Mongo

Can you trace where the oil is leaking from exactly? I've never heard of 0 PSI on a reading unless the motor was not cranked properly during the test. Did you crank it 4-5 times?

If you did all the above, and there is a puddle of oil in your sisters driveway....check and see if a rod went through the block. You may have had piston wrist pin failure, or some other mechanical catastrophe to put out that much oil.

What boost are you running at? High boost applications on a new motor may not be recommended and could blow out your rings.

Rock

I did the compression test like 10 different times on the 3rd cylinder to be sure it was right. Also I pulled the spark plug wire from number 3 and the car ran the same.

Limp mode *** car running like 9PSI. Sometimes it got up to 15psi, but that was rare.

Also, upon further inspection, I think the oil leak is because I put maybe a quart too much oil in it. I didnt know because the dipstick and the dipstick housing fell off, and no this is not a joke.

cpt_koolbeenz

If your #3 piston and #3 rod are still in the engine and you get 0 psi compression, I don't see how this coulden't be a valve problem.

Can you turn the engine around by hand to where the distributor is pointed to the #3 contact, and blow some compressed air in the spark plug hole and hear where it is going?

Sorry to hear about your problems, this has to be heartbreaking for you.

Buckaroo Banzi

How big is the puddle? dime sized or 5 quart sized?
If it 's big 5 quart sized? Jack that baby up and check the block oil lines
inspect everything make sure all connections are tight and squeeze the hose's
inspect for cuts try to trace the oil's orgin.

Did you do the rebuild?
Check the oil pan gasket seems to a trouble spot for DIY'ers

If it's small dime sized ignore for now and focus on the head I would remove the intake check for open vavle if no open valve? I would pull the head orinspect the zero pressure bore with a bore scope. you need to inspect #3 bore pulling the head maybe your only option? What does your spark plug look like?

I feel your pain I am in the middle of a re-build myself

Tom M'Guinn

Rock, hang in there man. You can put a wooden dowel in the spark plug hole and turn the motor by hand to make sure the piston is moving up and down. I'm sure it is. If you take the intake manifold off, you can see the intake valve s. Rotating the motor by hand will confirm the #3 intake valve is closing.

cpt_koolbeenz

LOL I was just about to post the same thing... Put a dowel in the spark plug hole... Just like finding TDC for the #1 pison, but now just do it for the #3...

Chris White

Either a burnt valve or a burnt piston – more likely the valve.

Did this happen gradually or all of a sudden?

Also – if I understand what you posted – you were driving around with out a dipstick…

A burnt valve usually makes a chuffing noise as the air is pushed by the hole. In the future - if you are going to drive it more – pull the fuel injector connector off #3, no sense in damaging it further.

Chris White

Rock

This happened all of the sudden.

No I didnt drive around with it off, it just came right off when I tried to check the oil. I went and got a flashlight and fished around until it went back it the hole. Im not sure if it went in there all the way, so I added a little bit more oil just to be safe (the dipstick reading could have been wrong).

black944 turbo

I had a friend on here that broke a valve spring on an S and the same symptoms. The car ran great and then all of a sudden it ran like crap. If it is a valve problem and a broken spring, you can do it with the head on the car. You will need to fill the cylinder with air and get a valve spring compressor. BTW, his did not look broken, I started to try and turn the valve spring and found that. His also had 0 compression in that cylinder. I also had the same thing happen on my old corvair. Pull the cam box and check it out. Good luck man.

Rock

I looked at the oil leak, and found out that it was coming from around the back of the engine. the oil is dripping off of the exhaust pipe and spilling on the ground. Does this sound like a bad rear main seal?

cpt_koolbeenz

How far up the engine is the oil coming out? Is it coming from the rear of the cam tower cover, head, oil pan, bell housing, balance shaft seals?

Rock

It looks like its coming around the bell housing. it wasnt the cam tower gasket, I dont think its the balance shafts either. Boy when it rains, it sure does pour.

95ONE

Please don't do this yourself. Take it to your mechanic and find out what the problem is. It will SAVE you money.

Buckaroo Banzi

Anything new on the head?
Did you use the dowel? suggestion?
Have you pulled the intake?

About the oil leak,
I have had a cam tower leak and the oil ends up on the exhaust pipe and around the bell housing and pan gasket, also the leak is very very hard to detect on my car there was no visable oil trail from the cam tower only a quarter sized puddle and smoke from the oil burning off the exhaust. it dove me crazy trying to find it.