No compression on all 4 cylinders

[Jonew]

So timing is good,I’ll enclose pictures to show top and bottom marks.

I’ve pretty much put it back together to take a video of the engine cranking 

[Jonew]

Second compression tester used and still shows 0 compression in all 4 cyclinders. I’ve had a look in the bores with a camera and see nothing obvious.

I’ve rotated it by hand and checked for tdc and to make sure pistons are not just floating in the bores..

im in the process of removing the head but the torx bolts have broken torx bits so waiting on some more..

[Magnet]

OK Neal,

Well at least you have confirmed that it’s not a faulty gauge - which would have been rather surprising. 
Before removing the head, are you able to gain visual access to the camshaft and valve tops? This would tell you if the valves are stuck open or not. If they are, then it could be a case of the belt having been correctly reset/ renewed - after the damage has already been done. 
Are you saying you have broken a torx bit/s attempting to remove the head bolts? If so, what quality bits are these? 
Do you know the tightening sequence, so that you are able to slacken these in the reverse order? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Jonew]

3 minutes ago, Magnet said:

OK Neal,

Well at least you have confirmed that it’s not a faulty gauge - which would have been rather surprising. 
Before removing the head, are you able to gain visual access to the camshaft and valve tops? This would tell you if the valves are stuck open or not. If they are, then it could be a case of the belt having been correctly reset/ renewed - after the damage has already been done. 
Are you saying you have broken a torx bit/s attempting to remove the head bolts? If so, what quality bits are these? 
Do you know the tightening sequence, so that you are able to slacken these in the reverse order? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

I am trying to remove the cam cover bolts etc but my torx bits are poor quality so I’ve ordered some good ones, I’m then hoping to take a look at camshaft/valves etc 

 

[Jonew]

I’ve removed the cam cover and can see no obvious valve damage etc 

im going to remove the head but am waiting for some spline drive bits..

anything I should be weary of removing the head etc ?.

[cliffcoggin]

55 minutes ago, Jonew said:

anything I should be weary of removing the head etc ?.

I think you mean wary, though weary would be very apt.

Loosen the bolts in stages and in the correct sequence i.e. the reverse of what you do when fitting the head.

[Magnet]

Hello Neal,

Before you start pulling the head off, can I ask you to pass the following logic through the mind:- 

You have zero compression an all cylinders.

Can you absolutely satisfy yourself that all the valves are opening and (very importantly) fully (in caps) closing. 
 

If the answer to that is yes, then for the ‘head gasket to have gone’, and to explain your zero compression, the gasket must have failed at all three points between the cylinders. Likely ?? Even if it had, I might still expect some slight compression.

My way forward would be to borrow/hire a camera and have a look down each spark plug hole in turn - having first ensured both valves on that cylinder appear to be fully closed. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Jonew]

28 minutes ago, Magnet said:

Hello Neal,

Before you start pulling the head off, can I ask you to pass the following logic through the mind:- 

You have zero compression an all cylinders.

Can you absolutely satisfy yourself that all the valves are opening and (very importantly) fully (in caps) closing. 
 

If the answer to that is yes, then for the ‘head gasket to have gone’, and to explain your zero compression, the gasket must have failed at all three points between the cylinders. Likely ?? Even if it had, I might still expect some slight compression.

My way forward would be to borrow/hire a camera and have a look down each spark plug hole in turn - having first ensured both valves on that cylinder appear to be fully closed. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

As I said before it’s a project..

im more than happy to pull the head, I’ve looked down the spark plug holes and see nothing obvious(used a scope).

I’ve almost removed the inlet manifold so that should also give me a good look.

i cannot stress enough that I’m totally happy to rebuild this if it can be, I’ve set aside a budget and even if it takes a year I will do it.

i don’t intend to sell for profit etc 

if I can get this thing going then I’d like to see what I can do in terms of making it faster etc 

goal = rebuild if possible,better and faster ..

 

 

[Magnet]

Apologies Neal, I can now see I’m interfering rather than attempting to fulfil my objective of trying to be helpful.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Jonew]

22 minutes ago, Magnet said:

Apologies Neal, I can now see I’m interfering rather than attempting to fulfil my objective of trying to be helpful.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

No need to apologise 

I need the help as im unfamiliar with these engines but I must stress I’m not looking for cheap repairs just the means to point me in the right direction 

[Jonew]

Update..

chain tensioner has been destroyed, not sure if valves are bent etc but the carbon build is really bad..

opinions, replace chain and tensioner and see if she starts or remove head and just replace valves etc ?.

like I say the carbon build up is really bad so I’m thinking just remove head, replace valves etc possible skim and port too?. 

