is my engine kaput?

drstuf · Apr 14, 2015

hi all and thanks in advance for any help.

Currently my wife's 2003 s3 8l bam has been getting harder and harder to start

It had a problem using water a while ago and i added some steelseal, this stopped the water use

A few weeks ago i noticed mayo in the cam cover so carried out a oil and filter change as i assumed it was down to her lack of miles in the car (approx 30 miles a week) and all seemed ok

The last week or so the car has been a t*"t to start and when finally getting it going it sounded like it was misfiring and lots of white smoke out the back, a good rev cleared the misfire and the smoke cleared over a minute or so.

I have pulled the plugs and there was quite a lot of oil around the plugs, when cleaned up it was easier to start

Today it wouldnt start at all, so recharged the battery cleaned the oil of the plugs agian and she started...just

so i have been and bought a compression tester as the only fault codes showing were a misfire on cylinder 1 and 2

the compression results all in psi

50 - 60 - 70 - 120

Now i know these are bad bad bad so am i going to be better just getting another engine or is it worth investigating further?

Stu

badger5 · Apr 14, 2015

all very low..
head off next then

drstuf · Apr 14, 2015

indeed except i cant get the car near my garage due to 2 rx7's being in the way and secondly i didnt want to strip the engine as i could sell it as running but knackered and pull something back out of it rather than end up having to break it.

stu

badger5 · Apr 14, 2015

the risk is of another engine being unknown... it may well be iffy which you would'nt know until you went to the effort of installing it.. unless you get to see it running in the donor first

drstuf · Apr 14, 2015

i had thought that but there are a few that offer 12 months guarantee, however with the cost and what we have already spent on the car it wouldnt be the sensible thing to do

so dont want to scrap it.

Thanks for you help m8

Stu

badger5 · Apr 14, 2015

good luck sorting it

drstuf · Apr 22, 2015

well the head is off, some pics

oldcar · Apr 22, 2015

low compression, may be rings need to be replaced so as valve stem rubbers-seals...I would do all four rings ...

drstuf · Apr 22, 2015

is that change all off the piston rings?

stu

oldcar · Apr 22, 2015

drstuf said:
is that change all off the piston rings?

stu

yes. and valve stem seals if you can afford it(1200A$). Rings first.

drstuf · Apr 22, 2015

if its the rings the car is going for recycling m8.

Thanks for the help tho

Stu

oldcar · Apr 22, 2015

drstuf said:
if its the rings the car is going for recycling m8.

Thanks for the help tho

Stu

Please read the "worn piston ring" section in the article'''it mentioned all pistons should read 150psi above......http://www.ehow.com/info_12246178_causes-engine-oil-blowby-air-filter-box.html

drstuf · Apr 22, 2015

i understand that the compression reading were p**s poor at best but it also had the mayonaise everywhere a while ago that was crutched with a bottle of steel seal

either way if it is indeed the rings it gets scrapped and i buy her something else.

the head is currently at an engineering firm being stripped, cleaned, skimmed and tested and due back on friday

Stu

Squirrelofdoom · Apr 22, 2015

I'm currently experiencing similar issues mate - am following this with interest to see what happens

drstuf · Apr 22, 2015

oldcar said:
yes. and valve stem seals if you can afford it(1200A$). Rings first.

its nothing to do with if i can afford it m8, its wether it's economically viable to be doing it, this is not my toy or race car its my wife's daily and with £4000GBP already into it spending upwards of a grand chasing and changing parts that are deep in the engine then i have to say no

Stu

dave_beastttt · Apr 22, 2015

If you have mayo it means water is getting into the oil and mixing. Including the low compressions this could mean:-

Head gasket has gone
Head has a crack
Block has a crack

drstuf · Apr 22, 2015

well the head gasket looked rough and the head is in for checking so if that comes back fine i dont know wether to just slap a new gasket on it and see what happens or not.

Stu

dave_beastttt · Apr 22, 2015

You have nothing to lose if the head comes back with no cracks reported. If the head is cracked you will still need a head gasket.

drstuf · Apr 22, 2015

if the head comes back with cracks then its a new head time and not the easiest part to acquire as usually they seem to be sold on complete engines so i expect too much cost involved

if it comes back as all good i suppose its worth a try with a new gasket.

Thanks

Stu

youngy · Apr 24, 2015

Sorry to say this but lookin at your pics. I would say oil is gettin past your rings, atleast on one piston...

drstuf · May 18, 2015

Well after getting the head off it was sent in to be cleaned and skimmed

I have since refitted it with new gaskets, head bolts, cam belt, waterpump, tensioner, thermostat, expansion tank cap and full sevice

Has been running for around 80 miles, seems to still be slightly pressurising the coolant and the bottom hose likes to stay cold

It takes a few turns of the engine to get it going when cold but it is still a b1tch to start when hot

Re did the compression test yesterday and got 50 - 40 - 60 - 110 Gutted, the plugs and pots looked to be clean and dry unlike before

put approx 10ml of 2 stroke oil into pot 1 let it settle and then re did the compression test followed by pot 2 and got a rise of 10-15 psi so i am guessing the rings are fine and the rise in psi was just from the oil in the pot

Stu

drstuf · May 19, 2015

Any suggestions?

thanks

<tuffty/> · May 19, 2015

Head cracked tested? valves lapped back in? checked ovality of bores?

<tuffty/>

drstuf · May 20, 2015

Sorry for the delay responding

The head was supposedly tested however he couldnt get the valves to seal with his vacuum thing but said it could be down to a bit of oil in the hydraulics so only charged me for the clean and skim.

He offered to strip and re lap the valves in at a cost of £160 but with trying to keep costs down we risked it and yes it has bitten me on the ***

I have just been out in it again and the hot start was a b1tch resulting in smoke from the exhaust which was appartantly oil burning

Never checked the ovality of bores but the bores looked ok to the eye.

Stu

superkarl · May 20, 2015

drstuf said:
The head was supposedly tested however he couldnt get the valves to seal with his vacuum thing .

Stu

That's likely the source of poor compression.
It has to be HG, rings, or valves. They need relapping and new guides. Or source a head that is a bit of a gamble

Lewis583 · May 20, 2015

So with the head pressure test inconclusive due to the valves not seating then you could may well have a cracked head, possibly explaining the coolant system pressurising.

Did he check the valve guides too while testing, do you know? Excessively worn guides could also lead to incorrect valve seating.

Alex C · May 20, 2015

Lewis583 said:
So with the head pressure test inconclusive due to the valves not seating

couldn't you argue that the test was conclusive in identifying the poor valve seating as the cause of the low compression?

Lewis583 · May 20, 2015

I wouldn't say so no, because the integrity of the combustion chamber still is not known, I.e. whether it is cracked or not.

Prior to refitting the head the valve issue should have been sorted and the head repressure tested.

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