Low compression on two cylinders

[95Blue240sx]

Edit: make that low compression on all 4

My GF's car(96 s14) broke down the other day. I had a friend check it out since I was out of town. Ends up there was no coolant and it was low on oil. She said that the car just stopped responding so she had to pull over. It cranks over but doesnt start. Long story short the car is back at her place and I just check compression.

120
120
70
80

That is what it came out to, the first is cylinder 1 for reference. When I took out the spark plugs for to check compression, the last two were greenish and smelled just like coolant.

At this point I know the Head Gasket needs to be replaced, and I will get the head resurfaced. When I try to start the car it cranks over and will catch and sound like it will start for a second the just keeps on cranking. I talked to a few others and they told me it was just the HG. I am posting because I dont want to do all the work and find out I have other problems.

I plan to get a Head gasket set and will get the head resurfaced. I will change the thermostat as well. Will there be anything else I will need to do? Will I need to get new headbolts? How hard would it be to change the head by myself? I think I might have a replacement head on standby so I can just swap them out. Can it be done in one day if I have the replacement head?

thanks.

[umsports]

let me see if i can find a write up that someone had posted. itll take several hours maybe more depending on your mechanical level but at this point id say you have to give it a shot because your only other option is towing it to a shop to do the work which youll have to do if you can't finish the job yourself anyway so you have to give it a shot and try to save some $$ if possible.

[umsports]

PM me if this doesn't help

1.Unplug/Disconnect engine efi harness connectors & grounds (all)
2.Remove intake tube between maf and throttle body
3.Remove fan & fan shroud & radiator( to clean properly)
4.Remove belts
5.Remove fuel rail from intake manifold
6.Remove intake manifold
7.Remove exhaust manifold
8.Remove sparkplug wire, sparkplugs, and valve cover

9.Set the crankshaft at TDC and varify that the cam lobes on cylinder #1 are opposing, #1 Piston is at the top of the cylinder, and the distributor rotor is at the correct position for Cyl#1.

10.Mark and remove distributor
11.Remove front upper timing cover
12.Highlight the timing marks on the duplex chain, cam sprockets, the sprocket for the simplex chain & simplex chain itself

13.Remove duplex chain tensioner
14.Remove 1 cam sprocket
15Compress and remove duplex chain tensioner
16.Remove duplex chain

17.Unbolt cam tower caps a little at a time, starting from the ends working your way to the center

18.Remove camshafts
19.Zip tie/Wire tie simplex chain to simplex sprocket
20.Compress simplex chain tensioner and insert pin to lock in place
21.Lock the simplex sprocket in place with a screwdriver through one of the holes braced against the cylinder head casting

22.Remove simplex sprocket bolt and lean sprocket forward
23.Unbolt cylinder head bolts starting at the ends and working your way to the center

24.Remove bolts and washers and keep in order, they need to go back in the same hole they came out of if you are re-using them

25.Gently tap the sides of the cylinder head with a mallet to break it free

26.Reach over and lift cylinder head out of car

[95Blue240sx]

awsome. If I plan to swap the head with another one, do I need to remove the cams?

Thanks for the info!

[arkive43]

no, if teh head ur swapin is complete. ie it has all internals...cams,springs,etc...

[95Blue240sx]

any other info that might be useful?

[pbcstylez]

ya keep me updated if theres any more info, i think im doing a HG this wkend

[Buffalo Daughter]

Bj - you'll need new head bolts since their TTY bolts (torque to yield ). Its a one time deal where the stretch once their put in and then they are done. So yeah if you gonna do that you need new head bolts. Seem Like you got the gist of it. Id get both upper and lower intake, exhaust manifold, HG , new water pump, t-stat, new hoses while your at it. You got the head covered but getting it resurfaced, but yeah other than that, its a big job. Hopefully if you got everything ready and you did you homework it will go smooth.

How did this happen? I'm thinking a couple of things but just wanted to hear how it went down.

