Engine problems

This 89 DX Accord I just accuired has some problems with it. There seems to be no compression. The guy said that it was the piston rings, but someone else I had look at it said its the head gasket,. Than someone else said it could be the crankshaft and tmiing belts. When you try to start the car it makes the normal starting sound but than it makes a ::schu:: ::schu:: ::schu:: sound. I doesn't make the initial sound of the engine pumping. If Anyone can help me in my quest to figure out what maybe wrong with it please reply. If you need more info on what is wrong to help figure out a solution just ask. Thanks.

pull the timing belt cover off and see if the belt is still tight...or pull the distributor cap off and see if the rotor turns. That will tell you if the timing belt is broke.

It's a dx so it's a carb. Do you push the gas a twice before you start? Another tip might be to read up in the Carb section in here and read about some of the carb hoses and how to connect them. There apparently is a better way to do it. I dont know cause i have an efi.

the guy before me had just gotten a tune up on it. So everyother piiece under the hood is new except the engine.

unless you have like 300,000 miles on it and it was taken care of, which sounds like it may not have been, then it should be ok. I'm able to get a new a20a3 engine with 30,000 miles on it from Japan for $795. If you look in your phone book for import auto parts call them and ask them how much for a new engine. That may be an option, but i kinda dowbt it. It might be something else. Have you read the carb section yet?

Get a compression tester and check it out. They are cheap and all of the auto stores have them.

Slightly better but more expensive is a leak down tester where you pressurize the cylinder with air and check to see if it holds pressure and if not, where it leaks from. Ie- out the exhaust for bad exhaust valve, out the carb for bad intake valve, and out the oil dip stick tube for bad rings.

If you are going to drive older classic cars, you need to start learning some of the testing and repair techniques. You will go broke trying to have it all done in a shop. If you are not interested in do it yourself repair, you would be better off leasing a new cheap car like a Chevy Cavalier.

Randy

that is a good suggestion. What are some good names for a compression tester?

I think your timing belt is broke.
where you live. maybe Ill come and take a look at it.

I tried the compression test and there is no compression. I was going to check out the timing belts but i couldn't get to them. I am going to try it out later again. The leak down tester sounds like a good idea. I'll see if I can get one to try.