91 metro wont run

[red39715]

I have a 91 metro that wont run. I have gas 30 psi at the throttle body and spark at the spark tester at each plug. I have tried starter fluid in the throttle body nothing. I have replaced the whole spark system with one from a running 96. It did not help. It has a new fuel pump. Any help would be appreciated.

[Woodie83]

No compression, or at least not enough to light it off.

[Johnny Mullet]

I agree! You need Spark, Fuel, and............................ Compression for a gas engine to run. Rent or borrow a compression tester and report back. Compression should be around 200 PSI each cylinder. Also make sure the timing belt did not break. You can do this by removing the distributor cap and crank the engine to see if it is rotating.

[sbiddle]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet

I agree! You need Spark, Fuel, and............................ Compression for a gas engine to run. Rent or borrow a compression tester and report back. Compression should be around 200 PSI each cylinder. Also make sure the timing belt did not break. You can do this by removing the distributor cap and crank the engine to see if it is rotating.

If the timing belt broke, you wouldn't get spark. If the timing belt jumped though you would still get spark but no fire.

[doug7x]

You also don't need to pull the distributor...just look in the oil fill port on the valve cover...you will be able to see the camshaft turning (or not)

[red39715]

I checked the compression and all 3 cylinders measure around 40 psi

[91 ragtop]

The manual says that minimum compression should be around 154#. If you only have 40 and there all even I would bet that the timing has jumped a tooth or two.

[red39715]

I tested the compression again and even after putting in tranny fluid into the cylinders all I got was 40 psi in all 3 cylinders with the plugs out of the non testing ones. The pressure seem to hold for awhile in each one. Any ideas?

[RossT]

Plugs stay in on the non tested ones.

Follow this guide on how to do a compression test for a g10 1.0 engine:

http://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?t=24601


Report back here with your wet and dry numbers. Use oil in the wet test.

[Woodie83]

Engine warm (original poster can't do this) all plugs out, throttle wide open. 40 psi is a disaster, I'd think something else was wrong other than wear. Timing belt skipped a couple of teeth or the crankshaft sprocket sheared the key and turned a couple of teeth. Drop a pen or even better, a straw down the number one (passenger side) spark plug hole. Slowly turn the engine with a ratchet until the straw is at it's highest point. Look at the timing marks on the timing belt cover, the notch in the pulley should be pointing to some number, I think it goes from 0 to 10, if it is, your crankshaft key is good. Now take off the distributor cap to see if the rotor is pointing toward #1 (you may have to give the ratchet one complete turn, the crank turns twice as many times as the rotor does) If you can get the rotor pointing toward one with the straw at it's highest point then your timing belt is roughly correct. If these check out, then we're back to worn out, but if it holds the 40 pounds I would think the rings and valves are good. Maybe the lifters are collapsed and the valves aren't really opening?