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I had to run a cold compression test since the car will not start my readings are
Compression Test
Dry
Cylinder 1 65
Cylinder 2 60
Cylinder 3 55
Cylinder 4 65 Slow leak of 5 psi in about 8 mins
Wet
Cylinder 1 75 w
Cylinder 2 80 w
Cylinder 3 65 w
Cylinder 4 80 w Slow leak of 5 psi in 10 minsI am wondering what the problem is besides having a head gasket issue. when the car was running it ran fine no lack of power no oil or coolant loss. I found hydrocarbons in the coolant so i know the gaskets need to be done but I was suggested to buy a new engine over fixing the current one. is that the better way or since the engine out side of the head gaskets ran fine. And could the head gaskets cause such a loss of compression or what are the likely problems?
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[quote=”ToyotaKarl” post=189445]The timing belt/chain being in the wrong position can cause numbers like these.[/quote]
Agree.
Might try a leak down test to pin point where the issue is occurring.
It would also be useful to post the specs ..
Mileage, service etc.Depending on the age, mileage and vehicle condition.
Should be the factors on if you repair or replace the engine.i am going to check the timing belt tomorrow if the weather allows i checked to make sure it was still intact but it looks very worn on the smooth side. I currently can not start the car and do not have the tool to do a leak down test. I did find oil on the bottom two bolts from the timing belt cover. I have had the car for less then 7 k miles now it is about 127 k i got it around 121 k. I have changed the oil 3 times since i got it. I was told that the head gaskets, timing belt and water pump were all changed before I got it but with the issues i am having i doubt it. I have changed now the radiator, radiator cap, both upper and lower radiator hoses, plugs and wires since i got the car since they where not in the best of shape. any other questions ask i would prefer not to have to come up with money for the engine if i don’t need to. I did get misfire codes at random times but was told by the dealer and the shop he works with it must have been some “bad” gas.
This sounds like one of those “there’s more to the story” stories.
Seeing as how you haven’t had the car for very long, and the previous owner claimed to have had work done, I’d be seriously looking at the quality of the work, if it was done at all. I’ve seen some real crimes against humanity when it comes to timing belt jobs. Depending on what you find as you peel back the layers, you may end up removing the cylinder head.
Did the engine go poo in one catastrophic moment, or did things progressively get worse over time?
I doubt it was done today I took the smaller side of the timing cover off so I could check the belt it is very worn and I could not see any markings on the belt at all. I marked the belt so I knew that I went through one full turn through after turning it for about ten mins by hand. I saw coolant squirt out of cylinder 3 and heard gurgling noises when I was turning it over. I only noticed that the car did not have the power it should have i had a 2006 and it had a lot more get up and go and this is the same engine in the 2010 the 06 also ran smoother then the 10. I also got random misfire codes and some starting issues mostly when it was damp out. I guess it got worse over time i think the thing that stopped the car from really running anymore was when the head gaskets failed but since when i got it i was told both head gaskets, water pump and the timing belt and pulleys were all changed which with everything I think i was lied too.
“I saw coolant squirt out of cylinder 3…”
At best, it’s just the head gasket, although it’s unusual for a head gasket to fail across all four cylinders. At worst, you’re looking at a possible warped head and/or block deck, or perhaps even a cracked head or block.
I reread the earlier posts, and I don’t see what type of car/engine this is. Pure speculation, but it’s possible that if your engine has “torque to yield” head bolts, the last person who had the head off for whatever reason didn’t replace the used head bolts with new ones, and the clamping force on the cylinder head is now way off, lower than it should be. It may have held well enough for a short period and then got progressively worse with use. That could explain why all of your cylinders now have low compression.
anything is possible i just highly doubt what the dealer told me since the more i look into things it seems like nothing was really done i was just told it was. wouldn’t a cracked head or block have caused more issues then a little loss of power though? i know the head gaskets need to be replaced but there is no outside leaking on either side under the heads. it doesn’t burn any oil and no white smoke and no oil/coolant mixing. the squirting happened when i was hand cranking looking for markings on the timing belt. I am mostly just trying to figure out if i should fix or try to replace the engine cost wise.
“I saw coolant squirt out of cylinder 3…”
“The squirting happened when i was hand cranking…”
If coolant is getting into a cylinder while cranking by hand, you have to assume that coolant was getting in while running.
“I am mostly just trying to figure out if i should fix or try to replace the engine cost wise.”
You’ll have to dig into the engine a bit deeper, and remove the head, check the head and block mating surfaces for warpage, and check for other mechanical damage. We still don’t know what car/engine we’re talking about.
My personal view is that repairing what you have is usually better than picking up a salvage yard replacement, even if the repairs cost more. A lot of people will disagree, but I cannot bring myself to trust an engine that came from the junk yard. You have no idea how it may have been abused and serviced in the past. To my mind, a salvage yard pick of unknown history should be completely torn down, inspected and refurbished before being put into service, otherwise, what’s the point? It’ll be a complete crap shoot, and you would have spent money to be in a worse spot than you are now.
By repairing what you already have, you save the cost of the replacement engine, as well as other expenses that your inspection may show are required, like new bearings, or cylinder reboring and honing, and the replacement rings and pistons that would be required. I wouldn’t even replace a lawn mower engine with an unknown “as is” engine. Your car deserves better than that.
sorry about forgetting to give car details. I currently have a 2010 subaru impreza 2.5 sohc it has 127 k on it i got it at 121 k. I am trying to save enough so i can send it somewhere a head gasket change in the area starts around 2 k and up plus the car will have to be towed to where it is going. I have not found anything else last oil change was clean nothing besides used oil no metal shavings or coolant. oil is still full and clean on dipstick. no outside leaks of any kind. spark plugs from cylinder 3 and 4 both wet but smelled like gas. and other then that the “blue moon” misfire code normally cylinder 1 on my code reader. I also don’t like the “unknown” of a used engine i was think more of a reman engine but that pushes the engine well unto the 3-4 k price for just an engine. any other questions just ask
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