Rep Power: 0

I need an engine guru! Heading out to work this morning I tried to start my totally reliable civic and the engine caught but immediately died. Thinking it had something to do with the -19 degree Celcius temperature, I tried to start it again but the engine free wheeled (no compression). My first thought was that I had screwed something up when I did the timing belt replacement 20,000 kms ago so I cut my losses and stole my wife's Pilot.
When I got home this evening, I proceeded to pull the covers and inspect the timing belt (the temperature had risen to a balmy -9). I was surprised to find that the timing belt was still intact and properly set, further, all of the valves appeared to be opening and closing properly. I still had no compression.
How can this be?!
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
PS; the car has less than 180K kms on an all original drivetrain.

 
Rep Power: 518

Sounds like it's flooded.
Fuel washes off the oil film from the cylinder walls and then you lose compression.
Get the excess fuel out, restore compression and it should run.


Dry the plugs or replace them, and leave them out for the moment
Charge the battery
Reoil the cylinders to restore some compression, add a tablespoon to each cylinder
Floor the gas pedal and keep it on the floor, crank the engine for several seconds.
Reinstall the plugs
Floor the gas pedal again and crank it.
Keep the gas pedal on the floor the entire time you are cranking it.
Eventually it should sound like it's regaining compression again and then start trying to fire.
Keep cranking until it runs
As soon as it starts to run on its own let off the gas pedal


NOTE: Crank for 15 seconds at a time.
After 15 seconds, stop and let the starter cool off for a minute.
This should prevent ruining the starter.


When this car last ran, what did you do? Did you just move it around in the driveway and shut it off?
Don't do that. Always drive it all the way through warmup before shutting it off.

 
Rep Power: 210

how did you prove this?

and how did you test compression?

 
Rep Power: 0

Wow! After dealing with countless flooded cars over many years I would never have guessed that it could have affected the compression so dramatically. I put everything back together (2.5 hours!!) and then followed your directions (10 minutes; I didn't charge the battery) and the darned thing fired right up. It's back to it old self running like a Swiss watch. You've taught an old dog a new trick!
Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

 
Rep Power: 0

It was easy once I had pulled the valve cover to see the camshaft turn and the rocker arms do their thing. I brought the #1 cylinder to TDC and checked the timing marks. The loss of compression was immediately apparent because of the change in pattern and sound of the engine cranking.