I got a 98 plymouth neon DOHC I was driving it and it kept dying and it acted like it was out of time and smoked whern i tried to start it back finally i was headed home and it died and when i tried to start it it cranked over real fast and i changed the head gasket and the timing belt and it still wont start and i checked the compression and it has 30psi in the first cylinder 25 in the 2nd and third and 60 in the fourth what could be causing that?

 

I regret to inform you that your engine is TOAST! Most likely your piston rings are worn out. It's rebuild time....

 

so if i replace the rings on the pistons then it should get its compression back and run again?

 

Possibly, but why stop there? You really need to replace the rings and bearings (rods and mains) too. While you are at it, put in a new oil pump, water pump, timing kit, and send the head off to be redone (new seals, cam bearings, magnafluxed, and checked for squareness, regrind the valves and seats, etc. etc.).

In other words, yes you could probably get by with new rings (assuming the cylinders only needs honing and there are no deep grooves or scratches that require it to be bored out), but you will be repairing that motor again for something else very soon most likely.

Since you will have the motor out anyway, do a full rebuild. Spend a little more now, drive the hell out of it for years. Your call.

 

well try the wet test and see if compression improves a great deal. If it does not improve I think the head is to blame.

 

someone said it probibly jumped time and bent the valves so i am goin to get another head because someone stripped out the bolts that bracket the cams down and try that but i need to find the torque for the cam bolts.

 

Sounds like you need to buy either the Haynes manual or the Field Service Manual. That will give you all the torque specs you need.

You might also want to try the cylinder leakdown test to confirm valve damage.

 

how do you do the cylinder leak down test?

 

First, you have to go to the parts store and purchase/borrow the tool and you need an air compressor capable of at least 100psi.


Here are some websites that can provide more information then I care to type.

http://www.allpar.com/fix/leakdown-test.html

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...ter/index.html


http://autos.yahoo.com/maintain/repa...ques057_1.html

http://www.youfixcars.com/cylinder-leakage-test.html

 

well i guess i cant do the leakdown test i already took the head off to get ready for the new one i am getting i just hope that if i get another it will help but as far as looking i cant see anything wrong the vales look fine but on cylinder 4 there is barely 2 little marks where the valve might have hit but i cant tell anything by looking at the old head. is there anyway to check the vales with the head being off?