Low Compression? Oil on spark plugs

[Reignman]

Hello,

I was looking at buying a guys built KA but when I went to see it we pulled the plugs to do a compression test the plug on cylinder 2 was full of oil. It didnt look like there was any coolent on there and he said he thinks it might be the o-ring gasket between the valve cover and head. That worried me a bit so we did a compression test and here were the results:

Cylinder #1 - 93 Cylinder #2 - 125 Cylinder #3 - 95 Cylinder #4 - 93

I thought that stock compression was supposed to be around 175 but the engine also has 9:1 compression pistons and ported head and I was wondering if this would affect the compression that much? I was thinking cylinder #2 read higher because of the oil. The only other thing was it sounded like the timing chain was running up against something when he reved up to around 3000rpm. He said that all the timing chain, guides and tensioner were replaced and the top guide was left off. Not sure what this could be? Any ideas on if this is a bad engine or not?

Thanks

[neoamd]

Run away now. Talk to Joel at HRT ( http://www.handcraftedracing.com/ )

He can help you out with a built KA.

Josh

[Florida240sx]

soemthing is wrong...compression that low?Could have the cams adjusted wrong. Either that or blown headgasket. Was the oil on top of the spark plug or on the electrode?

[TheOne]

if you did do the compression test the right way, then those are really low numbers and it most likely has blown piston rings or bad valve stem seals.(since you say oil), if the oil you found on cylinder 2 came from bad gasket inside the valve cover, then there would only be oil on the plugs but not inside the piston.

[Reignman]

Its funny but the engine was built at HRT. As far as the plugs they had oil on the electrode. I thought the compression was low but Im wondering why they are all around the same compression other then cylinder #2

[Florida240sx]

Well if it's on the electrode well you got a blown headgasket then. Explains the low compression

[Reignman]

If it is a blown head gasket could there be any problems from that? I know I will have to take the head off and replace the gasket but could there be any damage to the pistons or valves? The motor sounded smooth when he reved it up until around 4000rpm when I heard what sounded like the timing chain rubbing up against something. Not sure what it could be rubbing up against though because the top timing guide has already been removed

[C-Kwik]

better to do a leakdown. That will pretty much tell you where the leak is...