Engine Cut Out No Compression

You say the belt is OK, how have you checked this? Have you had someone turn the engine over while you look at the belt to see if it moves? Does the engine sound like it's turning over much quicker than usual, with no (or little) resistance?

Steve

Make sure you do not over look the basics such as fuel pump, alternator, battery, air filter and cool air intake, also check that the exaust isnt blocked. Dont forget all the wiring.

If there's no compression, how is it going to be any of the things you mention? Do please tell...

Mike P

Are you confusing the alternator belt with the timing belt perhaps? It does sound like the timing belt has either broken or stripped its teeth, at one end only perhaps.

Si

If all 4 cylinders are showing no compression at all surely it can be only 1 of 2 things

1) The compression guage is totally knacked

2) The crankshaft has snapped

*If* the cambelt is ok and both pulleys are turning, likely a snapped camshaft which does as much harm as a broken timing belt.

When car broke it was w/o any noise, no bang, smoke etc just lost drive and then cut out when parked up and wouldn't re-start, compression test done on cold engine, cambelt is turning engine, have taken covers off to confirm this, engine is a 1.6 16v

Could a blocked oil passage cause all hydraulic cam followers to "jack up" and hold all the valves open? (Would have expected expensive noises of pistons hitting valves though unless there's enough clearance).

Tim

I had a cambelt snap on a Peugeot 405 and apart from a slight whoosh sound there was no other noise which surprised me considering the damage it caused. If the belts intact and the pistons are moving could it be a broken camshaft?

Though there was the earlier poster with hydraulic lifter problems that had no compression on 3. It could surely as easily be 4.

Not sure if it will help point 'us' in the right direction but the car had been making a 'rattling' noise lo-down at the front end over the winter, noise went after a few miles though and now the weather has warmed up a bit hardly notice the noise at startup at all, could it be the big end bearings and not the top half of the engine, allthough I would have expected the bottom half of the engine to have blown up and oil to be all over the road, but like I said previously there was no noise only a sensation under my right foot that the throttle responce had gone?

Not sure if it will help point 'us' in the right direction but the car had been making a 'rattling' noise lo-down at the front end over the winter, noise went after a few miles though and now the weather has warmed up a bit hardly notice the noise at startup at all, could it be the big end bearings and not the top half of the engine, allthough I would have expected the bottom half of the engine to have blown up and oil to be all over the road, but like I said previously there was no noise only a sensation under my right foot that the throttle responce had gone?

THe clue was in the OP...no compression.

You told us it's a 1.6 16v but a make/model would be helpful.

But it does sound as though it's a timing failure. Have you actually checked the timing belt is tight, and that it's not jumped a few teeth? After that, I'd be removing the rocker cover, and checking the valve clearances. If the timing has slipped and valves have been bent, then the clearances will be pretty visible. Another check is that the camshafts are pointing in roughly the right direction when No. 1 + 4 pistons are at TDC. One cylinder should be on valve overlap (ie exhaust almost shut ,and inlet just opening), and the other should have the cam lobes pointing away from the cam followers.

If it had been the bottom end, then it would be obvious, and it's highly unlikely that you'd loose compression on all four cylinders.

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You told us it's a 1.6 16v but a make/model would be helpful ... Fiat Brava ELX 1.6 16v

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All the hydraulic lifters have mysteriously got stuck at once?

When you're turning the engine over without the plugs in you should be able to feel a distinct puff of air from each cylinder. It could just be that your compression gauge doesn't work. It's quite hard to keep a push-in compression gauge in place normally - it needs a good lean-on to stop the compression leaking past.

Does it sound any different, turning over, to when it was working?

Si

When turning over it sounds very free as if there is little to no resistance.

Have you actually checked the timing, and that both cam shafts are still turning?

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