Weird compression test - is this a BHG??

zyzx2k9 · 06-17-2011, 01:58 AM

I've got a 1990 Supra Turbo and was driving on the highway recently, and when I pulled off to park I could feel the car was running rough, really chugging. It was just a quick stop and when I restarted the car (still warm) a TON of smoke came out of the exhaust. It was at night so I couldn't tell if it was white or blue, but it definitely wasn't black. It continued running rough on the short drive home, but notably improved whenever I got the RPMs over about 2200. Smoke was pouring out the tailpipe the whole time, and particularly at lower RPMs.

From all I have read in the forums here, it sounds a lot like a BHG. So I took the car in for a compression test and the readings came out odd--all the cylinders had normal compression readings in the 160s, but cylinder #5 was off the charts at over 200. It was tested twice and came out the same both times.

Is this consistent with a BHG, or is there anything else that might cause these symptoms? I'm almost ready to take the plunge and replace the head gasket, but I'm holding out hope there might be something more minor that will resolve the problem. Thanks Supra community for your insights...

06-17-2011, 01:58 AM	#1
zyzx2k9 Stock Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 10	Weird compression test - is this a BHG?? I've got a 1990 Supra Turbo and was driving on the highway recently, and when I pulled off to park I could feel the car was running rough, really chugging. It was just a quick stop and when I restarted the car (still warm) a TON of smoke came out of the exhaust. It was at night so I couldn't tell if it was white or blue, but it definitely wasn't black. It continued running rough on the short drive home, but notably improved whenever I got the RPMs over about 2200. Smoke was pouring out the tailpipe the whole time, and particularly at lower RPMs. From all I have read in the forums here, it sounds a lot like a BHG. So I took the car in for a compression test and the readings came out odd--all the cylinders had normal compression readings in the 160s, but cylinder #5 was off the charts at over 200. It was tested twice and came out the same both times. Is this consistent with a BHG, or is there anything else that might cause these symptoms? I'm almost ready to take the plunge and replace the head gasket, but I'm holding out hope there might be something more minor that will resolve the problem. Thanks Supra community for your insights...