08 Lancer ES low Compression no start
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From: Sacramento, California
08 Lancer ES low Compression no start
Hello this is my first post on this forum, my daughters 08 Lancer ES has 190k miles on it and last week she parked it no issues. The next morning I tried to start it and it always starts quick but I got that horrible familiar feeling when the starter sounds like its got no resistance same as my old Duster when it jumped time and fried motor. I then read this forum for days on the VVT and pulled spark plugs to verify with scope no interferance issues, so I got the timing cover off only to find chain is tight marks are TDC correct. No red triangle or stored codes, so we did comp test. Only 65lbs, 48, 40 & 25? I removed OCVs they were clean and tested good.The only other thing would be the rings all broke and... Nah... So correct me if Im wrong but even if the ECM was bad, the VVT returns it to max advance at shutdown so does the VVT have enough play that if it malfunctions it can advance or retard enough that a valve can start to open thus losing compression? A stretched chain wouldn't happen overnight and this car ran perfect and I assume no codes are stored because the last time it ran there was no problems. Also the factory manual says the marked timing chain links are blue so since these are orange maybe it has been replaced? Sorry for length of this anyones opinion on wus up is appreciated!
Last edited by DanDspad; Jan 17, 2023 at 05:09 PM.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 3
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From: Sacramento, California
Fixed! Important 1st step
I spoke with Trey, a tech at University Auto in Sacramento and felt stupid when he told me those engines are sensitive to clean oil and often get sticky lifters/tappets. If it was running fine the night before take your fuel pump fuse out and just keep turnin it over letting starter cool of coarse. The starter will soon sound normal as the compression rises as valves close quicker. Well I put timing cover on with 2 bolts and valve cover to trap oil and it fired up. 😖😖 The one sure thing I knew was not to just turn the key when starter has no load especially an interference engine like this or you're gonna destroy it, so I dove right into it and for nothin. I've learned alot more than I ever wanted to I only hope that someone down the line can find this fix before assuming it jumped time, and change your oil. Thanx for the responses 👍
Last edited by DanDspad; Jan 24, 2023 at 05:19 PM. Reason: Correction minor
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