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Just installed a new head and when finished I.

Tiny
JGABLE04
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 SATURN VUE
  • 90,000 MILES
Just installed a new head and when finished I started the engine and it now has a miss, it is on # 4 cylinder, already replaced ignition control module, plugs, and injector, what else should I look for?
Monday, November 19th, 2012 AT 4:31 PM

21 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,757 POSTS
You're going to have to go back and do some basic testing to determine whether it's spark, fuel or compression that you are losing.
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Monday, November 19th, 2012 AT 4:56 PM
Tiny
JGABLE04
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
I'm getting power to the injector and I can hear it clicking on and off, I'm getting power to the plug but I'm not sure how to check to see if the plug is firing, I have not done a compression check where would I do this?
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Monday, November 19th, 2012 AT 6:09 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,192 POSTS
Go to our home page under the DIY section to see how to check for spark.
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Monday, November 19th, 2012 AT 6:41 PM
Tiny
JGABLE04
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Also the check engine light comes on but when I try to pull codes there are none, the code reader is working properly I checked it on my 2005 malibu, why would this happen?
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Monday, November 19th, 2012 AT 8:02 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
I would pull the coil pack off then remove all the spark plugs put them back in spark plug boots then plug in the ignition module touch the plugs to the valve cover crank the engine and see if all the spark plugs have a nice blue spark while cranking if the number 4 plug doesnt have spark but the rest do you have a bad coil. If all the sparks are good do a compression test. Also why dd you pull the head?Let me know what you find.
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Monday, November 19th, 2012 AT 10:27 PM
Tiny
JGABLE04
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
I have spark to all plugs but very little compression it seems the compression rings are bad, can this be repaired without pulling the engine?
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Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 AT 1:05 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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Why did you replace the head?What are compression readings?How many miles does the engine have on it?I would suspect the cam timing or valves before the compression rings. Also when you installed the head did you get and install a new timing set with new tenisor guides sprockets chain cam bolts etc?Did you replace the cam sprocket bolts and retorque and torque angle them like your suppose too?
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Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 AT 2:53 AM
Tiny
JGABLE04
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Replaced head because of blown head gasket, have not put a gauge to the compression yet I just covered the spark plug hole and got little to nothing on it, around 90000 miles, only bad parts I had was the cam sprockets and bolts which I did replace, not sure what torque angle is I dont do this for a living so I hope im not in over my head.
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Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 AT 2:49 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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You replaced the head just because the head gasket was blown?Or did the head get damaged also?I only replace heads if they get damaged. Also I always install a new timing set when pulling the head especially with that many miles on it. If you dont know what torque angle is you didnt tighten the cam sprocket bolts correctly. They take a certain torque and the a torque angle where you turn the bolt a certain amount of degrees. So does just the number 4 cylinder make little air while cranking or do the rest of the cylinders make little air also?You can rent a compression tester from auto zone. You need to do a compression test on the engine all of the cylinders you remove all the spark plugs then screw the tester hose into one cylinder at a time hold the gas pedal to the floor. Then crank the engine ten compression strokes you will feel when the engine kicks back on each compression stroke. Then write down the results of each cylinder with the low compression your next step will be to do a cylinder leak down test to see where the air is leaking.
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Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 AT 6:28 PM
Tiny
JGABLE04
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Ok here is the deal the engine locked up and when I took it apart the back cam had eaten into the head and the gasket was blown thats why I changed heads, I did not install a new timing set, which now I guess I should have but the only damage that I could see was the sprocket teeth that fit into the end of the cam and the bolt were both broken so I replaced them, sorry I do know what torque angle is I just refer to it as degrees and I did torque it down and with the torque angle as well, 1, 2, and 3 put out plenty but 4 does not, now I have not put the gauge to them yet but as soon as I can this is next on my list.
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Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 AT 9:38 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Alright get me the compression readings of all the cylinders and we will go from there. You should have replaced the timing set especailly if it ran out of oil. They sell them pretty cheap on ebay its just a good idea to do that then you dont have problems with the timing chain down the road or near future. Also not torquing the cam sprockets properly is scary thats another way to bite yourself in the butt.
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Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 AT 10:36 PM
Tiny
JGABLE04
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  • 11 POSTS
#1 is around 175
#2 is around 175
#3 is around 150
#4 is at zero
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Sunday, November 25th, 2012 AT 10:18 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Cyl 3 compression is low and Cyl 4 there is for sure a problem so what went wrong with the head replacement?
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Sunday, November 25th, 2012 AT 10:31 PM
Tiny
JGABLE04
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Nothing that I am aware of everything went together perfectly and as far as I know there were no problems with the engine until the cam/head problem, I bought a completely rebuilt head from Ram cylinder heads, it came complete all I had to do was install and get timing right and reassemble.
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Sunday, November 25th, 2012 AT 11:09 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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I smell a bent valve. That piston much have been up during installation.
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Sunday, November 25th, 2012 AT 11:12 PM
Tiny
JGABLE04
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
What is the best way to tell that from a compression ring without disassembling again?
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Sunday, November 25th, 2012 AT 11:15 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
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That's not a ring problem. You can do a leakdown test but the head is coming back off.
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Sunday, November 25th, 2012 AT 11:18 PM
Tiny
JGABLE04
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  • 11 POSTS
I did have the #1 cylinder on top dead center when I installed the new head but didn't pay attention to #4, what do u need to do for a leak down test this is something I have never done?
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Sunday, November 25th, 2012 AT 11:25 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Sounds like a valve issue to me also what you do is get a cylinder leak down tester and put the cylinder your going to test on top dead center with the valves closed. Then use compressed air and listen where its leaking from and see what percentage its leaking.
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Sunday, November 25th, 2012 AT 11:37 PM
Tiny
JGABLE04
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Thank you, I will let you know how it goes as soon as I have time to do it, thanks again.
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Sunday, November 25th, 2012 AT 11:41 PM

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