thook

Sorry, Aaron.....not sure what to tell you on this. So, I'll bump for you....

abecedarian

Yeah, if the engine isn't spinning fast enough the compression will not build up as high.
You can also squirt a teaspoon or so of oil into the sparkplug hole before checking the compression. If the compression does not rise above the 125 you're seeing now, it's possible the valves are still out of adjustment.
Have you tried with checking with the feeler gauge since you found the low compression?

ahickman

When I realized that #1 and #2 were wide open, I stuck replaced the existing shim with the thinnest shim and measured the gap. From this, I calculated the shim needed to put each in factory specs. Ordered the shims and replaced. Even measured them again after buckling the cams back down. First time working with shims and already hate them. Wish the 3.0 was like the 2.4 and had screws to adjust. Uggh.

ahickman

Had a few moments tonight to work on the 3.0. Put the plugs and distributor back in and went to crank on it. Engine would not fire up. Noticed that the MAF was "popping" occasionally. Just as I let up on the starter, the engine backfired and sounded like a cannon. Almost blew my eardrum out owing to the fact that I am surrounded by trees. Before setting the distributor, I made sure I was TDC on #1 by using a soft wire down through the sparkplug hole and verifying on the crankshaft pulley. Am I 180 degrees out on the distributor, or is there something else that would cause such a tremendous backfire and not starting?