two

I should have included more info. The reason I did a compression check was in reaction to codes p0300,p0301,p0302,p0303,p0304 at idle or low load.

I did a compression check with a friend's compression gauge to make sure mine wasn't faulty and got the same exact reading again.

So, I'm left with the following:

1. leaking exhaust and intake valves in cylinder #1 (found on leak down test). 180psi compression
2. no leakage on other cylinders. pretty much 270psi compression on cylinders 2,3,4.

what conclusions would ya'll make? I'm thinking I've got some major problems. I'm also thinking that the dude I bought the car from left out some info about what this car has been through.

two

Is it at all possible this is just a bad head gasket?

s2klariat

When you adjusted the valves you made sure that each cylinder was at tdc before adjusting correct?

two

For sure. I've done a few s2000 valve jobs before. The funny thing here is that the compression in cylinder #1 went from 180 to 170 once I adjusted the valves. When I initially did the valve job, the clearance for all valves were somewhat ok with the exception of #1, it was around .002 on the exhaust side !

two

possible crazy question, but I've got to ask. I've never done a head gasket on an s2000 before, but on a miata it is possible to orient the gasket incorrectly and it will actually fit with the bolts lining up and it will block oil passages. I know that wouldn't raise compression, but it would certainly harm the engine. Is it at all possible somehow that the previous owner did replace the head gasket, did it incorrectly, and raised the compression for the last 3 cylinders while killing compression on the first? IF not that, what could the previous owner have done to the car to cause something like this?

I know, it's probably crazy, but I'm about to lose my $#^&!

H4RD ON

Do a leak down test already lol

two

sorry, I sort of posted the results earlier in the thread, but without the percentages

Cylinder #1 leaked about 80% over a minute (no crank leak, but both exhaust and intake leaking)
Cylinder #2 leaked about 5% over a minute
Cylinder #3 leaked about 5% over a minute
Cylinder #4 leaked about 10% over a minute

Billman250

Sounds like a high comp motor was built, either with pistons or a thin head gasket.

Sounds like you have burned valves on cylinder one, which is a result of the valves on that cylinder being too tight. .002 will burn valves, guaranteed. The tightest factory setting I've found in over 600 s2ks on the exhaust side is .009.

S2k head gasket cannot be put on upside down.