KA24DE Noob with engine prob

[jmw19_99]

Noob here askin for help with 92 240sx w/ka24de. Burnin bout a quart of oil every 2 weeks or so. Have some clicking coming from #1 cyl. Not chain guides or Injector. Thinkin it might be a stuck valve? Maybe bad lifter? Any help'd be appreciated. Also, anyone ever seen a reroute of the air intake filter to battery (pass) side and battery moved to driver side? If so, how was it done?

[InsanityInc]

Do a compression test. And yes, I've seen that done a number of times.

[jmw19_99]

During/After comp. test what should I be looking for? What problems would cause a failed test? And what would I have to go through to fix it?

[InsanityInc]

well, you can't really fail a compression test. I guess if you got 0's across the board it would be a failure, but your car wouldn't run if it did that.

Stock compression is 179psi. As long as you're in that general vicinity on all cylinders your compression is fine.

If it's bad, it could be a number of things, either a bad valve, bad headgasket or bad rings usually.

[jmw19_99]

In the case of a bad valve: how diff/expensive to replace? In either case should i just deal with it seeing as how the car is just my winter car? I know how that sounds, I mean, I'm excited about owning the car but it is not my primary tuner. I just want to get it to a point that is livable and/or not overly annoying to have fun with. Any other advice would be extremely helpful. 1

[navysnail]

it could be a worn valve guide seal or an oil ring burning oil. as far as the ticking, are you sure its not the chain?

[jmw19_99]

I'm pretty sure its not the chain, but again, noob, so not 100% sure. Timing chains are a new thing. In the off chance it is the chain, what sound would the guides be putting off?