Hi

I have been told that number 3 cylinder is reading 120 PSI and that this is a major problem I have been told not to drive the car,I really didnt understand what he was saying, (must be a woman thing) can anyone tell me if this can be rectified. Thanks

1326356409[/url]' post='2642453']

Hi

I have been told that number 3 cylinder is reading 120 PSI and that this is a major problem I have been told not to drive the car,I really didnt understand what he was saying, (must be a woman thing) can anyone tell me if this can be rectified. Thanks

Valve stem seals or Piston rings, oil leaking past cylinder , may be a costly day

Hello Kate, it sounds as if you have a problem with the exhaust valve in that cylinder. Given the pressure reading of 120psi, it almost certainly means the valve is not shutting/sealing properly as the valve and valve seat have become damaged, burned or pitted. If you continue to drive the car you may cause more damage to the valve guides/cylinder head. Normally a top end strip is required to fix the problem and the technicians can find out why this has happened, as this is not normal for even very high mileage engines if the car has been serviced. I can't remember if you have hydraulic tappets on your engine, I believe you do, and if so the cause will definitely need looking into. It's all fixeable though and I may be worth involving Skoda UK customer services as I note your car is probably not too far out of warranty and there may be some goodwill warranty to help with payment for repairs. Please do try to keep us all up to date with your progress on this one.

The figure he is giving you is the compression in the cylinder when the engine is cranking over. They remove the spark plugs and insert lines to a gauge. They turn the engine over and it records the maximum pressure in each cylinder. I think you should be looking at >140psi if it is ok and only a small variation between the cylinders. If one is down it will probably be an exhaust valve which will require the cylinder head removing and the valve replacing and whatever other work is required. It is a labour/time intensive job so as said before expect a fairly big bill. What is your mileage?

I have seen to much movement in the valve guide which means the seat wears oval and the valve lets by.