2004 Chevrolet Cavalier Engine cranks but won't start

HOFFMAN17

MEMBER
2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
2.2L
4 CYL
FWD
MANUAL
138,000 MILES

Ecotech engine cranks but won't start. Has good spark. Changed spark plugs. Smelled gas and also sprayed ether. Compression test = #1=0; #2=115; #3=160; #4=130. Timing chain?

Thursday, July 3rd, 2014 AT 6:54 PM

4 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,179 POSTS

That is what it sounds like. Were the plugs wet with gas when you removed them?

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Thursday, July 3rd, 2014 AT 7:21 PM

HOFFMAN17

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2 POSTS

Plugs were dry but, we had not been cranking the engine lately when we pulled them. After replacing the plugs, it started but barely ran. No throttle response at all. Smelled like gas in the exhaust. We could also smell gas while doing the compression testing.

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Friday, July 4th, 2014 AT 6:38 AM

HOFFMAN17

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2 POSTS

I would like some kind of comfort factor that it IS the timing chain before we tear it all apart. Possibly for nothing. No compression in cylinder one concerns me. Could that be attributed to timing chain? Or did a valve get bent? We can try a wet compression test. Please comment.

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Friday, July 4th, 2014 AT 5:22 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,179 POSTS

A wet compression test will only tell you if the rings are bad. If you have 0psi in the one cylinder, there has to be a valve open. It could be due to timing or one could be stuck or bent. If you can, remove the valve cover and place the crank pulley so the timing mark is pointing to TDC. Check to see if the #1 piston is at TDC and check to see if both valves for cyl 1 are at the furthest point from opening. Again, with 0 compression, something is stuck open or the timing is out.

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Friday, July 4th, 2014 AT 9:29 PM