Cylinder one compression check

What is the reason for the compression test? Misfire?

You will want to remove all the plugs and hold the throttle wide open while testing. Pull the fuel pump fuse as well. As for the reading, with 190,000 on the engine I would expect to see around 130 - 140 PSI. 100 PSI is the minimum for that engine and a really good one would show 160 or a bit more. You don't want more than a 10% difference between the highest and lowest cylinders. So, say you tested and all six read between 130 and 140. That's good If you test them all and get a high of 150 and a low of 100 that would be bad. Check out this guide to show you how:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-engine-compression

Please let us know what you find.

I was curious if ever I needed to check it.
How can I tell if my engine is seized?
I can still turn crank manually (reinstalled starter after testing it). The starter that was put back in after changing oil pan gasket i first bumped it a few times, then tried to turn over engine and nothing but a "vroom" noise, is that the Bendix not engaging? Fuse and relay okay.
I turned crank again manually, a bit tough but not anymore than before when I put balancer on ...
Is it seized?

Where do I start?

Pull starter and get retested?
Look at flywheel?
Any info is appreciated.



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If you can turn the engine over two full turns using a ratchet on the crank pulley nut it's not seized. Sounds like the Bendix isn't engaging. Could be a bad starter or not attached fully.

Yes, Bendix is what I'm hoping. I'm going to take it off and go take in to get tested but do those bench testers tell you if Bendix is engaging?
Any tips or what to look at as i reinstall next starter. I'm not sure i want to reuse that one.

If the Bendix kicks out when the solenoid engages it will show on the tester.

I will also test what the voltage is on battery to know if maybe that factored it, but it seemed strong. I will recharge the battery too. I don't think that's a factor since it ran fine a few days ago after timing chain but all it takes is a slight drop in volts not to start...
Thanks for the support!

Tested the starter and it was great. Bendix engaged. I got another one then tested it and all good, but I'll put that other one i just got in it.

Should I look at anything or flywheel or specifically try as I put starter in? And do these ever need shimming?
And what's the ft lb on starter?

50 ft lb tightening on the mounting bolts. No shims. Check the flywheel ring gear for damage or missing teeth.

Got it on, it engaged better. turned over and started, then after starting up an odd low pitch sound from engine. So, I turned it off.
What do I need to check next?

Without hearing it I have no idea if you have a problem. What was the first issue you had that made you work on it? You asked about compression first, what was the reason for that? It didn't run or was running bad?

I had a leak at the timing chain cover and went ahead and changed the chain, and correctly got the dots lined up. I had to reinstall the balancer to 130ftlbs, until i could get the tool to torque it higher -180. It started up and ran fine. I got a bigger torque wrench and the balancer install tool also and tightened it in more. Then tried to get torque on crank bolt over the 130 but, balancer turned on me some even with bolts in and long bar against frame. i used a quick impact gun from there. I turned the balancer clockwise a few turns back to the TDC mark.

At earlier first start up, after timing cover an all were back on and 135ftlb on balancer, oil was dripping at torn pan gasket. That oil pan gasket got torn where the timing chain cover is at.

I had to jack up the motor, take off the motor supports and raise it more, pull the starter, take off the transmission supports, and overdrive supports to raise it more, and get into my oil pan better, and get the piece of pan gasket that was in bottom. (This pan can't fully come out without pulling engine) New oil pan gasket installed. I noticed the starter reinstall was a bit tight, but it fit in okay.

I bumped the motor a few times, then that vroom noise, like started didn't engage.

Pulled starter it tested okay, but i ,put another in that tested good.
I recharged the battery and turned it over.
This time the starter had the normal turnover sound, then the engaged sound but once it engaged it didn't sound like a normal run-on engine low pitch noise and not that regular running sound. I didn't just let it continue, and I quickly turned it off.

A little while ago I slightly turned the starter over with the key, it had the normal turnover sound, and turned it off, and then looked at balancer and it is turning.

Record a video of it running and post it, from the description I'm thinking you have an exhaust leak from jacking the engine up a ways, but without hearing it??

I pulled the starter and cover plate to see the teeth in flywheel. Even turned engine by crank to see entire wheel and didn't see any teeth out. here is the pics.
No, it wasn't in run mode at all. Once an odd noise hit i shut it off to look at the flywheel.
When pinion engages it can't bind can it? since both turned?

