Motor Shot?

[RKNTRBO]

Well guys I have enjoyed my T-Type for less then 6 months, and reading this board, and I think I just ran into a brick wall.

My car has been running rough, so I took it to my mechanic today, and just got a call from him. I had him run a compression test, and he did the first 2,

#1 came back at 90 and cylinder was filled with oil:

#2 came back at 120, and he stopped there.

Just looking for some input on what my options are. Car has 83,000 original miles on it.

Thanks in advance,
Mark

 

[SouthernCal GN]

Mark,

Get your engine to a mech that knows and understands the turbo 3.8, and have it built the right way...

Low compression could be a variety of things- rings, valves, head gasket, etc.

 

[WIKEDV6]

Mark,

Get your engine to a mech that knows and understands the turbo 3.8, and have it built the right way...

Low compression could be a variety of things- rings, valves, head gasket, etc.

Ditto, make sure this guy understands Turbo Buicks. I am pretty sure it might be the head gasket or something similar. I haven't seen any turbo Buick with bad rings at 83K unless you beat the snot out of every single time with very poor maintenance. In many cases, I have seen that bad valve cover gaskets let oil seep into the spark plug area and most people claim that as it's coming form the cylinder it self from bad rings or bad valve stem seals.

If you can think back, did the car started running rough after you ran it harder than usual? Did you do anything thing differently? The head gasket is like a fuse, it's what usually goes first due to detonation.

HTH

Prasad

 

[RKNTRBO]

Wicked, about a week ago I was almost WOT when I heard a bang, car also would smoke at startup and when I took off from a stoplight, etc., I would look at my side mirrors and see smoke coming out of the rear. The weird thing now the car only puffs a little smoke at startup, after sitting overnight. Havent seen any smoke after it warms up. Other then that, my driving habits havent change, this is my daily driver.

Mark

 

[SouthernCal GN]

Sounds like a headgasket- relatively easy fix if you can turn a wrench.

Then again, the truth will come out once you open the motor.

 

[MSDGN]

Do a leakdown test...more accurate in determining exactly what the problem is

 

[Headcutta]

MAKE SURE WHO EVER YOU GET TO LOOK AT IT KNOWS THE TURBO BUICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Alot of guys will tell you they know about the turbo Buicks and they DO NOT!!!!!!!. They will try to treat it like a small block Chevy and that will just not work.

 

[RKNTRBO]

Thanks for the input guys, I agree it needs some more testing, if anyone knows of a good Buick guy in the Bay Area let me know.

Thanks

 

[gndoug]

Buick Guys in the bay area.

Mizzi's Automoive in fairfield. They specialize in turbo buicks.

 

[WIKEDV6]

Wicked, about a week ago I was almost WOT when I heard a bang, car also would smoke at startup and when I took off from a stoplight, etc., I would look at my side mirrors and see smoke coming out of the rear. The weird thing now the car only puffs a little smoke at startup, after sitting overnight. Havent seen any smoke after it warms up. Other then that, my driving habits havent change, this is my daily driver.

Mark

What is you coolant temp is like after driving for a while? How rough is the idle? Are you running on all 6 cyl?

Prasad

 

[Just a Six??]

Whats your oil look like?

 

[RKNTRBO]

Oil looks fine, coolant temp I dont know, but I havent been losing any also. And idle has been real rough, and as of yesterday I think I was on 5 cyl.

 

[WIKEDV6]

Also check you rocker arms too, I have seen them break/loose. While you are at it, look for bent push rods too. Sometimes, a cam that going flat will yield low compression.
Anyway first, let’s eliminate the head gasket. Look for bubbles in the coolant reservoir after the motor is hot, take the breathers off and see if you can hear the compression blow by into the intake valley. If the gasket is blown badly you would have excess blow by and sometimes you can actually here the tick tick sound while the car is running with the breathers off

HTH

Prasad

 

[RKNTRBO]

I checked my reservior yesterday, and no bubbles, let me know if this sounds right to you. I just talked to my Mechanic and he stated if he puts a few drops of oil in #1 cyl-90 reading and does a commpression test, if it goes up it is the rings and if it goes down it is the valve's, I might have these reversed, but just asking if you think this will work? Also area around the valve covers is dry.

TY
Mark