Hi all.. Just trying to figure out what is going on with my wagon.

Car has low compression on cylinder#1..

Ive tried the oil trick to get the numbers up.. but it doesnt help..

Ive read around that slightly bent valves can cause the compression to drop bad...

Car does run and drive.. but idle is very shaky.. If you pull the plug wire off #1 it runs the same.. Plugs and wires are new.. and cap and rotor..


also car does make some weired noises some times when idleing.. Like a bong bong... Like a air through a empty pipe.. Kinda hard to explain...

but drives fine under heavy throttle.. Doesnt seem to have allot of power loss.. Well it has 254,xxx miles.. I dont expect it to be a race car..

Car also has allot of valve chatter...

is there any way to check if its bent valves?? With out taking the head off???

And if i have to take the head off is there somewhere that could check it?

 

yep, do a leak down test. checking the compression is kind of a blind way of testing. It could indicate either bad rings, or valves that either are staying open, or closed. Check out honda tuning. I believe they have a tech. artical on how to build your own leak down tester for cheap. It also explains how to opperate it. From what it sounds like to me though you do. I think maybe you should check your timing and see if your off any teeth. ( Hense set your timing marks up like you are susposed to when changing your timing belt, and piston is at top dead center number one. If your timing marks are off anywhere. that's a pretty good indication that "maybe" you have some bent valves.) Do all of that, and see if it doesn't give you results.

 

So what did you find out?

 

^ havent messed with it yet.. I dont have the time... And im always driving the car...

i will get around to it soon.. Maybe tomorrow...

 

This happened to me a week ago, but on cyl number 4. I replaced the plugs and wires, and it purrs like a kitten again. However, you said the plugs and wires are new. Hmm.

 

^ I comp tested it... 60lbs on #1.. 185ish on the other 3

 

First question that is coming to mind is what motor is in the car, reason I ask; Most f series are non-interference motors. This means timing belt snaps, no harm to the valves. Unless you sucked up some water maybe I dont see this being a bent valve. Maybe the seals or guides or rings? Any smoke?

And I would agree with shane thrasher and do a leak down. Thats the only real way to check it without tearing it apart.