Hi All,

Well after a fruitless weekend trying to figure out why my 2000 sportage wouldn't start I finally sent it down to the dealer to check out the fuel pressure and get them to diagnose the fault.

Well we totally missed the issue and it appears the engine has overheated (wife was driving when it failed....) and the compression on the four cylinders is:

1 - 85 psi
2 - 55 psi
3 - 45 psi
4 - 85 psi

Dealer has advised that they need to remove the head and send it off for analysis before they can confirm if it is the head or the block. I don't fancy letting them do this as if the issue is the block and not the head then the car will be left at the dealers in pieces facing a very hefty engine replacement fee rather than taking it straight down to the local reconditioners which will be about half the cost of getting the dealer to replace the engine.

Is damage to the head or block any more likely in an over heating situation and is there any way to establish if the head or block is damaged without removing the head?

Any advice much appreciated.



Cheers

Andrew

The two low numbers in the middle point to either a crack between the two cylinder walls, some where up in the head or a blown head gasket! If it were valves or a ring issue it wold normally be only one cylinder not two next to each other. But pulling the head is really the only way to see.

Not sure about Oz, but the head gasket were a recall issue in Canada, I'm on my third atm! So I would place money on that!


This is a pic of what a (non Sportage) head gasket looks like when it fails between two cylinders, it will give simular pressure reading to which you got! It was caused by a cheap made in China head gasket, was supossed to be alloy and asbestos, turned out to be made of cardboard. I replaced it with a solid copper one!


[img]http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/file.php?1,file=10860[/img]

Thanks for the info. We spent quite a long time trying to diagnose the fault and the other clues we have at this stage are:

- It cranks but will not start.
- Crank sensor and cam sensor are ok.
- No fuel entering no. 1 cylinder but fuel pressure is ok and the injector is getting a pulse of 12V+.
- Spark present.
- No coolant in the system.
- Timing belt ok and timing ok.

I don't know if any of the above point to a head rather than block issue?


Cheers

Andrew

No coolant??? Can you see if there is any oil contamination in what's left (try the expansion tank/bottom radiator hose)?

Is the engine oil white and creamy?

Had a look at the plugs? Black would indicate cyl-oil chamber leak, white generally is a cyl-coolant leak, and grey-grey plugs would be a leak from cyl-cyl without breaching any fluid lines. Absence of coolant would indicate a head gasket most likely.

I'll have to have a look when I get the car back. From what I remember number 1 was just grey but I can't remember the others. There was no water in the oil though.

From what I read in the online manual the compression is supposed to be ~185psi??? Does this mean all my cylinders are way below this or am I reading the manual incorrectly?


Cheers

Andrew

*******STAY AWAY FROM DEALERS********

You can generally get an idea of what the compression values of any motor should be by multiplying its compression ratio (ours is a bout 9.3:1 IIRC) by standard atmospheric pressure (14.7 PSI), so 9.3 x 14.7 =~135 PSI (misprint in manual???) maximum, anything within about 20% of that would be acceptable (ie ~110 PSI), generally grouped within 10% of each other.

The 85 PSI you are getting may be related to leaks all across the head/gasket/block.

Take it to a proper engine re-conditioner rather than any dealer (not known as a "Stealership" for nothing, they will bleed you dry for even lifting a spanner. They don't want your business, they only want your money). The re-conditioners have the real knowledge and will point you in the right direction as to what NEEDS to be fixed, rather than aimlessly replacing everything in sight (dealership method).

I just recently had overheating problems on mine. Turned out to be a cracked head.

Am not sure whether the cracked head was the result or cause of the over heating.

After the head was replaced, mechanic could still not keep temp under control. After checking everything it was found that the water pump had failed around the bolt that holds the impeller on the shaft.

So suggest that you check the water pump as well as the head. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/barf.gif" alt="" />