Hello,

I purchased a non-running '01 Discovery with a bad head gasket (Passenger side leaking in the rear) however when I pulled the plugs to check compression I found the #7 plug with Antifreeze on it. I did not use a gauge, but only Three of the cylinders seemed to have enough compression to push my fingers out of the holes. There is no coolent in the pan or oil in the water.
Could the loss of compression on both sides be due to a bad head/intake gasket?
I don't want to put new head gaskets on a motor with no compression.
only to take the off for a rebuild.
Unless there is an obvious problem to be seen when I get the heads off, how can I tell if the motor is shot?

100,766 miles.
All Plugs look good
Turns over but won't start.
backfires through intake when using starting fluid.

Thanks

 

If the cylinder with the coolant in it was the one with no compression it would make logical sense that if coolant can leak into the cylinder then compression can leak out, you follow?

Sorry, the only way you are going to know anything is by taking it apart. Period.

 

You are going at it all wrong. pull the plug that has coolant and then do an actual compression test on the other 7 instead of sticking your finger in the plug holes.