GSR Problems please lend some help

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tcpappas

New Member
Ive got a 1994 GSR motor, decided i wanted to run BC head internals so i got a PR3 head and had the local machine shop install BS cams, valves, springs, and retainers in it. After i got the new head I got a new head gasket as well. Installed the new ARP headstuds, set the head gasket, set the head and did a first torque of 20 then final torque of 65lbs. Timing is set correctly. went to start the car and it didnt fire. So i got out my compression tester and im baffled by the results. cylinder 1 is 30psi, cylinder 2 is 60psi, cylinder 3 is 85psi and cylinder 4 is 95psi. There is no binding of the valves, or any of the internals, i hand turned the crank countless times before i tried to start it to make sure everything was good. I have no clue what is happening. This isnt the first time ive replaced a headgasket on a b series. I have no answer for this one. I ran the car two days ago to get it out of the garage and it didnt have any problems then...

Any help will be greatly appreciated,
Thank you in advance
 
Sounds like something might be sandwiched between the head near cylinder 1? Did you double check the tq? Maybe the head was warped? Was this a new head? When the car ran 2 days ago was this with the new head/cams?
 
Did you torque in the correct sequence?

gsrheadtorquesequenceco.jpg



So you got a different head and took it to the machine shop? Thats what it sounded like in your description. I wonder if you binded on of the dowel pins? Did you use them?

Have you checked the seal around the head?

I might re torque the head.
 
Yes the head is a different head completely, the dowel pins were used, the head was torqued in the correct sequence. The cams im using are Brian Crower stage 2 natural aspiration. When i spin the crank pulley it honestly feels like the compression is lost when the cams "up" stamp is in the 3 o'clock position so when i get some time on Tuesday im going to remove the cams so all of the tappets are released thus closing all of the valves. I'm going to do a compression test in hopes of finding out that the compression loss is due to valves being open on the compression stroke. If that is the case im going to have to find out if the machine shop set the valves right because they needed the cams to set the valves. My thought is that maybe they set the valves with the cams swapped. I know you cant install them wrong when they are in the car because the dist wont go into the wrong cam because its keyed. but maybe without them having the distributor they were able to put them in opposite.... idk. If that's not the case then i truly don't know and I'm going to tear it all the way back down and grab another head gasket and put it all back together Thursday. Any more insight will be greatly appreciated
 
Did you torque in the correct sequence?

gsrheadtorquesequenceco.jpg



So you got a different head and took it to the machine shop? Thats what it sounded like in your description. I wonder if you binded on of the dowel pins? Did you use them?

Have you checked the seal around the head?

I might re torque the head.
That isn't the sequence the Helms has for the head.
 
That isn't the sequence the Helms has for the head.

Shit, where the f did I get that sequence then. I just pulled up my helms pdf and now the torque sequence is blacked out.

oh well all my motors have been torqued that way and been ok lol.

disregard that photo and check the helms.
 
Sorry it took so long to write back, got pulled for some training in preparation for Afghanistan. So I re torqued the head bolts, did everything in my power to make everything perfect and still pulled bad compression. So I decided to pull the head and get a little bit better look at the block and cylinder walls. Cylinder 1 has a pretty bad ring seat about 3/4 way up the cylinder wall (probably from sitting when it was imported) and at the top of the sleeve the edge is not a perfect 90* more like a slight bevel. So I found the culprit. I was just in denial because before I pulled the old head it fire to move it out of the garage... Maybe it was just a sign? Idk... But today I got in contact with the guys over at Brian Crower and I'm almost set on buying a 2.16l rotating assembly with the lightweight crank. But first I have to pull the engine and get it to the machine shop and see how bad the sleeves are.

Anybody have and experience with these stroker kits?
 
Just bore and hone the block, shouldn't be too bad. You can go 0.25mm OS with an OEM piston or go 0.50 and 1mm OS with some OE copies (like RS machines). 0.50 should be plenty to clean up those cylinders if they're that bad.
 
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