Hi All

The guy I sold my silver top Zetec to is experiencing some problems with it (it's in a Mark 1 Escort now)

He's just fitted it and here's what he says:

went to fire the engine up today and it runs really badly, checked compressions and i have 130 on no1 130 on no2 and 185 on 3 and 195 on 4

The engine is only running on 3 & 4 ( its obvious as it burnt the paint of the manifold on 3&4 and not 1&2) - manifold being brand new.

I am also getting a lot of sump pressure?

I pulled the head and the valves seem fine, no obvious sign of head gasket failure and the bores look nicely honed.

Any ideas?

He's a genuine guy and I want to be able to sort this out even though he's had the engine since November last year.

Regards

Wyn

Did he try some oil in the bores 1&2 to see if it raised the compression? if it did then this would indicate ring problems.

Alternatively it could be sticking valves maybe a strip down and clean up will do the trick.

Sounds like sticky or broken rings due to backpressure, if not sticky valves due to standing time.
HTH
Ian

Sounds like sticky or broken rings due to backpressure, if not sticky valves due to standing time.
HTH
Ian

Thanks guys

This is the hydraulic tappet version and it's be standing for ages - could this be causing the valves to stick open?

I'd check the EDIS from personal experience :-)

My mate had that, we thought valves, rings etc - but got the edis sorted and ran like a dream

His was running MegaSquirt though - PIP/SAW wires were the problem?

Probably completely irrelevant - but my post count is being neglected of late - too busy driving it

Also - my mate has just moaned at me - it was the butterflies that caused the original running on less than 4 cylinders problem - the PIP/SAW made it run flat, fixed them - pulled like a train


[Edited on 7/8/06 by muzchap]

An EDIS fault wouldn't cause low compression.

The Zetec is renown for sticking valves, having it standing for a long period probably doesn't help. Could also be sticking hydraulic followers I suppose.

I agree with most of the others, sticking valves, weak tappets or ring problems, mind you if the compression is still at 135 then I would be inclined to go with tappets.

I would still expect it to run after a fashion with 135 comps on two cylinders.

Incorrect engine oil will cause problems with the Zetec engines, Causes havoc with the hydraulic tappets which in turn can cause low compressions. Oil needs to be 5w30 I.I.R.C.. If he still has the head off an easy way to check valves for seating is to lay head so that gasket surface is on top and fill combustion chambers with degreaser/paraffin whatever and check the ports for signs of leaks. Have known Zetec inlet valves to burn out. Rare I think but it does happen