[RandallM]

Saniei,

Did you take the car to the shop this week?

 

[saniei]

Yes it's in the shop. The first thing they are complaining about is the first and second cylinder compression values.

 

[65Sprint]

What does the shop say the compression values are?

 

[vf31rhill]

Yes it's in the shop. The first thing they are complaining about is the first and second cylinder compression values.

The shop is getting side tracked or is side tracking you. Engines do not suddenly stop running and refuse to restart because of an instantaneous loss of compression. In fact, unless it is caused by a catistropic mechanical failure like a broken valve or crowned pistons, there is no such thing as instaneous loss of compression. You may have low compression on a couple of cylinders, but this is NOT the problem you brought the car into the shop to have diagnoised or repaired. Tell the shop to stop farting around and get back on point. Why did the car suddenly stop runing and now refuses to restart?

It ain't because of sudden low compression.

Robert

 

[John533i]

" You may have low compression on a couple of cylinders, but this is NOT the problem you brought the car into the shop to have diagnoised or repaired. Tell the shop to stop farting around and get back on point."

Spoken like a true shop Chief, Robert!

It should start and run on 100psi. Not well, but...

 

[saniei]

Agreed

" You may have low compression on a couple of cylinders, but this is NOT the problem you brought the car into the shop to have diagnoised or repaired. Tell the shop to stop farting around and get back on point."

Spoken like a true shop Chief, Robert!

It should start and run on 100psi. Not well, but...

I'm going to the shop tomorrow to talk to them!

 

[mcola]

saniei, any luck with the car?

 

[saniei]

No luck yet! I talked to the shop and they said cylinder 1 only shows 5 psi and he can not continue until this is fixed. I'm thinking about picking up the car and bringing it home to do compression test myself and if true take the engine apart.

 

[saniei]

I just talked to the shop and they said there is no compression on any of the cylinders. I'm going this afternoon to check it myself!! Wow that is so freaking odd!!!!!

 

[spiderserie4]

I cannot imagine zero compression on all cylinders.......you would have noticed that ages ago as the car would crank over as though you have all sparkplugs out (ie. real fast!)

Get the car back, drop some oil down each cylinder, crank over to coat the bores (all these starting attempt might well have washed the bores), then check the compression yourself: full throttle, all plugs out.
as a rule of thumb, a good engine's compression will be about 18 or 19 times the compression ratio (so if 9:1 then x 18/19 = 162/171 psi)

 

[RandallM]

Did you break the cam chain? Interesting.

 

[mcola]

Did you break the cam chain? Interesting.

That is what I was thinking? But I recall earlier in the thread, saniei mentioned he was able to feel compression with his finger in the spark plug holes??

Easy enough to check, right? Pop off the oil cap and check to see if the chain is there?

If in fact the chain has snapped, is this one of those "zero clearance" engines that results in smashed valves?

Was there any nasty sounds when the engine died?

I really hope this is not your problem!!!

 

[brownesound]

That is what I was thinking? But I recall earlier in the thread, saniei mentioned he was able to feel compression with his finger in the spark plug holes??

Easy enough to check, right? Pop off the oil cap and check to see if the chain is there?

If in fact the chain has snapped, is this one of those "zero clearance" engines that results in smashed valves?

Was there any nasty sounds when the engine died?

I really hope this is not your problem!!!

This thread states that it is an interference engine...aka zero clearance. I had a timing belt slip on my old VW jetta and the valves punched holes right through the pistons. Hopefully nothing like that has occurred!!!
http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/spider-1966-up/195534-timing-chain-big-problem.html

 

[vf31rhill]

In my mechanic days I called engines with my own terminology 1. no interference engines (if valve drive mechannism chain or belt stopage occured no valves would hit each other and the piston would not hit a valve), 2. single interference engines (valves would not hit each other but the piston would hit a valve) and 3. double interference engines (valves would hit each other and the piston would also hit a valve). MG and Triumph engines with pushrod valves in a bathtub cylinder head were no interference engines. In some other engines, the valves would not hit each other but the piston would hit a valve. Alfa, Jag, and most exotic engines like Ferrari and Maser engines are double interference engines. If the valve train fails the valves coasting to a stop can hit each other and worse, the piston can hit one or both valves.

But when this happens there is a catistropic failure of the valve/crank drive mechanism and this is always accompanied by very loud, sickening, and expensive noises. Valve heads can break off and impact the pistons as the engine winds down to a stop. And pistons can crown valves extending into the combustion chamber, putting holes in piston heads and the broken off valve heads can be driven like knives into the bottom of the cylinder head. But again, all this is accompanied with loud and expensive noises. Since saniei did not mention a catistropic engine failure, I cannot figure how he could instaintaneously go from a running engine to a zeor compression engine without accompaning failure noises.

 

[saniei]

So I went to the shop today and checked out the compression myself. With engine cranking I saw only about 10 or so PSI! Not sure why. Chain is intact and the valves were opening and closing. They suggest taking the head off to examine what is going on. Crap!!!!!!! B

 

[930cabman]

How long ago was it when the car was running and how did it run?

Seems odd all of a sudden there is virtually no compression?

 

[spiderserie4]

So I went to the shop today and checked out the compression myself. With engine cranking I saw only about 10 or so PSI! Not sure why. Chain is intact and the valves were opening and closing. They suggest taking the head off to examine what is going on. Crap!!!!!!! B

so.... (I concur with 930cabman's question)...tell us did this car ever run in your ownership?

I mean with 10psi, sure, that is not going to fire up!
But, if it was running before and nothing catastrophic occured, it can't 'just' lose compression like that.

did you do a wet compression test (oil down the cylinders)?

 

[mcola]

So I went to the shop today and checked out the compression myself. With engine cranking I saw only about 10 or so PSI! Not sure why. Chain is intact and the valves were opening and closing. They suggest taking the head off to examine what is going on. Crap!!!!!!! B

Did you guys try what SS4 suggested a few posts earlier? I'll admit it sounds strange (the washing phenomena, not the suggestion), but I have heard of it many times over the years, so it must be possible, however possibly not your problem.

If washing were the case, would it be possible to smell fuel on the oil dipstick?

 

[RandallM]

Hi Saniei,

Sorry about the news. Please keep us posted.

 

[ghnl]

A simple leak down test will reveal where the compression is being lost (without taking anything apart).