Notices
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Dentsides Ford Truck
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: Moser

Need Ideas NO COMPRESSION

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 24, 2009 | 09:00 PM
  #1  
77highboy80's Avatar
77highboy80
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Need Ideas NO COMPRESSION

I have a 400Mod compression runs like this: 1-120 2-80 3-90 4-120 5-0 6-80 7-90 8-120. The previous owner says he replace the head gaskets (wondering) and he thinks it's the intake manifold gaskets and that I should redo those taking special care of the crossover gaskets connecting the manifold gaskets. I haven't heard of intake manifold gasket issues causing low or no compression in a cylinder. Any ideas?
 
Reply
Old Mar 24, 2009 | 09:51 PM
  #2  
fmc400's Avatar
fmc400
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
Club FTE Gold Member
Welcome to the site. You should do a leakdown test to tell you where the compression is escaping. That almost sounds like burnt valves.
 
Reply
Old Mar 24, 2009 | 09:56 PM
  #3  
lilbigpony's Avatar
lilbigpony
New User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, TX
Burnt valves or the rings checked out on #5???
 
Reply
Old Mar 25, 2009 | 03:42 AM
  #4  
crazedfox's Avatar
crazedfox
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 531
Likes: 4
From: LaGrange
Hello,
__1'st thing you need to do is pull the valve covers.
Then check to see what the prob' is for #no.5 cyl.

Could be something like a stuck valve, loose rocker arm,
bent push rod, burnt valve, or just stuck/gummed up rings.

If you need to dig deeper, check to
see if the pushrods are plugged up.
Or if you have any crushed/broken lifters.
 
Reply
Old Mar 25, 2009 | 05:17 AM
  #5  
77highboy80's Avatar
77highboy80
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
ok all sound like great ideas. it'll be a a couple weeks before i can do that extensive work. I forgot to mention. It sounds great, no missing no oil on spark plug the only symptom I have is oil being pushed out the pcv/breather cap. No "sucking exhaust" or "back flow".
 
Reply
Old Mar 25, 2009 | 02:42 PM
  #6  
crazedfox's Avatar
crazedfox
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 531
Likes: 4
From: LaGrange
Originally Posted by 77highboy80
oil being pushed out the pcv/breather cap. No "sucking exhaust" or "back flow".
This,
__could be due to just a overloaded/really dirty
stock valve cover oil bath/filter element.

This element is usally made into the valve cover
it's intended design is to condense/cool oil,
so it will drain back onto the valvetrain.

Not get sucked into the intake to get burned off.
Once these get so dirty, they become insufficient
or just plain quit working entirely.

When you pull your covers off, check this part out.
You may be surprized how bad some of these are.

Later.
 
Reply
Old Mar 25, 2009 | 03:16 PM
  #7  
highboy1975's Avatar
highboy1975
Cargo Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,110
Likes: 32
From: southwest pa
only two places your compression could be going. either out through the rings, or out through the valves. your valves are either not getting a good seal or your rings are shot. i dont see where the intake manifold could be affecting compression. im going to place my bets on the valves. something was either done wrong and is causing them to stay open, or the heads need rebuilt.
 
Reply
Old Mar 25, 2009 | 03:56 PM
  #8  
beartracks's Avatar
beartracks
Lead Driver
25 Year Member
Photogenic
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,636
Likes: 349
From: Albuquerque
Could be the timing chain/gears. Also make sure you are doing the comp. test correctly. Pull all the plugs, pull the coil wire and prop the carb all the way open, crank over at least four times. Sometimes you can squirt a little oil in the cylinders and try the test again. If the numbers rise the rings are bad.
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership

 Brett Foote
story-2

10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained

 Brett Foote
story-4

10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-6

Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

 Brett Foote
story-9

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

 Joe Kucinski
Old Mar 25, 2009 | 06:47 PM
  #9  
peganit2's Avatar
peganit2
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 999
Likes: 1
From: Davison, Mi.
0 is unusual.

Seems like more than bad valve seats, bad rings or a blown head gasket.

Intake cycle malfunctions (burnt valve, wiped lobe, leaky intake) usually drop compression pressure. But usually not to zero. Some exhaust cycle malfunctions (wiped lobe) actually RAISE the compression pressure. Some drop it (burnt valve)

My guess is a burnt valve or a hole in the piston. My instincts tell me a hole in the piston.

Zero compression is as unhealthy as it gets.

Or a ReaLLY bad valve seat.
 
Reply
Old Mar 26, 2009 | 08:00 AM
  #10  
77highboy80's Avatar
77highboy80
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Ok I preformed another compression test with new spark plugs. Results were identical (or very very close) there is also no missing evident, no oil on the spark plugs (incl. cyl. 5) only symptom is excessive blow by. I learned that the eng has also a high volume oil pump installed. It did also pop a exhaust plug on the back of the right bank cyl head so I will be fixing that shortly. I will remove the head to do it so I can kill two birds with one stone.
 
Reply
Old Mar 26, 2009 | 12:57 PM
  #11  
shortbed1's Avatar
shortbed1
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
From: beaufort
Listen highboy, do a dry and wet comppression test on #5 see if squirting some oil in #5 helps compression at all if not remove valve cover make sure you have cam action (valves go up and down just like the ones next to it). If you do remove cylinder head look for broken piston thats what ussually causes lots of blow by dont just look for hole in middle of piston look all around the edges they will burn there. sometimes that burnt piston will be very subtle. By the way if that motor doesnt have any compression on #five it is missing. hope this helps, chuck
 
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:57 PM.

story-0
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals

Slideshow: Top 10 Fords at 2026 Ford Nationals

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 11:10:08


VIEW MORE
story-1
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership

Based on years of owning multiple modern Ford products.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-09 10:53:36


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches

SPONSORED: From muddy boots to rain-soaked cargo, these upgrades address some of the most common frustrations Ford truck owners face every day.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-06-08 18:50:34


VIEW MORE
story-3
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained

Here's everything you need to know about every Ford engine available for the 2026 model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-05 12:58:01


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Ford trucks that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 09:51:16


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: the best gifts for dads & grads

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:58


VIEW MORE
story-6
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 11:38:36


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE