<VV> Diagnose engine damage

[Chris & Bill Strickland]

>I've never removed valves before, so what do I need to know ...
>

"# 3 (with 0 compression)" means you've got a major mechanical problem, 
or you badly messed up the compression test somehow.  Since it is apart, 
rent a valve spring compressor from some rental place (or borrow one or 
buy) and look at the pictures in the book -- don't loose any pieces.  If 
the seat isn't loose or the valve burned (your pics aren't large and 
hi-res enough  to tell much -- maybe take it to an automotive machine 
shop -- since it is off, you may as well get the seats and valves 
touched up, and they can tell you if any are bad -- my best guess based 
on the pictures is you have ring problems or a bad (as in broken) piston 
-- ring troubles should, but not always, show up in the cylinder wall as 
scoring, scratching or other makings.  I suppose you could have a lifter 
adjusted WAY too tight, somehow, and are holding the valve open, but 
normally (since when are Chaz's problems "normal"?) zero compression is 
broken or abnormally worn internals -- generally, just a burned valve 
will give you some reading, like 25-75, when the others are 150ish.

Rules of Thumb are 1) exhaust valve troubles often are hard to tell from 
just how the engine runs, except for loss of power -- 2) intake troubles 
cause poor running and rough idle -- 3) broken pistons, dropped seats, 
broken or bent valve train cause noise -- 4) broken pistons generally 
cause way excessive blow-by and exhaust smoke -- 5) Corvairs don't 
"normally" drop intake seats in 110's

I'll hazard a guess that the wet condition of #3 is oil from the crankcase.

Godspeed!

Bill Strickland