Hi Hugh,

I agree with the assumption that it is a bad valve.
The compression being down to only 20 psi is not just bad rings. They still seal some even broken.
Of course with 430,000 miles the engine is no spring chicken!
The cars engine has had a very good run and the octane of the gasoline used had nothing to do with its present condition.
You just had a less energetic engine with a slight smear in mileage to go along with the lack of an investment.
It was Not as smooth pulling and showed less of an ease of starting up cold. The starter had to turn over more and therefore it has more wear than an engine that got some money spent in the tank.
No big deal for a declared penny watcher, you know you bought what you justified.
Life in your lane! (:)

During the compression test the mechanic should have squirted some engine oil on top of the piston.
This would temporarily seal the cylinder rings as the oil cannot pass that quickly down past them.
The sealing should instantly raise the psi up to about or over 100 psi until the oil is ejected after several pumps. Many time it will equal the other cylinders if nothing else is wrong!
The compression test is very definitive for the lower end and if the valves are working at all.

With that pushing back up to the valves or a head issue you might need a new head if a valve seat dropped/cracked.
An inspection is required and going with a head with lower milage or restored is probably the going to be the minimum requirement.
The other valves are the at same age of pounding these many miles!

Since you made your penny wise decisions to put in the $2k not to long ago, you already turned into the driveway from your life’s lane. The car must be worthy and the family is like minded economically?
To park it or just visit in this driveway, is a good question!
This very well could only be a head problem, for you and the car!
You didn’t get this far without taking care of the car. Are you feeling that the cars drivetrain is solid enough for another 100,000? That’s about all you are going get out of any other newer or even used domestic/import economy car.
Only you know what you really have and where you sit with the cars future.
You mentioned timing and I will say it been a good marriage so far. Are you feeling lucky?



So far you have not done too bad with your experiences and the Volvo experiment! It was their first FWD experiment that they said they were going to stay away from back when the RWD’s were their bread and butter.
Some later model years have mixed reviews and are not such a bargain in many cases. Too many gadgets and they are not the solid car company they once were, IMHO.
I’m a 6 car 240 man so I’m prejudice, no doubt!
Many of my spare parts are all in rolling mode!
Many will interchange as they go bye bye!

What would you do with six cars and a whole bunch more stuff, but no children?
I have been lucky too!
(:-)

Phil