legacycentral bbs

So I did a compression test yesterday and it read that Im at 60 psi at all 4 cylinders. I dont know how that could be as my car is running. At 60psi, wouldnt the car have trouble starting and running. Well, I also did a leakdown and Im having High Leakage %. Do you think I need to rebuild the heads and do rings or only one of them? Anyone know where to buy rings from?

Proline for rings.

If it's consistant across all cylinders, that is kinda weird.

Put some oil in the spark plug hole, and re-check. If the compression is better, then it's likely the rings. If not, likely the valves.

You'll have to tear down the engine anyway, so just check it out when you get the engine open.

How does the car run? Like crap? Well? How about Gas Mileage?

BAC5.2 wrote:If it's consistant across all cylinders, that is kinda weird.

Put some oil in the spark plug hole, and re-check. If the compression is better, then it's likely the rings. If not, likely the valves.

You'll have to tear down the engine anyway, so just check it out when you get the engine open.

How does the car run? Like crap? Well? How about Gas Mileage?

We did the oil test and it did not change. Car runs fine it seems. Gas mileage is about 200-220 miles per tank and thats on 18psi and I dont really get on it.

The leakdown test should help you determine where it's leaking from... You can listen at the intake ports and at the exhaust and at the oil filler.

What was the leakdown percentage?

It is possible that your engine's just in a severe state of wear for some reason. 60 psi seems very low but it could be partly due to miscalibration in the meter. Is the engine much weaker than it ought to be?

What turbo/intercooler/engine management are you using to boost 18 psi?

You sure you did the compression test correctly? Or do you know your compression tester is working properly?

Stupid me, I think the schrader valve was messed up. Im going to do it again tomorrow.

As for intercooler/management/etc..... none My boost solenoid is stuck open and I havent gotten around to getting a newer one or an MBC.

What were the leakdown percentages?

Running an otherwise stock motor/turbo at maximum boost isn't very ring-friendly... you might want to reconsider that. Just connect the nipple on the compressor outlet directly to the nipple on the wastegate actuator with several cents' worth of 1/4" vacuum hose, and you'll be running about 6 psi.

Dont remember the numbers but they were high leakage. Im going to be redoing both tests tomorrow and doing the boost down to 6 like you said. VRG3, do you have a pic of both inlets that I'll be connecting?

The two nipples are the only small nipples on the turbo. It'll be pretty obvious.

The nipple off of the compressor outlet, and the nipple on the wastegate can. Connect the two, and voila.

I hate to say it, but I'd suspect you have blown your rings.

Are you at least intercooled? PLEASE tell me that you aren't running 18psi, unintercooled....

I bet you were running hot as a motherfucker.

I hate to say it but I havent been intercooled since August. I rarely ever boost 18psi. Im barely in boost.

Sorry for asking for a picture. I was looking at the All Data picture of the turbo and couldnt find them.

That's a 16G, but the nipples are pretty much in the same place on the stock turbo.


Unintercooled, and that much boost, doesn't sound good....

Hmm..... Asking for a pic of the nipples.......

Is it just me, or does that sound perverted?

So I just put a 1/4" vacuum line from those nipples and the boost will be at 6 or do I need to disconnect for the boost solenoid too?

Just run the line, and you'll run wastegate boost (6.5ish PSI)

Disconnect the hoses from the boost control solenoid, and leave the electrical connector plugged in.

What Phil said.

http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~v/vacuum/

Remove hoses L, M, and K, and the union fitting. Connect the wastegate actuator directly to the compressor outlet. You can use zipties to clamp the hoses in place.

Then put caps (one 3/16" and one 1/4") on the two sideways fittings on the boost control solenoid if you want to protect the solenoid from the elements. If the solenoid is toast you might not need to bother.

But actually, wait a sec -- you say your solenoid died and that's why you're getting uncontrolled boost? I don't believe that's the case... These solenoids normally fail shut, so you get wastegate boost. Maybe your problem is some damage or a missing clamp on one of the hoses I just mentioned?

Ok, so I found my boost problem. The line coming from the compressor housing nipple to the boost solenoid was undone and that caused my high boost levels. So now I am boosting fine.

Thanks for the help guys.