[cliffcoggin]

In my opinion the valve stems are undoubtedly bent, in which case the pistons and conrods may well be damaged also.

Take the head off and inspect the pistons crowns closely. If there is any sign of contact between valves and crowns you will then need to remove the sump and pull the pistons out to inspect the rods.

[Jonew]

6 minutes ago, cliffcoggin said:

In my opinion the valve stems are undoubtedly bent, in which case the pistons and conrods may well be damaged also.

Take the head off and inspect the pistons crowns closely. If there is any sign of contact between valves and crowns you will then need to remove the sump and pull the pistons out to inspect the rods.

Thank you 

was my thinking too, waiting for a few tools so will be looking at a week before I get back on it.

 

[Jonew]

Tools arrived today so looking to get back on this in a day or two..

maybe a silly question but is there timing marks on the camshafts where the chain was?.

as it’s out of time due to the tensioner breaking,I’ve seen posts on replacements etc but none show a broken chain etc 

I’ll time up the belt side etc before I start and crack off the torx bolt but won’t remove the broken tensioner or chain until I know I can’t get it wrong 

thanks all 

[Magnet]

I think you would be doing yourself a favour if you searched eBay for a (Haynes?) workshop manual - which should be available for a car of that age. 

[cliffcoggin]

7 hours ago, Jonew said:

as it’s out of time due to the tensioner breaking,I’ve seen posts on replacements etc but none show a broken chain etc 

I doubt that you will. Chain breakage is something I have never heard of. Chains stretch enough to jump their sprockets or sometimes chew through the casings, but they do not break.

[Jonew]

19 minutes ago, cliffcoggin said:

I doubt that you will. Chain breakage is something I have never heard of. Chains stretch enough to jump their sprockets or sometimes chew through the casings, but they do not break.

My tensioner has been demolished,chain still intact .. 

I asked about timing marks earlier but didn’t get an answer so I managed to download Elsa ..

all videos etc show replacing chain but none show broken tensioner..

stripping it down tomorrow to see how many bent valves there ..

[Jonew]

Stripped it down completely, pistons are ok.. doesn’t seem to have bent any valves either (looking from the naked eye) 

im going to send the head off next week for a clean,skim and porting ..

I’ve enclosed some pictures, should I replace the valves anyway?. 
 

thanks 

[Darryl Hill]

13 minutes ago, Jonew said:

Stripped it down completely, pistons are ok.. doesn’t seem to have bent any valves either (looking from the naked eye) 

im going to send the head off next week for a clean,skim and porting ..

I’ve enclosed some pictures, should I replace the valves anyway?. 
 

thanks 

If you are sending the head off for skimming, porting etc get the engineer doing the job to advise you on valves, they will have the machinery and tools to inspect them all

[Jonew]

1 minute ago, Darryl Hill said:

If you are sending the head off for skimming, porting etc get the engineer doing the job to advise you on valves, they will have the machinery and tools to inspect them all

Ahh ok 

I didn’t ask them about valves, got a quote on skim etc 

I’ll do that 

thanks 

[cliffcoggin]

Test the valves by rolling the stems on a dead flat surface with the heads overhanging the edge. Any bend will show up as a reluctance to roll smoothly and the head will gyrate or orbit rather than rotate.

[Jonew]

7 minutes ago, cliffcoggin said:

Test the valves by rolling the stems on a dead flat surface with the heads overhanging the edge. Any bend will show up as a reluctance to roll smoothly and the head will gyrate or orbit rather than rotate.

Perfect

thank you 

[Magnet]

Was the camshaft actually turning when you carried out your compression test? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Jonew]

45 minutes ago, Magnet said:

Was the camshaft actually turning when you carried out your compression test? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

Had the cam cover on and chain cover too when I did the compression test.

however when I stripped it down, I had to turn the crank to time it up and to align the camshafts to allow the locking tool to fit and both was turning, but Ofc the inlet side was almost a quarter turn out. 
had to remove chain to get the cams too line up..

after seeing the inlet cam so far out I thought I’d definitely have some bent valves but so far they look ok and the pistons haven’t been touched..

the carbon build up is the worst I’ve seen so still undecided to replace valves or not..

exhaust side will clean up nice though.

 

[Magnet]

So back to the question:- 

Do you know the camshaft was actually turning when you had the zero compression values? I guess the answer is no - ? 

Heavy carbon build up on some valves-? I’d be considering the likelihood of oil burning on that/those cylinders, suggesting bore  or ring wear.