[Howard92884]

Headgasket is most likely the problem, but since your taking the engine apart why not pull the pistons and check the rings. My last 240 I replaced the headgasket and got it back together only to find I still had low compression. I took it back apart and behold my rings were fried. Sucks to do double work. Good luck.

[95Blue240sx]

Im not too sure how it happened. The car was maintained and I never saw an increase in the temp or anything. This is on my GF's car btw, not mine. I will be getting a new KA for my car soon, if I can find one. I want to rebuild it though before dropping it in.

Anyway looks like I will be getting that spare motor so I can just use that head. Going to get it done this weekend. Kinda nervous, but Im confident I can get it done. Anyone in the bay area want to help? hahaha

[Buffalo Daughter]

hahaha i'm just about to attemp it at work. I'm going to rebuild it in the back of the shop here and there. I have a head that i've already hotsoaked clean with soap and all that good stuff, lapped the valves and pressure tested it. Everything on it except cams. Thing about all this is i have no short block. I have a HG, all the other gaskets, i am planning on getting arp head studs and end caps, when i can get a block. I'm not in a heap of hurry or anything but if i can get mines going i'll help you out along the way if i you need some help.

Another thing i saw was this place online that actually sells a rebuilt motor everything ready to go, just you got to provide the header, intake manifold and oil pan and valve cover for ithink 1,7XX.00 and some change for shipping ready to go. This sounds easier since i can prolly pull the motor with my lift at work in prolly less than an hour and drop it in and running in an hour.

[S14DB]

Originally Posted by arkive43

no, if teh head ur swapin is complete. ie it has all internals...cams,springs,etc...

How do you propose getting to the head bolts with the cams in?



If you don't have the tools to check the deck and head plane. You are better off dragging the long block to a machine shop.

[Raysurc]

oh man. i just recently replaced my head gasket for the first time. that sh!t is rediculous! props to all those who do mechanic work like nothin

[Buffalo Daughter]

Originally Posted by Raysurc

oh man. i just recently replaced my head gasket for the first time. that sh!t is rediculous! props to all those who do mechanic work like nothin

rebuilding the bottom of the block is all the delicate take your time work. Escpecially if your going to do the rings and hone your cylinder yourelf. After that its just torquing everything to specs and sequences and making sure everything is triple checked. Never did my ka but put some honda motors together with some help here at work.

[S14DB]

Only cylinders you should be honing yourself are lawnmower(2cyl.) engines.

[95Blue240sx]

Well I finally started on this today. Before doing anything I checked compression again. This time I did it once across, then added in a cap full of oil. Sure enough the numbers went up on both 3 and 4 cylinders This was not expected and now I want to take it to a shop

[Anto]

yeahh

sounds like your rings then. maybe.

all I know is you better be getting some after you fix it for her

[Rkesh88]

if there was coolant on the plugs then didnt a houing break to make the coolant and oil mix?

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by arkive43

no, if teh head ur swapin is complete. ie it has all internals...cams,springs,etc...

Originally Posted by S14DB

How do you propose getting to the head bolts with the cams in?

Bingo, someone's been sniffing glue.
Headbolts don't come out very well with the cams in the way.

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by Rkesh88

if there was coolant on the plugs then didnt a houing break to make the coolant and oil mix?

Houing? Fuck what?

[95Blue240sx]

I talked to a machine shop today and from what he told me this is what needs to happen. Take apart the motor, measure the bore/piston and get new pistons and rings. Also need to resurface the head + labor. He suggested to just buy a used motor to put in since the cost would probably be less.

EDIT: Ok it looks like I am a real dumbass. I was doing the compression check wrong the whole time. I just read the FSM(i dont know why I didnt do that first) and it looks like I was suppose to have it at WOT when doing the compression check :hammer:

So now I have the cylinder with a cap of oil and I dont know how correct those numbers are. Since there is oil in there already, is there any way to tell if the rings are bad or not? short of taking it to a machine shop?

Can someone shine some light Im feeling pretty

[95Blue240sx]

Bump....had this moved from chat. Edited last post, please help me out.