My headgasket job went HORRIBLY wrong.

[632 Regal]

Timing is most likely off if your getting no compression.
decided I should turn the engine over with a wrench before starting it JUST IN CASE there was a timing issue... and It turned over easily (with spark plugs in it)

[Hypr5]

Well that was way too much work for the outcome of this project!

I got EVERYTHING back together, decided I should turn the engine over with a wrench before starting it JUST IN CASE there was a timing issue... and It turned over easily (with spark plugs in it)

:(

I have NO idea what could have gone wrong.
oh well!

[Hypr5]

I had everything locked at TDC with the cam locking tools, flywheel lock pin, etc. Did everything by the book. I don't see how it COULD be off, but I'll check again.

[whiskychaser]

I got EVERYTHING back together, decided I should turn the engine over with a wrench before starting it JUST IN CASE there was a timing issue... and It turned over easily (with spark plugs in it)

Lets be positive. If you stuffed the timing and the valves hit the pistons, you would have felt resistance. Turning the motor over with a socket on the crank bolt isnt that hard. Sleep on it

[Ferret]

The first time I did this I cocked up spectacularly on an M50 - the crank was set dead TDC, cams all set up perfectly - and then I buggered up the timing chain position.

Literally two or three degrees out and the car refused point blank to fire...

When you're throwing it over is it spluttering/are the plugs wet/no life at all?

Are you *sure* you've plugged all the electrical connectors back into the right places?

EDIT: I've just noticed you've got no compression - are one of your cams 90/180 degrees out? When your engine's at TDC the front lobe on both cams should be pointing inwards and upwards?

[Jon K]

$1500 says you bent exhaust valves putting the head down. A friend recently bent #6 exhaust valves, no compression on that cylinder, felt no resistance and has had years of automotive experience. **** happens. But thats what my money is on. I don't like doing the cams with the block at TDC. We set my engine like 10 - 15 degrees before TDC so that all the pistons are down, but had the cams at tdc, then I brought the crank around to tdc and made sure I didn't feel anything touch.

[winfred]

they can and do loose compression and take a bit of cranking to get it back, twin cam 318s are the worst for it but the m50s do it too occasionally

[Hypr5]

$1500 says you bent exhaust valves putting the head down. A friend recently bent #6 exhaust valves, no compression on that cylinder, felt no resistance and has had years of automotive experience. **** happens. But thats what my money is on. I don't like doing the cams with the block at TDC. We set my engine like 10 - 15 degrees before TDC so that all the pistons are down, but had the cams at tdc, then I brought the crank around to tdc and made sure I didn't feel anything touch.

Thanks for the input, however - I did the same: Moved the crank away from TDC, put the head on with cam locking tool on - slowly rotated the crank until TDC and put the pin in.

[Ross]

From collapsed hydraulic lifters so intakes not opening?