Compression test fail.

[beastman]

So I got the compression tester from autozone. There was electrical tape around the end, where the hose met the threaded metal piece. In my ignorance I took the clerks word that it should work fine.

Warmed up/prepped the engine, pulled the plugs. 1-3 were fine, 4 looked like this:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/03/5522437265_48eb2c1bbd_z-1.jpghttps://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/03/5522436155_7a583c4450_z-1.jpg

Started with cylinder 1 for the test. Threaded the tool in till I felt resistance. Had my friend crank the engine (throttle open), didn't blip the gauge. I took off the gauge and threaded the hose in more until it really felt snug. Cranked it. Got 210psi on the gauge. Took the hose out, and the threads didn't look so great. I got nervous and decided not to put it into cyl 2. Tried to put a plug into cyl 1 and thought I felt it slip towards the end. Pulled the plug and this is what it looked like:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/03/5523026830_25ea7e6f2c_z-1.jpg


What the fuck? So I put in one of the other plugs, this time only tightening with my hand on the extension. As soon as I felt resistance I took it back out (again with my hand). Looked like this:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2011/03/5523026410_586df6252c_z-1.jpg

Almost touching, definitely bent. What kind of mess did I put myself in?

[Airgne]

looks as your rings are gone on number 4 cyl.
as for the tester problem. i think they gave you the wrong tester, or you put the wrong end in. normaly they just go in by hand and only have a small tip on them. did the plugs look like this after you cranked the engine, or after you put them in?

[beastman]

looks as your rings are gone on number 4 cyl.
as for the tester problem. i think they gave you the wrong tester, or you put the wrong end in. normaly they just go in by hand and only have a small tip on them. did the plugs look like this after you cranked the engine, or after you put them in?

Not only was the hose taped, they gave me an incomplete kit. There's a long non-fouler type piece you're supposed to thread in first, then the hose threads into that.

Why would you keep a tool in stock, that was broken, and missing pieces?

Now I'm further behind then I was when I started, is there any solution to the threads being stripped? Those bent plugs are bent just from being threaded in and pulled out. All plugs were out when I cranked the motor.

[02_Legacy]

are you sure the "non-fouler" is not still in the spark plug hole? Maybe it was on the end of the compression tester when you screwed it in, but it stayed when you took the tester off, so now you are screwing your plugs into that non-fouler instead of the heads...

[beastman]

are you sure the "non-fouler" is not still in the spark plug hole? Maybe it was on the end of the compression tester when you screwed it in, but it stayed when you took the tester off, so now you are screwing your plugs into that non-fouler instead of the heads...

You got me! :smt021

After looking in there with a light, I found the other bit and extracted it. The tool was junk though. I went to AdvanceAuto and bought a new one for $25. It had proper O-rings and a beefier/more flexible hose. Once I got that one back home, I ran the test. Did run into one snag though, since I was too nervous to over tighten the thing, on the second wet test the hose came loose and oil went up it. I think I might have ruined the tool. Whatever, here's the results:

DRY TEST (in order of test)
Cyl #1 - 220psi
Cyl #3 - 210psi
Cyl #2 - 220psi
Cyl #4 - 60psi

WET TEST (in order of test)
Cyl #4 - 60psi
Cyl #2 - 220psi (this was where the tool came loose and got oil inside)
Cyl #1 - NA
Cyl #3 - NA

I guess I have a valve issue of some sort. Time to bring it to my garage and pull the head.

Does this mean my rings are ok? I don't see why one piston's rings would go bad and the other three are fine.

[Airgne]

usally only one set of rings go bad. number has either bad vavles or bad rings. by the look of the spark plug im going toward rings on number 4. you would notice blue smoke out our exhaust if you rings on number 4 are bad. you need to do a leak down test on number 4. i would hate for you to pull the heads and get them fixed just to still have bad rings.

[02_Legacy]

Yep I agree with Argine, do a leak down test before you start tearing things apart. It is the only way to truly know what the problem is.

[beastman]

Got a leakdown test. It was a bad valve. Here's the list of repairs/parts quoted by my mechanic:

Replace:
bad valve(s)
replace timing belt
water pump
necessary gaskets
also replaced a seized caliper from the car sitting 2 months.

He quoted me $1200 for parts/labor (8-10 hrs)

Does this sound legit?

[DarkPhoenix]

That is actually pretty cheap for that job. Average is about $1800-2000 for that job.

[mike-tracy]

Assuming you can do the labor, why not go with either a rebuilt OEM head (still available at the dealership) or a used one in good shape?

Brand new part #'s for 01 LGT heads:
11039ab541 RH
11039ab540 LH

$419.96 new at 1stsubaruparts.com, but dealers should have some rebuilt ones for less, stockpiled around the country.

[BG5guy]

thats actually a great price. The dealership i worked at would flag twice that amount . I say do it. Spend the 1200 now and save yourself possibly more $$$ in the future.

[ouch1011]

Assuming you can do the labor, why not go with either a rebuilt OEM head (still available at the dealership) or a used one in good shape?

Brand new part #'s for 01 LGT heads:
11039ab541 RH
11039ab540 LH

$419.96 new at 1stsubaruparts.com, but dealers should have some rebuilt ones for less, stockpiled around the country.

For that price, I suspect the head is bare, no valves, springs, cams, seals, etc. So factor in the additional cost of either all new valves or a valve job to make the old valves seal on new seats.

[lord flashheart]

Assuming you can do the labor, why not go with either a rebuilt OEM head (still available at the dealership) or a used one in good shape?

Brand new part #'s for 01 LGT heads:
11039ab541 RH
11039ab540 LH

$419.96 new at 1stsubaruparts.com, but dealers should have some rebuilt ones for less, stockpiled around the country.


a rebuild would be cheaper. we typically charge $180 for a full head rebuild (new stem seals, all machine work etc).


the dealer isnt always the best when it comes to labor.
all the dealer does is pull the engine out, and sends it to a shop (like us) to do the work, then charges you about %35 more.
infact we do all the engine work for all the subaru dealers within 30 miles of us not to mention supply them with used engines, heads etc.

try to find a shop that has a in-house machine shop. preferably one that specializes in subarus.