What would make the compression drop on engine and not start?

10

Asked by churtt Dec 05, 2017 at 01:01 PM about the 2008 MINI Cooper S

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Bought grandson car, car fax great, two weeks later small oil leak. Took to
mechanic shop Bavarian motors needed valve cover gasket and oil filter
housing religned. Took car for test drive engine light came on. Said needed
new valve cover. Replaced that then took for test drive drove fine back to
shop.(only drove six blocks) parked car paid and then car would not start.
They looked at it and there was hardly any compression. Said needed new
engine $3000. No time for that they were walking away. I needed to tow car
away from their shop. I asked them to check timing two weeks later still
sitting there.

3 Answers

101,345

Tow it out of this shop, it sounds like they are stringing you along without doing any work. Not touching a car for two weeks is ridiculous. As to the engine, check timing and check for a possible dropped valve. There's no way of knowing what abuse an engine took, such abuse isn't going to show up on a Carfax. I suspect the previous owner knew it and unloaded car before engine blew up. If you have no legal recourse (research your state's Lemon Laws) then you'll have to decide whether to fix engine or replace it or sell it as is and let someone else deal with it.

2 people found this helpful.
10

Thank you, One other thing, the mechanic who replaced valve cover said he took on test drive and red lined it to make sure would hold up. Is that normal?

1 people found this helpful.

Redlined the engine? Stupid but not harmful for an engine in good shape but I wonder if the engine slipped time. Lemon laws don't apply to used cars.

3 people found this helpful.

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