No Compression (all cylinders)

[Venomvtr]

First of all I just want to say thank you to all that have helped me already with the searches I have already done on this site.

Car is a W reg (2000) 1.6 vtr with no engine mods at all.

The car will not start and when turned over sounds strange and few people with some knowledge said it sounded like there was no compression.

Anyway, me and dad have checked the timing (with help from this site) and all seems well there, also adjusted the tappets to correct clearances. We then carried out a compression test and got zero on all cylinders...

What could this mean?

Any help will be appreciated (apologies if i've missed anything, first post and all that).
Thanks.

[blackie_2k5]

is this after a rebuild?

your building a turbo arent you?

[K17NEY]

How has this happened? Did it occur when driving or have after replacing/rebuilding etc..

[Venomvtr]

No, no turbo and no rebuild.

It went into a garage for a clutch change and came out dead... Obviously no relation to clutch and this issue, so cant point fingers at the garage... Unless you guys can tell me otherwise?

[saxo-parts]

sounds like cam belt has slipped or snapped

[Venomvtr]

Cam belt was first thought, but the timing seems to all in the right place (bolt through cam into head and allen key through head into flywheel)?

[wicked-vtr]

You sure you carried out the compression test properly? seems very strange. So when you turn it over the cam and crank move as they should?

[blackie_2k5]

would it not start after the clutch was replaced?

are you sure the compression tester isnt fucked or not been done properly.. and its just a damaged crank sensor or earth from replacing the clutch causing it not to start?

[Venomvtr]

block to flywheel i meant. This is stretching my basic knowledge btw, I'm not going to pretend I'm a mechanic :)

[Venomvtr]

Yes, crank and cam move as they should.

Nope, hasnt started since clutch change. Apparently crank sensor was changed in a bid to get it started, but no joy (the plastic surround around the sensor looks new, so I believe this to be true).

[Gabbastard]

Id say test the compression tester on a known good engine before progressing.

[K17NEY]

Ive had loss of compression twice. The first was when id bent 8 valve's and the second time was when i snapped the timing belt which also bent the valves. To my knowledge, If you lose compression it's usually a bit fucked.

[blackie_2k5]

tbh it sounds like the garage has done/not done something

as said test the compression tester first then report back

[Venomvtr]

Ok, dont flame me if this was a stupid idea, but to test that the compression tester wasnt totally dead, we stuck a bicycle pump with an adapter in the hose and we got a reading. I assume a (working) engine would give more pressure than a bike pump. It didnt even flicker on the engine. Its the screw in the s plug hole type btw.

K17NEY - What caused 8 bent valves the 1st time round for you?

[K17NEY]

Ok, dont flame me if this was a stupid idea, but to test that the compression tester wasnt totally dead, we stuck a bicycle pump with an adapter in the hose and we got a reading. I assume a (working) engine would give more pressure than a bike pump. It didnt even flicker on the engine. Its the screw in the s plug hole type btw.

K17NEY - What caused 8 bent valves the 1st time round for you?

Doing 125mph in 4th and putting it back in 3rd.

[Venomvtr]

Ouch...

I'll have a further look this weekend and let you all know what I find.

If anyone has anymore ideas, please post here.
Thanks for your help so far.

[gtipower]

sounds like the garage has done something mate,replacing a clutch + non start + no compression on all x4 cylinder's = a big coincidence.
If i was you i would check the tensioner visually and time the engine up correctly checking both the cam and crank are in correct position's.
Where are you based mate? if it hasd no compression it turn's over very quickly.

[Gandi699]

When you turn it over by hand, can you feel the compression? or does it just turn easily over and over with no resistance

[Ross]

compression is just everything sealing - rings at the bottom end, valves at the top. With no compression on any cylinder, it's highly unlikely to be the rings on all cylinders, which should point you to the valves. For them all to fail at the same time, I'd be looking at the cam holding the valves open when it shouldn't be, or the valves being warped to the point where they can't seal. That can really only be cambelt or timing.

Playing devils advocate, is it possible the garage did a road test after fitting the clutch, and it died on the road test? How did they explain they were giving the car back as a non-runner??

[Randal]

hey, the thing that came to me after reading all the above, is some kind of 'gasket' or seal that may have worn and has began to leak oil, coolant (water/antifreeze) or even fuel into the combustion chamber flooding it and you cant compress liquids. check your coolant bottle is it oily ? head off ...
has it got any maintenance history ? how many miles it done ?

