1999 2.4l with 140K. Car working fine parked it, got back in after a few hours and would not start. Looked like timing belt slipped. We bought it used with 100k on it and found out the hard way the belt had never been changed. Replaced timing belt -- timing marks are perfect but still wont start. New plugs, wires, coil pack, and fuel pressure is good on the rails.

Did compression test. Note: car did not start, and never got to running temperature. It has been sitting for a week. Hayes manual says range is 170 to 225 after car is warm.

Test set up. Removed plugs, disabled coil pack, held accelerator to the floor and cranked 7 times per cylinder.

First test
1 = 165
2 = 205
3 = 95
4 = 95

Second test
1 = 168
2 = 210
3 = 110
4 = 95

Dropped in 1 teaspoon of 30 weight oil
Third test
1 = 175
2 = 220
3 = 130
4 = 110

Forth test
1 = 180
2 = 220
3 = 140
4 = 115

With the car being cold I am not sure how good these reading are??? Cylinders 1, 2, and 4 increased around 15 psi with oil added. 3 went up around 45 psi.

In the forms here it mentions that timing belts can cause bent valves. Do the reading here indicate that?

I am thinking it might be a warped head blown or blown head gasket?

Any ideas for the occasional mechanic??

 

yeah, bent valves (IF THE BELT BROKE). the oil will kind of "hide" the prob. if the head is warped it won't come into play if the head hasn't been removed.

You kind of have a big choice to make. if you get the valves replaced with new guides (call around the local machine shop for prices and tell what happend) the "like new" pressure might cause your "old" pistion rings to fail pretty soon after.

if your belt didn't break and it's not missing teeth (as that's the only way it can slip) your prob is bad compression (i think). you said your timming is good. the only way to check this is by hand cranking the eng over 2-4 times after the belt was replaced to make sure the marks stay lined up. otherwise you risk the pistons hitting the valves. do you have any codes? might be somethig we didn't even think about. good luck.

 

Bum luck dude.

From what your showin us here, looks like your stuck pullin the head. Readings like this point directly at a blown gasket or cracked head betwee 3 and 4, but bent valves can't be excluded. None can be repaired with the head on the car.

All will make itself visible once the head is on the bench.

Vince

 

Dbbl chk. your valve timing! comp. somewhat low it still should fire,
Try alternate fuel source,ie: bottle feed it thru intake just becareful of a back fire.