checked compression... Yikes!

[spdracer@mail.utexas.edu]

Well, I was bleeding my brakes and decided to check the motor's compression
since I've never done it before.  First cylinder.... 150... hmm.. that doesn't
seem good.  Maybe it's because the motor is cold.  2nd... 130! Cylinders 3 and
4 are both 150-155.  Check #2 again.... 130!  Damnit.  Take the car out for a
spin to warm her up.  Check #1... 140... hmm.. #2... 120!... Pour some oil into
the cylinder and #2 jumps up to 160.  Well... I guess it wasn't to be
unexpected.  There was a period from around 70k-80k where I was running
extremely rich (10-12mpg city, 17-20 hwy); I'd read that running rich would
destroy the rings and I guess it did!  Not to mention some detonation from
topping out the injectors.  BUT, with over 102k now I'm getting 23-25 around
town and 28-32 hwy, doesn't burn oil, put down over 250whp with a t25 and S3
cams, trapped 13.6@109 and pulls on mustangs leaving their heads hung low and
their girlfriends laughing :)  Still kickin butt in auto-x too.  I guess I
can't complain.  This car has been my very first project car (over a period of
almost 7 years now) so I've learned a lot and made a ton of mistakes which
fortunately haven't been catosphoic (research comes in handy).  Still haven't
blown the motor so I guess I'm doing alright!  Heck, if I hadn't checked the
compression, I never even would've known because the car still runs perfectly
fine including haven driven 1000 miles straight in one day a few months ago.  I
think my future plans for the car involve turning it into a One Lap of America
contender to knock off that freakin Saturn.

Khiem