I am looking at buying a 1984 245 GL that is running on 3 cylinders, I checked the injector and the impedance reads ok so i am guessing that's fine, it has spark at the cap but it doesn't seem to be firing (didn't bring a spark plug socket). SOmeone told me it might be a bad valve but i don't know what the symptoms of that really is other then a cylinder not working. Would i maybe hear something rattling or something? Nothing sounded wrong with this engine. I drove it up and down the street and it seemed to run alright other then the 1 cylinder. I need to let the guy know by thursday. Thanks for your help!

 

Check the spark at the spark plug as the problem might be in the spark plug wire. Check the plug as well. If it is wet with fuel after running the engine, that is a good indication that you don't have spark.

If it were me, I would also check the compression on all four cylinders before buying. If one is much lower than the other three, that is an indication that you might have a bad valve. A bit more expensive tofix.

 

Well it's a $500 (max) car with a good body and beyond that i don't really have the cash to get it tested

THat being said what kind of damage happens to the engine when a valve goes bad. Will i most likely just need to change the valve? Or will i a lot more. I have no issue working on a car i own. I am going out there today with a new plug to see if that helps. If it's not that i'll probably let the others who are interested take a stab and tell the guy if not of them bite if he'll go less (like 300) i'd be interested.

 

A new plug won't help if it is the wire. Try switching the wires if they are long enough. Some are some aren't.

 

They are so i'll try that. I am bringing a new plug too. Someone was telling me that if the valve was stuck open or closed you'd be able to tell (would be making all kinds of noise ect) so at worst it would be burned or chipped ect which i can fix that. The injector tested fine but it's odd the other 3 have yellow tops on them and this one is grey so i am guessing those have been changed and this one hasn't. when i pull the plug i'll see if it's wet with gas.

Do all these things sound reasonable?

Thank you all for your help

 

I am going to take a compression gauge with me, what kind of numbers should i be looking for? (i know they should be about even)

 

It all sounds reasonable.

Compression on that engine should be 128 - 156 psi and should be fairly even on all four.

 

Ok went and hrm that cylinder read 0 but i don't think the gauge i loaned from autozone work cause i tried blowing into the end and got nothing. The really weird part is i took the plug out of there to make sure i had spark and it cranked over way easier (within 2 revs of starting to crank, and cranked much faster) with out the plug there. Go figure that one out. I told the guy let the others interested take a crack at it, if he didn';t get any bites let me know and i'd give him more then a junk yard would (they'd pay 100, i'll give him double that). I have a place i can park it for a while and a summer to tinker with it so i should be good if that happens

 

Try looking at the wiring to the injector. I recently found aloose fuel injectorconnect on the number 2 cylinder fuel injector. I cleaned the contacts and that corrected the problem.