low compression

[Anonymous]

Just did a ring job on a 78' 1000e and have lower compression now than when I took it apart. Any sugestions and yes i did stager the rings.

[Anonymous]

What was the compression, what is it now? Recheck your cam timing. Sounds like valves on all four cylinders are possibly opening too early, or closing too late. Do all cylenders have apprx. the same readings

[argonsagas]

Three possibilities. Head gasket, poor valve seating, improper spacing on rings.

Most likely would be a head gasket problem. Was the head torqued down properly? Lubrication used on the gasket? (dry installation often results in slight distortion of the gasket, giving tiny leaks and poor compression)

[Anonymous]

It was between 80 and 110 when i tore it down. Now it is below 25 rp.

It was a dry instalation Ron.

[saaz]

Double check the valve timing as a slight gasket leak would not result in such a dramatically low pressure. A squirt of oil down each cylinder will seal the pistons so if the pressure is still low it is definitely valves. Spacing the rings does not really matter as they turn around the piston once the bike is going.

What does it go like?

[Anonymous]

Have you started the engine up yet? If so how did it run? If it did not start or if it acted like it was going to but never did your cam timing is off. I did the same type of thing on one of my cars. I put the timing chain back on only three teeth off, and it would not start and the compression check was real low. The only other thing I can think of is did you rebore the block and if so did you get oversized rings to match. Just asking to make sure.

[Anonymous]

If all cylinders are the same, it has to be the cam timing, nothing else will affect all cylinders equally...... I think!!!....... If only one cylinder is way lower than the rest, then we will look somewhere else, such as valve adjustment

[Anonymous]

Oil didn't have any affect on it saaz.

It wouldn't start IDG.

Thank you all for the very helpful info. I guess its time to tear it back down

[Anonymous]

Let us know when you figure this thing out. If you had oversized pistons, but didn't know it, and installed standard size set of rings, all cylinders would be low

[Anonymous]

I checked the timing on it and it had jumped. Re-installed cams and it had compression and fired up. Thanks to all for your sugestions.