[T3] One cylinder dead-not firing-#3

[Jim Adney]

On 21 Jan 2014 at 16:31, John L. Morgan IV wrote:

> valve three has 0 compression after a compression test. estimate was
> $1200 for a valve job, but not recommended on an old engine. could it be
> getting 0 compression if a simple injector cable is bad? 

Nothing FI related will make the compression go to zero.

It would be really unusual to be getting ZERO compression. There's 
usually something there. And $1200 for a valve job sounds extreme. Is 
this from the same mechanic that you took it to before?

I'd get a second estimate. 

How willing and able are you to do some of the work yourself? If the 
compression is truly zero, the left head must be destroyed. You 
should be able to buy a new head, complete, for 1/4 of that price and 
put it in yourself, but that's a fair amount of work if you've never  
done any of this before. If you've got head studs pulling out of the 
case, then you're in for a complete engine rebuild to fix this.

If you shop for a new head (or a good used one) make sure you get one 
with the threaded boss for the temp sensor.

If the guy just didn't get the compression gauge in there correctly, 
which can happen, especially on #3, then the real news could be much 
better.

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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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