Help it just won’t work

Hi guys new here,
Iv got a 1999 disco 1 300tdi.
18 months ago I broke down as over heated and expansion tank had split in half, replaced that to find water pouring out of exhaust so yep head gasket gone. Replaced that and had head skimmed and pressure tested. Put it all back together but very little compression.
Ripped it all apart again changed two pistons with minor wear, changed all the rings, bottom end bearings etc. Now got it all back together and she still won’t start.
She’s turning over but no ignition. In the process of checking compression again and only done cylinders 2&3. 2 is at 250 psi and 3 is only at 100.
Any help greatly appreciated as this is started to break me now. I need on the road ASAP.

im guessing the valves are the problem. Did you inspect the seats and checked that they were sealing ?

No I didn’t as I thought the place that done the pressure testing on the head would have done that

have you got fuel at the injectors?

Wlll it run on ether ?

Stupid question but did you set the tappets right ?????

I would be more concerned to find why the lack of compression before getting it running. Not sure what it should be but sounds awful low compared to other 1. Even if it did run it probably wouldn’t run too well.
As above could be as simple as.

J

Kev12 said:

have you got fuel at the injectors?

Click to expand...

No not getting anything through. Gonna try manually priming when I get home on Friday.

Magicgrotto said:

Stupid question but did you set the tappets right ?????

Click to expand...

Yeah I believe so. Got them set at 0.2

marjon said:

I would be more concerned to find why the lack of compression before getting it running. Not sure what it should be but sounds awful low compared to other 1. Even if it did run it probably wouldn’t run too well.
As above could be as simple as.

J

Click to expand...

One person mentioned on another forum not to worry too much about compression as they’re new rings and wont Have bedded in which would cause a low compression apparently. This is my first time doing this level of work

Jon5140 said:

One person mentioned on another forum not to worry too much about compression as they’re new rings and wont Have bedded in which would cause a low compression apparently. This is my first time doing this level of work

Click to expand...

You wouldn't get full figures till they're seated but there's a massive difference in your figures. We're the bores honed? Rings gapped correctly? Right rings used if was a heavier hone?
I'd be thinking valves too

Jon5140 said:

One person mentioned on another forum not to worry too much about compression as they’re new rings and wont Have bedded in which would cause a low compression apparently. This is my first time doing this level of work

Click to expand...

You changed all rings and 2 pistons? Why only 1 giving problem, except you don’t know as only did compression test on 2.
What cylinder was your main reason for water in the exhaust?. Did you do compression test before dismantling?
Yes this could be a simple case of a quick hone of cylinders would have evened out the compression, in which case yes if you can get it running it may bed in.or a case of you have broke a ring putting them in or even wrinkled an oil ring. It will be smoking like a trooper.
You say head was skimmed what else was done? Valves removed and checked?

I hope this is simple fix. But (yes always) I firmly believe this will not be a simple fix from your first problem to what you have now.
1 very important thing to remeber is internet diagnosis is very difficult, and there will be many questions that might sound stupid, but they need to be gotten out of the way first.
Many guys/girls( not wanting to be pulled up for sexism) on here if they had the vehicle in front of them could probably fix them (or at least tell you how) with a few test in front of them.
Bit alas we are all going on your description and your own personal skills of what you see/report/know/ believe.
So Lot of questions will be out there in the “ I know that or I did that” but we don’t know till we ask and you tell the result.

Not trying to put a dampener on your work but think you may be lifting the head again.

J

a little wear on pistons wont stop it starting ,swapping rings with out honing is making thing worse especially if they arent gapped and fitted correctly, if it had water in it id have checked all the piston heights,is there any fuel at the injectors

Did you fit the pistons with lots of oil, or did you fit them dry ?

How much was skimmed off the head and did you compensate with a thicker gasket?

Jon5140 said:

No I didn’t as I thought the place that done the pressure testing on the head would have done that

Click to expand...

they would of only tested fluid areas and gallery only and considering yours was a coolant issiue they most only pressure checked the coolant gallery

does the the engine start or kick with a spray down the air intake ? that providing your glow plugs are working as well as cranking speed

marjon said:

You changed all rings and 2 pistons? Why only 1 giving problem, except you don’t know as only did compression test on 2.
What cylinder was your main reason for water in the exhaust?. Did you do compression test before dismantling?
Yes this could be a simple case of a quick hone of cylinders would have evened out the compression, in which case yes if you can get it running it may bed in.or a case of you have broke a ring putting them in or even wrinkled an oil ring. It will be smoking like a trooper.
You say head was skimmed what else was done? Valves removed and checked?

I hope this is simple fix. But (yes always) I firmly believe this will not be a simple fix from your first problem to what you have now.
1 very important thing to remeber is internet diagnosis is very difficult, and there will be many questions that might sound stupid, but they need to be gotten out of the way first.
Many guys/girls( not wanting to be pulled up for sexism) on here if they had the vehicle in front of them could probably fix them (or at least tell you how) with a few test in front of them.
Bit alas we are all going on your description and your own personal skills of what you see/report/know/ believe.
So Lot of questions will be out there in the “ I know that or I did that” but we don’t know till we ask and you tell the result.

Not trying to put a dampener on your work but think you may be lifting the head again.

J

Click to expand...

i had a run through on your ramble but giving advise on doing a compression test before hand should be very well explained and played out ..... considering there was water pouring out of the exhaust .... this also relates back to number 1 very important thing to remember of internet diagnosing .... as he may of bent a rod with out the correct procedure while performing a compression check

do they also now skim heads with the valves in place ? as you asked if they where removed

as for running off topic like a crinkled oil ring..... the engine does not start to even burn oil like a trooper

Well update time. Turns out lift pump was nakered and I forgot to reconnect the electrical connectors for the injector pump. As soon as I changed these parts and checked all connections again she fired up and running nicely. I did notice however loads of pressure forcing water out of the expansion tank and I disconnect a couple of hoses only to find steam not water :-(
The other day I removed the thermostat and retested and now coolant seems to be flowing nicely, no steam, and I done a chemical sniff tests from the expansion tank which was negative for head gasket, so fingers crossed I may have actually fixed it. Iv got a new thermostat and water pump to install as I have a Brit part one at the min and don’t trust it. Just the timing belt to do and mot it and see what else has gone wrong whilst it’s been sat still for 18 months