Hi another newb...spent a LOt of time searching still at a loss need ideas...car runs roughly on three cyls. front drivers cyl. cyl#3? has zero compressioin happened suddenly and no warning. No abnormal noises from engine now just runs rough and rich from the unused fuel you smell in exhaust...HELP THANX! PSL

who did the compression test - can they also do a leak down test? that will confirm where the combustion chamber gases are going instead of compressing. that would take the guess work out of it.

 

compression test showed zero but the other one on that same side tested fine?

 

any other symptoms at all - mileage, previous work, it's run flawlessly for 100,000 miles previously...?

159000 on the mileage, previous work unknown, (thinking maybe TB?) Local garage did test for compression, (doesnt like Subaru told me to junk it) sounds almost like a plugged catylitic when running and ran fine for the 2months I had the car before this. Car was given to me by sister she didnt do any motor work to it previous owner unknown.

will see if I can get a leak test on it...its in my driveway now

other cyls tested good. did all 4, eliminated spark and fuel issues

the front driver side is #2 rear driver side is #4.

 

if in fact the other 3 have good compression then i would think it is either a valve or rings in that cylinder. and the leak down should show that. and those things are pretty rare.

 

more common is for it to jump time. and the good news it that it easy to fix, no internal damage. if you remove the timing covers for the cam sprockets on both sides and turn turn the engine over by hand, you can line up the timing marks on the cam sprockets to see if one side jumped.

 

i'm not sure if you should do one before the other.

John/Gary Thanks for pointing me in a direction...Will try to look at it this weekend PSL

John/Gary Thanks for pointing me in a direction...Will try to look at it this weekend PSL

 

be sure to do your homework and KNOW just what the timing marks look like.

RODGER THAT!!! hash marks!!!!!

Could be that you have a burned exhaust valve. A late 96 or early 97 with a late 96 build date would have solid lifters that need adjusting every 105k. If not done it can lead to a burned valve.

 

GD