Borrowed a compression tester from AZ, 0-5 psi all cylinders. Will get another gauge and verify results tomorrow. If confirmed there is a guy up the road that has a L28 for sale cheap. Stay tuned.

If that is truly what your cylinder compression is, then you're in for a rebuild or buy the L28 and start over. I had to do that when my old engine exploded the #5 cylinder and welded parts of the piston to the head. There are several club members in and around Austin that could maybe help you out, try contacting the local club for some assistance, Z guys are always willing to help another Z guy.

Yep, the second compression check confirmed it, no pressure. I guess the rings broke down after running for 30 mins. Weird. Ill know when I take it apart. I did go get the L28, which has about 200 k on it, but assured it was running a couple of months ago. Will swap it out, tear down the original and see whats up. Should add that the engine fell off the pallet while 3 of us lifted it to my pickup bed, breaking the valve cover and the pcv tube is loose, but I do believe that was the only hit it took. Those suckers are heavy! To be continued.

I've never heard of all the rings going at once except lack of oil. Pull the valve cover and turn the engine over with the starter & see if everything looks normal. Before you give up on this engine it's worth checking the valve lash one more time. The adjustment doesn't have to be very far off to raise hell with the compression. If you go with the 200K engine it would be a good idea to take a c-test on it too.

If the timing Chain tensioner broke you could have jumped time. To verify rings pull all plugs and put a little marvel mystery oil in and then compression test if it rises then it is rings. No change could be stuck valves or bad head gasket. Make sure when you do a compression test you let the engine spin over 4 times to get a correct reading .

Hi Jimmy, Some how missed your posts on the compression test 0-5psi. I find it hard to believe its the rings considering it ran for a period. Are you sure the guage is ok?

Have to agree with Mark on this and wildman's advice is spot on. Squirt some oil in the cylinders and do the test again, if its rings the compression should jump considerably. I would do some more investigating before giving up on this engine.

Another thing to remember when doing compession test is to hold the throttle full open. That way the engine can breath and get a fuul charge of air.

What ever you do, make sure you repeat it for every cylinder. Most pressure test gauges are not that acurate and can read 150 when the pressure is 170psi. More important is that all cylinders are close to the same pressure.

Chas