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View Full Version : KA commited suicide.


Andrei
03-06-2012, 09:23 AM
Hey guys so here's what happened:
Went to compression test my KA as it feels weak. It's all stock minus intake and exhaust from the cat back. Cylinder 1 had about 120 psi, 2 had 90, 3 was about the same, and 4 was at 60. We tested one again, went down to 60.. Everytime we tested past this the compression just kept dropping and dropping. So we figured our tester was going bad and put everything back. Go to start it, nothing. We finally get it started just by giving it some gas and it was barely running. Didn't idle and sounded like a lawnmower (yay for running on less than 4 cylinders right? smh) We find out cylinder 4 went bad and even though I had just replaced the spark plugs and wires not very long ago the spark plug looked shot. So I get a new one and put it in, and now 1 is dead. So we switch 1 and 4 to see how it is, out of nowhere 2 fails. After attempts at seeing what the hell is going on we finally diagnose that 1, 2, and 3 all are dead. All because of a compression test..? We find out my distributer was a little loose so we tightened it and no improvement. I'm getting spark for sure when we test for it but when we put everything back in it stops getting spark. We've also determined it looks like I have a bad headgasket (looks like oil in the coolant) and I was burning oil before hand when it did run (not sure how much, thought it was only a little bit). Is all of this because a bad headgasket? Or failing spark plug wires? Or are the KA gods trying to take this one from me for good? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

iveexcaped3
03-06-2012, 12:32 PM
when you did your CP test were all the plugs out or 1 at a time? also do a cylinder leak down test and see what the leakage % is. on my ka i had perfect compression a lil low on 3, did a leak down test and found out #3 was leaking 60% (not ok) listened for where it was leaking and i have bad piston rings, make sure all the plugs are out on a CP test and a battery charger hooked up

Andrei
03-07-2012, 03:58 AM
All plugs were out. Found out my distributor cap was shot to hell. Looked like it never got changed from factory.. Switched that out and she runs great now. Well better. Did another compression test after fixing that and 120 psi across the board. I think there was an adapter that was on the tester that got loose which messed up the readings last night.
I wanna do that leak down test though. And I have good reason to believe an injector is either going bad or clogged. Hoping clogged so I can just get some injector cleaner and sort it out tomorrow. If not then i'll order new injectors.

89JDM240sx
03-07-2012, 04:13 AM
Could be a couple diff things... Bad bearings, bad rings, head gasket.... Rebuild it and slap a big *** turbo on it... Lol

iveexcaped3
03-07-2012, 09:39 AM
if its 120 across the board i doubt it is a head gasket there should be some kind of drop where the gasket broke, or other signs like mixed oil and coolant, thats why a cylinder leak down test is good cuz it can tell you if its piston rings, head gasket, or if you have burnt valves.