Update: After the pics it started up fast and smooth this time. I turned it off after a few seconds for the time ..
I had taken off that aluminum guard piece covering the flywheel. and temporarily put starter back in and tight.
Turned flywheel /at crank back to TDC. - it started better than yesterday's second attempt. And far better than the old starter with vroom noise, the engine didn't engage.
Maybe that bell housing ,aluminum cover plate is working like a shim to the starter? an after i repositioned things, it started better with it off..
I'm glad i did examine the flywheel after the many different noises..

Does it look okay?

I will be testing the truck, looking for any leaks an letting it run tomorrow as it is.
Can get video. ..

This was causing all that recent noise. I even cut side off at the starter, still did it. I took it back off, quiet again.
I guess I'll have to get one off another Dakota. .I don't really want any debris to get up in there ..

Likely it was rubbing on the flex plate.

Yes,it looks very close to those bolts .


If the next one does the same thing what should i try ? Spacers a nut or flat washers at the tranny support bolts an 2 tiny ones,to move it back?



The huge bolts that hold the tranny supports go over the main holes ..
Im not gonna wrestel with area under starter ill cut that out..
There are top tabs that tuck in..
Whats the torque on tge huge tranny support bots at the bell housing?

No go on another piece. It scrapped too.. looks like inside at top of the curve . ..i noticed theres a bigger gap between oil pan an the bell housing on the other dakota ..
Maybe thats a factor..
I had to cut a piece of aluminum off a roll of coil an fabricated one as best i could...but not sure it can prevent all rock or debris from getting in..
I tried to even cut that middle out at curve but still rubbing..
For now that is better than nothing
Any ideas?
I will likely reform another one later .unless you have a solution.
2nd pic piece is replacement even after middle was cut out -scrape.

The cover should go between the transmission and the block, the thin plate provides the correct clearance for the other parts.
Was the transmission removed before this all occurred?

No but the engine and transmission at bell house an overdrive had to be lifted or jacked up so as to drop oil pan low enough to get inside it. There's a cross member under oil pan and it's tight. Motor is back on the motor mounts an overdrive back on its supports all tightened back..

Engine had to be jacked up in order to get to oil pan, an overdrive supports were undone so as to be able to lift that an bell housing as getting to inside of oil pan truck brace goes directly under pan and it's difficult to get into [ a piece of gasket was in the bottom. all reassembled.
..

That shouldn't have changed anything regarding the cover then. Maybe lay a straight edge across the bellhousing to see what part is rubbing, then use a hammer to bend the cover to clear it. Or check if the offending part is correct.

What exactly do you mean on laying a straight edge..across bell housing?


That flat piece of aluminum
coil i cut isnt rubbing but its not tucked in at top ..
.
I even tried using fender washers under the piece an still heard it..
I think later ill fabricate or trace a piece of that aluminum coil an seal at top w rtv .
.. unless your idea works ..
Irritating an time consuming .

Sounds a bit different when running. Does that video sound normal?
What does it sound like?


Or is it something to look at?
Does a new chain give a totally different sound?

I got to see where the little tad of water is coming from. Its staying at about 200-204° at warm up an gauge stays in middle.

Sounds like a high idle speed, might want to check the vacuum lines to see if moving the engine around knocked one loose, other than that it sounds okay. I'd say drive it and see how it acts. If you had a compression problem, you would know it in the way it runs and it doesn't sound like it has one.

Doe a new water pumps ever have a short-term leak at first for a good break-in period.
never ran it good since pump until now. haven't driven it just moved it around checking the drip.
Bottom of balancer had a tad dripping.


Sounds like a train kind of, do new chains give a different sound?

No break in, they shouldn't leak when new. Sounds normal.

What's the engine mount bolt torque to be? Still seems a bit higher up on engine than before i jacked it up.

So that's normal then?

Sounds like a 190K 3.9. You might want to ask that as a new question on the site as we are supposed to only answer one issue at a time, plus letting another person besides me hear it might help.

I drove it around an a weird noise sounds like overdrive winding growl like ..at engine.. louder as you accerate ,1st an 2nd moreso not as pronounced at 3rd..went 40 mph an quieter ..but something is not back as beforeifting engine an tranny ..
I hope raising overdrive didnt damage anything...growl like sound an still louder engine..

What should i look at?