Low compression after not being driven for 5 years.

Oh, here we go.

I'll also agree with the folks that are saying pull the plugs and get some detergent oil in there. I've made it a practice to do this whenever an engine has been sitting more than a few months now.

 

iceracer said:

In reply to Knurled. :

Jeez.   You only said "Drive it",  Not beat the pixx out of it.

Maybe you are too young to know what a proper ITU is.

It's a 2 liter non turbo engine, how else do you drive them? 

Higher load is more important than high RPM. 

Brett_Murphy said:

I'll also agree with the folks that are saying pull the plugs and get some detergent oil in there. I've made it a practice to do this whenever an engine has been sitting more than a few months now.

And along those lines, if you're planning for it to sit for a while (especially if it's not somewhere climate controlled), stall it out with fogging oil on the last shutdown (or put a little oil in the cylinders and turn it over after shutdown).  That should prevent the rings from sticking in the first place.  

In reply to rslifkin :

The sad part is, it sounds like the "car sat for years" part of the equation was sudden and unintentional.

I added two cap fulls of marvel mystery oil to each cylinder at lunch.  I will keep everyone posted...

That'll be a good start.  I'd be tempted to add a bit more.  2 cap fulls may not be enough depending on how the pistons are shaped, etc.  

My thought is turn it over by hand a few times tomorrow and then add two more cap fulls

Yes, taking it slow and letting the solvents work is a good way to do it.

I ragged the car out pretty good today.  It still has a little misfire at idle but it definitely runs well enough to enter the challenge.

I am going to fiddle with it more tomorrow.

In reply to pimpm3 :

Good, good! Keep up with driving it as often as you can.  Some engines are needy, in that they need to be run often in order to be happy and they will let you know loud and clear if you are not attending to them often enough.

pimpm3 said:

I ragged the car out pretty good today.  It still has a little misfire at idle but it definitely runs well enough to enter the challenge.

I am going to fiddle with it more tomorrow.

Seriously- that line deserves to be in the magazine.  

Ok so I re did the compression test this morning.

160 - 160 - 70 - 155.

They all came up significantly.  Any thoughts on the low cylinder?  Should I keep soaking it in the mmo and drive it again , or should I  try something else?

I haven't tried the seafoam yet.

I tested it wet after letting it soak for about 20 minutes and the low cylinder came up to 145.

Sounds like you’re at the just keep driving it phase

I’d make an exhaust manifold that merges 1, 2, and 4, use that to spool a turbo, then make an intake that only boosts 3.

because Challenge.

After soaking overnight the low cylinder was at 120 psi.  I let the car idle for 30 minutes and tested the low cylinder afterwards and it was at 120 psi hot.  I think its making a comeback...

That definitely says the issue on the low cylinder is rings and not valves.  And being that it's improving, they're probably just stuck and not totally screwed.  So definitely keep driving it, run it hard and give it plenty of high rpm / closed throttle decel cycles to get the rings moving as best as possible.  

In reply to pimpm3 :

Don’t call it a comeback.

In reply to AngryCorvair :

Thank you.

Was just wondering if this one would come back to life.  Glad to hear you are winning the battle.

125 psi today.   I am going to change all the fluids and start driving it once a week, hopefully some beat down will help get it up to snuff.

AngryCorvair said:

In reply to pimpm3 :

Don’t call it a comeback.

I’ve been here for years.