Thread: B14 SR20 not starting

it was running off 3 cyl after I did the work on it, and got worse as time went on. Before, it ran perfect. As for the pressure, I'm charging the battery tonight seeing as it was weak and will re-test them tomorrow.

Update: Battery got fully recharged last night, I checked the cam timing again to make sure it hasn't moved in the recent tests. Put oil in all 4 cylinders to try to reseal the piston rings, and got exactly identical results.

Seeing as how cylinders #1 and #4 are both equally low at 140psi and #2 and #3 are both 0, and all 4 had no increase with the oil addition, I think it's something with the timing. How else would they line up so nicely with the pressures?

I'm grabbing a timing light just to double check...but outside that, is there any other way to verify my timing without removing the engine?

If there's any other possibilities that can explain this weird pressure phenomenon, let me know. I realize piston rings is a possibility, but with 1 & 4 and 2 & 3 matching in pressures, I find it extremely unlikely that the partner cylinders are experiencing the same problems on the bottom end.

the next step is a leak down test do you have a compressor?

or pull the intake and exhaust and block one port at a time and spinn the engine

intake should suck on your hand if it pushes you got bent or burned intake valves

same deal on the exhaust but exhaust should blow if ehaust pops your hand off then you have bent or burned ehaust valves

I don't have a compressor, so I guess I'll have to go with option #2. Hopefully I can get to that tomorrow or Saturday.

the only other quick test you can try is to loosen all the cam caps
the 2 closest to the chain just loosen 1/2 turn and and go gradually looser as you go away from the chan
the dizy removed and less than a 1/4 inch gap beteen the last to caps furthest from the chain
you want 1/8'' to 3/16'' gap or pull the cams completlly and retest compresson


if you lossen the cam caps to much the cams will bind and possably break

but if there is a lifter or cam timing issue compresson will be alot better withs loose cams

should be perfect or to high with no cams

but with no cams the compresson will fade away after 2 strokes from lack of air no intake valve action

well any news???

no news yet, full weekend with working and such.
I'll be getting to it this week sometime Tuesday or Wednesday. Also, after thinking about it, I'm considering just replacing the head entirely considering I have an extra in the garage. I'll post up as soon as I have more news.

UPDATE: I'll be putting a new head on the car complete with new valves, injectors, cams, and all that goes with them. If I encounter any more problems, I'll probably make a different thread for it if I can't solve it myself or find it on the forums. Thanks guys for all your help thus far