Looking for someone with V8Q engine experience!

[Kent McLean]

John Larson wrote:
> A close friend with a shop called me with some questions about sudden loss
> of compression on a 1990 V8Q.  Anybody here with some knowledge of the
> problems associated with early V8s?  Any help or references appreciated!

Sudden loss of compression usually means a broken timing belt
(although the pistons still go up and down, the valves won't
open and close, which is what enables compression to build).
The t-belt should be replaced every 60K miles or so, or every
5 years.  If the car has <60K miles, it may be on the original
belt (or was), which is bad news.

Did the engine make any loud noises when it lost compression?
It may be bent some valves when the t-belt broke.

Is the loss of compression on just one cylinder? The engine
may have swallowed a valve on that cylinder.

-- 
Kent McLean
'94 100 S Avant, "Moody"