More Mundeo ... 1993 1.8 petrol

fuel injection engine? could be a faulty injector

Well you'd be given compression readings for each cylinder. Any cylinder that's reading spectacularly out compared to the rest is suffering a compression issue, probably related to a shafted valve.

Hi there Thanks for that - I'll see if I can monkey around with the injectors a bit and then go for the compression test - just a thought, if I were to spin the engine a few time on the starter (minus plugs) and checked on the crankshaft pulley where it came to rest - if it stops in the same place every time would that also indicate valve sticking?

Bawb

No.

Aye - your right - it don't stop in the same place.

Well looks like a bent valve (or something else) in number 1 cylinder - low compression there, it all turned over on the crank pulley quite easily but, once fired up - lumpy!

Decisions time now - off with its head or Big Scrapyard in The Sky?

The latter most probably...

Bawb

A 1.8 head won't cost more than 50 quid from a scrap yard. You seem to know what you're doing (even though it was you that broke it lol), so it shouldn't be too hard to do. Even the complete engine, less wiring and gearbox shouldn't be more than 100 quid.