Hey all I was out last night and was messing around with some jackA$$ in a truck who was riding my butt. Anyhow shortly after we were done I heard a loud rattling coming from the engine, I could only really hear it when I let off the gas, when I came to a stop the car died and refused to start, seemed almost like a dead battery as it would chug a bit. I opened the hood and it was piping hot inside but I didn't overheat.... I'm baffled, this morning it started once but died after 3 seconds of really @!#$ty idling and now won't start again. My father in law thinks it's a timing issue and that a new timing chain is in order but I don't know... any ideas.... and yes I do feel stupid for being rough on a car that has almost 190 000 k's on it but I was lost in the moment... any help would be appreciated.

It really doesnt help that you arent telling us what kind of car this is. I am going to Assume that its the 2.2 in your profile and go on and break the news to you that you have a possible Blown Head Gasket. (Common for the 2.2) The Engine will not always overheat in a case like this best way to check is for white smoke in the exhaust. If thats not your problem, well nm this is most likely your problem



96 All motor 5 Speed Z24, Best time 15.97@86MPH

Sorry it is the 2.2 in my profile, no white smoke when it happened, and if the head gasket went wouldn't there be leaking coolant or at least coolant in the oil or vice versa... which there isn't.... also it makes a bad grinding noise(metal on metal screech) when i tried to roll it over..... i'm thinking some heat damage and seizing is the problem...

might have wrecked the rings...

Did a compression test and #4 is down to 120 psi while the rest hold at 170 ish.... whatever the problem is it's in the bottom i fear... looks like a new engine might be needed... the cost is probably less

Yup, you broke a ring. If you're extremely lucky, the cylinder walls aren't damaged and then only a re-rigning will be necesseray. If they are scratched, then you need a new block.


Thanks,

G

No, he doesnt need a new block, he just needs to hone the cylinders thats it, and of course replace the rings.

Also if worst comes to worse you can get oversized rings, they make like .005 and .010 over size just incase the cylider wall is worn so abd that replacing just the rings wont fix it.

Finally you only replace a block if like a rod goes threw it.

I would apprepicte it if you didnt post info. as facts. All it does is mess with people and then they dont know what they need.

As far the original problem usually low compression on one cylinder is due to bad rings.
When you add oil into the spark plug hole just like a squirt or two, if the compression goes up, then it is for sure your piston rings.




- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new

yeah compression came back with oil thanks for the help guys

also while i'm thinking about it, is it standard for compression to be around 160-180psi cause I've been looking around for engines(possibly an ecotec swap but most have a compression around 140 -160.