Have the 914 at a shop to get the carbs and engine tuned up

Had zero compression on drivers side and 125psi on passenger side.
After a valve adjust drivers side compression came up to 60psi...


Adding oil to cylinders didn't change anything

So it's a valve problem, right?

What's causing this?

They're suggesting that they can get it running as best as possible and I drive it for about a month and see if things improve ( Small debris or something in valve area? ), if not, move to the next step to fix.

What do you guys think?

Can a valve job be done to one side? How much is that going to cost?

What about a top end rebuild? What's included in a top end and typically how much?

Also, would an engine with hydraulic lifters be clacking if adjusted to solid lifter specs? I thought the engine had hydraulic lifters but they're saying they're solids -and have adjusted to normal specs with no clacking.

Get both heads done. I would worry about a seat failing with those types of readings.

Hoooooooold on now. Is this the engine you got from me? If so, I am 3000% sure they are hydraulic lifters. How do I know? I was diagnosing the clack and found that one rocker had play. But the push rod was spring loaded towards the rocker! How many solid lifters do you know of with springs in them?

And what happens if you overtighten a hydraulic lifter which then pumps up? Zero compression!

March right over to your mechanic and slap him!

and if you had a tight valve.. it may now be a burned valve....

don't drive it with that reading, you may end up totally dropping a valve seat, breaking a valve, and wrecking a piston. get it fixed right before you destroy it.

So what am I supposed to do? I've told the guy twice that I thought the engine had hydraulic lifters and they're still stating solid.

Hit them with yoru Haynes manual.

Ask them to look at the spacer between the rockers.

Solid spacer = hydro
spring spacer thing = solid

wrong... the Solid SPACERS came on hydro equipped busses... but you can BUY them...

im running them on my solid lifter motor woth 1.7 rockers and swivels...

fish a lifter out if you have to...

or have royce call em

You can also buy t1 watercooled heads, and t4 with overhead cams. Never said those items are bought, but who buys the solid spacers just to have them? I was under the impression this was a stock engine

If its hydro, you can push the pushrod with your hands if the lifter is collapsed.

using your logic:
[brittmode] Aaron buys solid spacers just to have them... and not to keep the rockers from walking sideways [/brittmode]
No 914 came with hydraulic lifters. so it has hydraulic cam,lifters, different pushrods, but NO ONE changes out to bus rocker arms just for the spacer..

not tyring to rag on ya.. im just saying that solid spacers dont indicate hydraulic lifters.

ok... Thanks.

Would a collapsed lifter or two cause zero or low compression ?

Zack,
The club was kind enough to give me many responses to my last thread regarding hydraulic lifters (which my engine has). I am pretty sure a collapsed lifter will not give a zero compression reading BUT AN AIRLOCKED ONE WILL! Especially if it retains the original 1/2 to 1 turn spec. How do I know? Let me tell you...If you look up my last thread you will see what was happening with my engine. When the car was cold I had a small compression leak on one cylinder. When the car warmed up I lost all power on that cylinder (tested at zero compression). I came across this info (http://www.bostonengine.com/articles/hydraulicll.htm) on the web. Prior to finding this I suspected a collapsed lifter and tried "cleaning" the oil by adding Marvel Mystery Oil (I've heard you can also use ATF), ran the engine until warm (let it idle at about 2500 RPM) and then drained the oil and replaced with Synthetic. I did this hoping that maybe there was just some dino crud in the lifter. Well, It didn't help and our results were pretty much the same as before . Then yesterday we re-adjusted all the valves to a .006 lash. No more power loss ! The compression is back and remains strong! So I am going to run it for a week or so and follow Bob Donalds instructions. In regards to determining if you have hydraulic lifters; check out the end of the 5th paragraph. If your lifters are working properly this should be a good way to make a determination. I hope this helps! So far it's working for me .