with this
 

ahmedsalem89

Member +
You can do a drop pressure test. There is instrument that give pressure on the cylinder over spark plug hole. Than can you hear where the air comes out. Out of the oil cap or throttle body, exhaust and so on. When the pistons have damaged then the must come out of the oil cap. Then can the air flows around the piston and came out in the oil pan. My english is not the best, i come from Germany. So i hope i can help you with this

Thanks but unfortunately this kind of test isn't available here. I might just redo the compression test with throttle wide open. and this weekend I'll take the exhaust manifold off and port the 3rd runner.

but I have a question, If I remove the cat and start the car will the smoke be visible if the piston ring is damaged??
 

sx_turbo

Lifer
so even with the compression test made with throttle closed it's clear that there's a problem with cylinder 3 right?
is there a way to measure the damage it has done till now? without taking it apart?
would removing the restriction in the exhaust manifold do any good now?

yeah there defo a problem,

but but but,

it could even be a valve or something stuck open slightly
 

ahmedsalem89

Member +
yeah there defo a problem,

but but but,

it could even be a valve or something stuck open slightly

I don't think so.
I'll take the cat off and check for smoke, if there's any then it's time to take it apart. I just hope there's no damage in the cylinder walls because that will be a serious problem for me.
 

elison

Member +
The best way of identifying it correctly and taking proper action is to take it apart. Smoke is a sign of something going miss on the inside that needs to be fixed so even if you do all the tests and find out the problem you will still end up taking it apart to fix it. So is best to take it apart because most smoking problems are to do with internal components.

Cheers buddy.
 

ahmedsalem89

Member +
The best way of identifying it correctly and taking proper action is to take it apart. Smoke is a sign of something going miss on the inside that needs to be fixed so even if you do all the tests and find out the problem you will still end up taking it apart to fix it. So is best to take it apart because most smoking problems are to do with internal components.

Cheers buddy.

I'm still not 100% sure that there's any smoke, and I wouldn't mind taking it apart at all if it was easy around here to source what's needed to put it back together such as head gasket or head bolts not to mention piston rings or even worse... pistons. :S
 

aidan

Member +
Do the compression test again with the throttle open full. 8psi drop is not the end of the world if that is correct as in the manual I'm sure I heard people saying it says up to 1 bar is not too bad and 1bar equals 14.7psi
 

ahmedsalem89

Member +
What oil are you using and what is the mileage?

I'm using Castrol Magnatec 10W-40, When I got the engine it had a Timing belt sticker that said around 110.000 Km so it made slightly more than that before I put it in my car and it made around 15.000 km on mine
 
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