Odd compression and white smoke

[Deadbeat117]

Need help. I have a 91 s13 coupe with a ka24de. When I start the car and give it gas it blows some white smoke not to much tho. I did a compression test and these are the results.
1st cylinder: 160
2n:180
3rd:180
4Th: 180 and dropping.
I think this is a coolant issue since the smoke is white and there is only small puffs when I give it gas in neutral. I've also found that my water pump was bad as the coolant isn't flowing in the radiator when you open the radiator cap. Any help as to what this might be would be greatly appreciated.

[Gingersmurf]

I've also found that my water pump was bad as the coolant isn't flowing in the radiator when you open the radiator cap. Any help as to what this might be would be greatly appreciated.

Was the car up to temp? Thermostat might not have opened yet.

Also, sounds pretty blown headgasket-y to me. Possibly rings on piston 1?
hard to diagnose a problem over the internet though...

Anyone else want to chime in?

[Deadbeat117]

Yes I let it run to check it and it heats up pretty quickly. The white smoke only shoots out when you give it gas in neutral. I figured bad head gasket but the compression test is making me nervous. Thankyou for any input

[Kuma]

Are you losing coolant?

[Deadbeat117]

As far as I can tell no coolant or near to none has been lost since I got it a few months back. The coolant just stays near the top and doesn't move as you can see when you open the cap.

[[240sx]]

4Th: 180 and dropping...

If the psi was dropping after cranking, you should perform a leak down test.

[Kingtal0n]

Water is a product of combustion, and it accumulates in the exhaust system (condensation) when you shut the engine off. Typically atmospheric conditions allow water to persist in the exhaust system in some way or the other (even if just suspended in the air).

When you first start your engine, this water heats up and turns to steam and you see it leave. Every car should smoke a little white when it first starts.

The question is, do you continually see white smoke after driving for several minutes, does the white smoke persist in the exhaust for 10+ minutes after starting the engine? If so, that does sound like a headgasket, but you need to verify before doing anything drastic. Take the plugs out and fill the radiator with 10~psi and look for coolant collecting in the cylinders. You can also run the engine and look for bubbles constantly appearing at the radiator (not a direct confirmation, but something to look for) You could also run a leak down test.

The compression result should be more intimate. Do not say 160 180 180 180. Get exact numbers, 162.5 ,180.2, 181.5, 182.9. Write them down for yourself. Also note what the RPM was at the time if possible (newer batterys or starters might give higher results) Get a second opinion (use a different tester). This is very important if you care about the longevity of your (any) engine.

[Rustys14]

Leak down test will be your friend here since it will enable you to pinpoint exactly what is going on. It is possible for there to be an issue with the headgasket/cylinder head without any major loss in compression. If air escapes into the cooling system during the leakdown you can be 100% sure that there is an issue with the gasket or head itself.

[silviaks2nr]

If there is a headgasket/cooling system problem the car is going to be overheating after a few minutes or with any kind of load, no question. It sounds to me like you're either making up a problem or you just don't know what you're doing. Either way I'd get the car to someone experienced to go over it and tell you what needs to be done mechanically and to properly address any maintenance items. Your compression test results are not bad but not great either. Worn valve seals or valve seats will be indicated with a leakdown test.

[Kuma]

Are you losing oil?

[Deadbeat117]

No oil is being lost. It has stayed relatively full since I changed it a few months ago. I will be trying the leak down test soon. I have brought the car to many mechanics wher3 I am and all of them give me the same answer based on what they see and hear but none have worked with this car before. They say bad head gasket or,bad rings. Is it probable that one cylinder would have bad ring and the other 3 be good? I was thinking of using seafoam or some other type of engine flush maybe it is gunked up. I will post results of leak down .

[Kuma]

you're losing coolant or oil. when my ka started blowing smoke when I would accelerate after a long light or after idling for a few minutes, I was losing oil... about 1qt per 3k miles.

Do the tests others have suggested... pull the spark plug wires and make sure you're not leaking oil downinto the spark plugs too. and keep a close eye on your fluids until you can do the tests. seafoam isn't going to fix your compression. do the tests and fix the problem.... or start sourcing a new engine.