When your Rover / MG / Freelander K-series engine is no longer idling sweetly, has a loss of power or just won’t start, there is a possibility you are losing compression. But what causes this?
The compression in your K-series engine is what makes it go. You need a tight seal within the cylinder walls, pistons and rings, valves and seals in order to harness the energy and redirect it into the right places to have your Rover / MG / Freelander running smoothly. So a loss of compression on your vehicles means there is a leak within this system, namely:
- Cylinder liners – one or more of these may have a crack. If this is the case then you may see vapour being burned off from the oil as water may leak through into the engine oil.
- Piston rings – these may be worn. If your Rover / MG / Freelander has smoke coming from the exhaust, it could very well be a problem with your piston rings.
- Valves or valve seats – these may not be sitting properly due to carbon accumulation or may be worn or damaged. This issue tends to cause problems in starting and idling your Rover / MG / Freelander.
- Head gasket – this may have failed. If the head gasket fails between two adjacent cylinders then you Rover / MG / Freelander will lose compression.
A compression test on your engine can identify which cylinders have lost compression. But whichever cylinder it is I’m afraid a loss of compression on your Rover / MG / Freelander means that engine work is required.
But don’t panic, we can help!
Leave a Reply