E30 325i compression problems

[Lewis325i]

Hi everyone I'm new to all this, I'm a mechanic but I work on diesel tractor engines like Perkins and Cummings engines I have rebuilt and worked on a lot of petrol engine but I'm looking for some advice on my e30 325i project I've recently bought. I picked the car up a few weeks ago and it's a 1988 chrome bumper 325, the engine has no compression in cylinders 2,3,4,5,6 cylinder one has 100psi. First I thought maybe the rings were stuck from being sat for a long time and the previous owner and he's cranked it and it's jumped time and the valves could be damaged causing lack of compression. I decided to compression test with oil in the bores and the compression spikes up to between 100-150 psi. if I leave oil in the bores with the plugs in and crank it.. It will start for approximately 10seconds I'm guessing this is until the oil in the bores burns off? Also the oil in the sump had a distinct petrol smell as if fuel has been pushed down past the rings into the sump so I changed that obviously before trying to run it. I think I have diagnosed the problem but am interested if anyone else has found this issue with 325 engines having rings stuck after being left for a while ? My engine is on 118,000 and was last on the road in 2014 according to the mot certificates. Any information would be great thanks[/list]

[Brianmoooore]

AFAIK, stuck rings aren't one of the usual problems that affect M20 engines, or any other BMW engine. I've never seen anyone else on here with similar symptoms are far as I can recall, and never had the problem myself with my collection that are somerimes left for much more than two years.
Having said that, your diagnostic method and conclusions sound about right.
The forum you've posted in is really just for new members to introduce themselves in, so I've moved it to where it more likely to be seen by those who know their way around engines.
Any improvement, now that a week has gone by?

[k]

Remove plugs, take the rocker cover off, check all the rockers are going up and down then check all the valve clearances. Replace plugs and give it another go

[jimbom30cab]

I had exactly the same with an M30 engine a while ago. Upon stripping it, all the piston rings were seized in tight.