[TR] Compression TR3A

[Randall]

> Am I doing any 
> damage to the car if I drive her this way.  I always check 
> the oil and fill it when needed.  Is there a cheaper temporary fix?

Hard to know for sure, without knowing just what is going on inside.  Getting a compression reading of 0 is unusual and suggests a
large failure, like a broken piston or a stuck valve.

But, if it holds adequate oil pressure (at least 10 psi per 1000 rpm) and there are no metal flakes (aka sparklies) in the drained
oil; then I'd say chances are that you aren't hurting it any further by driving it.  The parts that are damaged will likely continue
to deteriorate, but they already have to be replaced anyway.

If it were mine, I would pop the head off and have a look.  There are several partial repairs that can be done on the cheap, when
you don't have to pay for shop time.  But as noted, a professional shop is not likely to want to do those sorts of things, for fear
that you will blame them when they eventually fail.

-- Randall