[Mini-valver]

If you have zero compression on all 4 cylinders but its timed up and the belt is intact, hold your hand over the throttle body and see if you get a reading, then do the same with the exhaust. If you get a reading with either, you have some bent valves. Something is very wrong to be getting nothing on all 4 though, where are you based? You should be able to clearly hear where you 160 odd psi is going when you compression test it tbf!

[gtipower]

I think they killed in on roadtest!

[Venomvtr]

Hi again guys and thanks for the further replies since I was last on. I will try and answer some of the points/questions...

[Venomvtr]

When you turn it over by hand, can you feel the compression? or does it just turn easily over and over with no resistance

It turns easily by hand until a certain point, then does get stiff. TBH, dont know what compression is supposed to feel like, but it felt more like something getting in the way, but when turned over by the key, there isnt any nasty crunching noises or anything...

[Venomvtr]

compression is just everything sealing - rings at the bottom end, valves at the top. With no compression on any cylinder, it's highly unlikely to be the rings on all cylinders, which should point you to the valves. For them all to fail at the same time, I'd be looking at the cam holding the valves open when it shouldn't be, or the valves being warped to the point where they can't seal. That can really only be cambelt or timing.

Playing devils advocate, is it possible the garage did a road test after fitting the clutch, and it died on the road test? How did they explain they were giving the car back as a non-runner??

In response to the the roadtest after clutch change - the guy owns 400+ bhp Sierra Cossie, so I doubt razzing my standard vtr would give any additional thrills lol.

He just said that it just would not start followin clutch change...

[Venomvtr]

hey, the thing that came to me after reading all the above, is some kind of 'gasket' or seal that may have worn and has began to leak oil, coolant (water/antifreeze) or even fuel into the combustion chamber flooding it and you cant compress liquids. check your coolant bottle is it oily ? head off ...
has it got any maintenance history ? how many miles it done ?

Havent checked the coolant bottle yet, will check this weekend.

Maintenance history isnt great tbh, but I've owned it for 7 years, so know where its been and whats been done to it (apart from this time...)

Approx 76,000 on the clock.

[gtipower]

It turns easily by hand until a certain point, then does get stiff. TBH, dont know what compression is supposed to feel like, but it felt more like something getting in the way, but when turned over by the key, there isnt any nasty crunching noises or anything...
the tight spot sound like compression mate,did they only replace the clutch?no flywheel or rear main oil seal?
Surly the garage can diagnose it?

In response to the the roadtest after clutch change - the guy owns 400+ bhp Sierra Cossie, so I doubt razzing my standard vtr would give any additional thrills lol.

He just said that it just would not start followin clutch change...

If i owned a 400bhp cossy i would destroy a vtr,going to be alot less of a handful. obviously a driver if he drives that.

[gtipower]

Where you based?

[Venomvtr]

If you have zero compression on all 4 cylinders but its timed up and the belt is intact, hold your hand over the throttle body and see if you get a reading, then do the same with the exhaust. If you get a reading with either, you have some bent valves. Something is very wrong to be getting nothing on all 4 though, where are you based? You should be able to clearly hear where you 160 odd psi is going when you compression test it tbf!

Havent tried the above either, again, will also give that a try this weekend.

I'm based in North London.
Thanks.

[Venomvtr]

the tight spot sound like compression mate,did they only replace the clutch?no flywheel or rear main oil seal?
Surly the garage can diagnose it?



If i owned a 400bhp cossy i would destroy a vtr,going to be alot less of a handful. obviously a driver if he drives that.

Just the clutch replaced and the crank sensor to try and get it started.

Yea, garage should be able to diagnose it, but they'll want paying for it too!

[blackie_2k5]

Just the clutch replaced and the crank sensor to try and get it started.

Yea, garage should be able to diagnose it, but they'll want paying for it too!

if it went to them running and left them not...then its their respsonsibility!

[raunchz]

could it be e a starter motor problem.

Your friends telling you it has no compression as it makes a funny noise when trying to start is a red herring?

Get a proper compression test done - just thinking out loud, but more info is needed

[raunchz]

Another thing that jumps to mind is a broken woodruff key

[saxoshaylor189]

could be possible walve seat or guides, im afraid if your having no luck with the compression its a head off job including a new head gasket, its so the valves can be tested for leakage and how they are seating sorry to be the bearer of bad news m8 but if u can get a reading and it fired up at some stage, happy days :)

[gtipower]

this running yet?