no engine compression - please advise!

During and Enduro this weekend I took a creative line around a creek crossing bottleneck. Bad decision on my part. I went over the bars and my 98 220 got COMPLETELY submerged.

I pushed the bike to the edge of the creek bank and pulled the plug and wrung out the air filter. I kicked the bike over like mad to try to get the water out of the cylinder. To make matters worse, as the air filter was off and my air box totally exposed, a rider went by and in doing so, filled my air box with loose dirt. I was never able to get my bike started.

Back at camp I pulled the plug again and turned the bike upside down and worked the kicker up and down several times. I was amazed at the amount of water that came out of the cylinder and the silencer.

After spraying WD 40 into the cylinder and replacing the plug with a new one, the bike began to fire and almost started. In an effort to avoid further damage to the cylinder I decided to wait until I got home to clean the carb and air box before I got the bike running.

Here’s where my problems start. Thanks for sticking with me so far.

Once I cleaned the carb and air box and tried to start the bike, I got no compression whatsoever, even with the wash plug in the silencer, it feel as though there was no plug installed. I was easily able work the kicker down with my hand.

What puzzles me about this whole mess is that out at camp the compression was good and the bike almost started. After cleaning the air box and the carb, I’m getting practically zero compression.

I am in the process of tearing the bike down in preparation for a new top end. I think it is a forgone conclusion that the bike will need it.

Do you guys think a new top end will solve my compression problem or do you think I will also need to replace my crankshaft oil seals? Could it be anything else?

I’ve never done a top end before but I feel with the information on this forum I can handle the job. Getting into the bottom end for the crankshaft seals is an entirely different matter. I don’t believe I can handle that one.

I welcome any input that you might have as to what may be causing my compression problem. Also, any advice you have for fixing the problem would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the lengthy post. I tired to be as thorough as I could in explaining the situation.

Regards,
Chuck

levert, and Duneman,

Thanks for the input.

I've got the top end torn down and the best I can tell it looks like the bottom end is going to be OK. Everthing turns smoothly and the rod has no up and down play and very little side to side play.

When I took out the old piston the rings were shot. It's hard to explain but they were gummed up and sticking in the groove. They also had lost all of the outward tension that normally keep them close to the cylinder wall. I am attributing my loss of compression to this fact.

The cylinder has a tiny scratch. I can't feel it with my finger tip but I can with my fingernail. It's not deep enough to actually snag my fingernail but just deep enought to make a tiny click sound when I pass my nail over it. I am having the cylinder inspected this evening.

If the cylinder passes inspection I'll be ordering parts from FRP immediately.

Like I said earlier, this is the first time I've rebuilt a top end. Wish me luck.

Thanks,
Chuck

OK...

Good news and bad news.

Good news:

I talked to Jeff at FRP yesterday. He was very helpful, kind and quick. SUPER customer service. Wiseco top end kit, gaskets, and reeds are on their way.


Bad news:

I had my cylinder inspected last night and the inspection revealed that the plating has worn down to the aluminum around the exhaust port.

Anyway, I'm still weighing my options at this point. The option I've definitely ruled out is a new cylinder from Bike Bandit. It's 466 dollars!

Decisions, decisions, decisions.


Later,
Chuck

Thanks for all the replies so far.

The latest news...Fredette had in stock, a 220 cylinder with a fresh plate job and porting work already done. I'm sending mine in as core exchange. It's gonne be more expensive than having mine replated but not by much. Plus, the turn around time will be alot less.


CC,

As to finding the reason for no compression, I feel 99 percent certain that my stuck (in the groove) rings were the cause of my compression problems.

Once I get the new cylinder, piston, and rings I'll know for certain if that was the cause.

JasonWho,

I was nearly ready to send my cylinder off to Forward Motion for replating. That's when I called Fredette. I feel by going with him my down time would be cut considerably. That's not a knock on EG, just a time issue with me personally.

Thanks again,
Chuck