2004 Chevrolet Cavalier Engine cranks but won't start

Tiny
HOFFMAN17
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 138,000 MILES
Ecotech engine cranks but won't start. Has good spark. Changed spark plugs. Smelled gas and also sprayed ether. Compression test = #1=0; #2=115; #3=160; #4=130. Timing chain?
Thursday, July 3rd, 2014 AT 6:54 PM

4 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,700 POSTS
That is what it sounds like. Were the plugs wet with gas when you removed them?
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Thursday, July 3rd, 2014 AT 7:21 PM
Tiny
HOFFMAN17
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  • 2 POSTS
Plugs were dry but, we had not been cranking the engine lately when we pulled them. After replacing the plugs, it started but barely ran. No throttle response at all. Smelled like gas in the exhaust. We could also smell gas while doing the compression testing.
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Friday, July 4th, 2014 AT 6:38 AM
Tiny
HOFFMAN17
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  • 2 POSTS
I would like some kind of comfort factor that it IS the timing chain before we tear it all apart. Possibly for nothing. No compression in cylinder one concerns me. Could that be attributed to timing chain? Or did a valve get bent? We can try a wet compression test. Please comment.
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Friday, July 4th, 2014 AT 5:22 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,700 POSTS
A wet compression test will only tell you if the rings are bad. If you have 0psi in the one cylinder, there has to be a valve open. It could be due to timing or one could be stuck or bent. If you can, remove the valve cover and place the crank pulley so the timing mark is pointing to TDC. Check to see if the #1 piston is at TDC and check to see if both valves for cyl 1 are at the furthest point from opening. Again, with 0 compression, something is stuck open or the timing is out.
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Friday, July 4th, 2014 AT 9:29 PM

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