So I took my car into the shop because I half assed putting the tranny back together after replacing the clutch and wanted it done right. I towed it to the shop, pay 800$ to get a new high end clutch put in and everything adjusted. They discover there's a timing problem and go on to say I probably need to get the timing mechanisms replaced. So I'm like "forget that, it runs fine." We get the car on the ground and discover there's almost no compression in the fourth cylinder, all the others are low. So they recommend a new motor, which now with me having NO job and NO funding, I have NO method to do anything of the sort. What the hell happened to my engine that could have possibly caused it?

 

Could be the head gasket, or maybe bad piston rings.

 

But how? It ran fine before we started on the transmission work.

 

Sounds like the timing belt slipped or broke during or after completion of the clutch/transmission work. Have you discussed with the shop the fact that the engine ran fine prior to the work done? Alternatively, given that you towed the car to the shop, is it possible that the engine blew prior to the shop work?

 

Not likely, but I had reconstructed the transmission poorly and attempted to start it before taking it to the shop. I just don't see how the transmission could cause the vehicle to blow a head gasket if it never ran after the job.

 

What makes you think the head gasket blew?

 

The low compression, but it IS all the way across the boards. I'd expect the head gasket is the most logical solution to start with?

 

Usually, when the head gasket blows, one or two cylinders have low compression.

Your mechanic mentioned problems with the "timing mechanisms", which I interpreted to suggest that the timing belt slipped or snapped. When this occurs, the valves and pistons can collide and cause major engine damage (=possible low compression in all cylinders).

 

That's what he believed happened, I just didn't understand how. I guess i really effed it up trying to start it with the transmission mounted wrong.

 

That might have done it, but you may never know for sure.