1989 Ford Probe 1989 Probe cold compression check readings

MB700000

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1989 FORD PROBE
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
103,418 MILES

I bought an 89 Probe for a parts car. The previous owner new that the engine "just stopped running" and didn't want to mess with it. It gets a little fire to the plugs, but it has no gas tank to make things easy for me. I checked the compression (obviusly on a cold engine) and got these readings:

cylinder 1 45psi
cylinder 2 30 psi
cylinder 3 30 psi
cylinder 4 50 psi

The two 30 readings are on the center plugs.

Is there a chance that this engine might be good? This parts car looks better than the one that I CAN fix.

Thanks for your help! Mike

5 Replies

BUDDYCRAIGG

MECHANIC
2,262 POSTS

There's something very wrong with the engine.
With "it just stopped running" I'm guessing the timing belt broke.

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Sunday, July 12th, 2009 AT 3:07 PM

MB700000

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The timing belt is still intact. Thanks

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Sunday, July 12th, 2009 AT 3:13 PM

BUDDYCRAIGG

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Are any of the teeth missing from the belt?

It may have simply jumped time.

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Sunday, July 12th, 2009 AT 3:17 PM

MB700000

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Timing belt teeth are all good. Cam timing lines up.

I used Sea Foam in the cylinders and have managed to get the compression up to these levels:

1 90psi
2 53psi
3 60psi
4 68psi

Fire is going to all the plugs. I'm assuming there's nothing more that I can do, so my sharper looking car will have to be my parts car. Is this your opinion, too? Or am I missing something?

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Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 AT 7:27 PM

BUDDYCRAIGG

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The lowest compression reading i've ever done on a running engine was +/- 95 across the cylinders.

You know you could have a blown head gasket. And the compression is leaking over into the other cylinder when you are doing your test.