low compreesion and wont start

[l130124]

Ok heres the story have a 03 rx warrior with a turbo,three head gaskets,and booster,ran all summer would go out and fire it up every month this summer,then went to start it and will not fire,has gas on plugs,fire on all cylinders,but compression is only #80, pulled head and gaskets are good,is there a compression release valve or something that we are missing,or a sensor.if the rings were bad i dont understand why all 4 cylinders would all go bad at the same time,what are the chances that all cylinders need rings,also thought that flooded and washed cylinder wall out,so put oil in cylinders and tried again.had good compression but would go away.anybody have any ideas.

 

[Blue shadow]

With three head gaskets your comp would be down.Go back to one stock head gasket and get you comp back up.Also put a new set of plugs in.She will go.If running over 10 psi used good fuel.

 

[Jonny Rocket]

I would guess plugs. They have a tendancy to foul pretty easily especially since you started every month this summer.

J.

 

[KnappAttack]

The worst thing you could do to it is start it every month in the summer. The thing you have is corrosion on the valves. I'm not sure where it originates from, but it looks like alum deposits on the valves and seats. We learned this the hard way from the open mod. Don't start them if your not going to run the machine. Mike Knapp#17

 

[Anonymous]

Mine had the same deposits on valves... and found it was lead from racing fuel...

 

[Thomas800]

We bought a used engine, that we are going to build as a spare for the car. Comp test was only 80# as we received it, but was the same across the board, so I wasn't worried. On tear down the motor was perfect with the exception of a LOT of rust on the valves, just like Mike said.

 

[TWIN TURBO]

Don't know what fuel you or previous owner used but we had ring problems meaning sticking when C16 was used in turbo sled, not to say there isn't any other fuel that would do this. Second ring issue if the engine was detonated the top ring will loose tension you can tell when removing it , the ring will have less end gap. Compression down near 100 lbs. Seems to show up more after the storage season is over and you try and start now.

 

[Ted Jannetty]

You have to fog the motors before you put them away, I thought everyone knew this.

I use ski doo lube storage oil in a spray can works great

If you do start them you have to get them up to almost over heat temp before shut down and run them on the stand to get the water out of the exhaust.

It is also possible you fuel washed the cylinders which will lower compression quite a bit on a cold motor, try adding oil to see if the compression comes back this will prove ring wash.

 

[IBABAD1]

low compression and won't start

You have to fog the motors before you put them away, I thought everyone knew this.

I use ski doo lube storage oil in a spray can works great

If you do start them you have to get them up to almost over heat temp before shut down and run them on the stand to get the water out of the exhaust.

It is also possible you fuel washed the cylinders which will lower compression quite a bit on a cold motor, try adding oil to see if the compression comes back this will prove ring wash.

Ted,
That is my sled that the article is about. I did fog and did run
the sled for 15 to 20 minutes in the summer. I put oil in the cylinders and the compression only went up about 25 psi. Has alot of crankcase blow by.
My next move is to pull the engine and dissassemble. (rings ?)

Thanks to everybody that replied.
Dave Kast

 

[Ted Jannetty]

Re: low compression and won't start

Ted,
That is my sled that the article is about. I did fog and did run
the sled for 15 to 20 minutes in the summer. I put oil in the cylinders and the compression only went up about 25 psi. Has alot of crankcase blow by.
My next move is to pull the engine and dissassemble. (rings ?)

Thanks to everybody that replied.
Dave Kast

If you put oil in the cylinders and it went up 25 psi then the motor is just ring washed with fuel.

I would suggest warm the engine and do a proper Leak down test at TDC.

This will tell you for sure what condition your ring seal is.

I have found that 03-04 motors are prone to heavy carbon on the rings and some Ring Free or Sea Foam will clean them up and get your ring seal back without disassembling the motor.

Also 3 head gaskets it too much go with 2 instead.

 

[IBABAD1]

LOW

WILL POST latest update suday, there seems to me that
there are other turbo sleds acying up
dave

 

[IBABAD1]

LOW

UPDATE
Pulled my engine out and all the pistons.
All rings are ruined. Removed the rod nuts and the pistons fell
out of the cylinders.
Ordering parts today.

 

[Ted Jannetty]

Re: LOW

UPDATE
Pulled my engine out and all the pistons.
All rings are ruined. Removed the rod nuts and the pistons fell
out of the cylinders.
Ordering parts today.

You overheated the engine at some point anealing the rings.
Add a Heat exchanger while you at it.

 

[IBABAD1]

LOW

Ted,
Done, just added rear heat exchanger. Thanks.
Question.
I installed new head gaskets last week, never been started.
Can I re-use them?
Useing 3 gaskets.
Thanks.

 

[IBABAD1]

LOW

Ted,
Done, just added rear heat exchanger. Thanks.
Question.
I installed new head gaskets last week, never been started.
Can I re-use them?
Useing 3 gaskets.
Thanks.