No compression and 4 frozen lifters.

[justy4me]

Hey All. I found a nice 1988 4wd justy in NC. I paid $500 for it. I was sitting for about 12 years. I did all the routine service to it. It started right up with no problems. However, I decided to let it run for a good while to burn off the old gas in the tank. Its not registed for the road yet. Anyways, after letting it run for a while i shut her down for the night. The next day i went to start it, it turns over but i could feel any gusto to the engine. I did a compression test ZERO on all three cylinders. I pulled the valve cover and noticed 4 of the rear lifters were frozen solid. Im getting spark from all components. Is my engine toast or can i bring it back to life?

Thanks for any help

[justyfied]

Welcome to the Forum.
First thing is that most people would say that you should rebuild the engine.
Having said that, I think you would have nothing to loose by trying to clean it up.
I do not imply that any of these things are guaranteed and I am in no way responsible for what may happened to your car.
However there are lots of Gasoline additives and engine oil additives that can be used to try and break down the sludge built up in your engine.
This sludge and varnish is probably hanging up the piston rings and this is why you have no compression.
As long as it still starts and runs though there is hope.
Here are some tricks:,
Drain the engine oil and change the filter, put in about 1.5 liters of Diesel fuel and top up the rest to make the 3.5 liters with normal - new 10/30 engine oil.
Start it and let it run for about 10 or fifteen Min's. (Do not drive with the engine under load! do not rev it up real high!)
Drain the oil and change the filter again. with 3.5 liters of new oil.
When the engine is good and warm, take off the air cleaner top and with a spray bottle set on mist spray water into the carb. this will clean off all the carbon on top of the pistons.
Then spray carb medic into the carb to clean out the gunk in the ventury of the carb.

See if any of this helps.

[justy4me]

Thanks a bunch Justyfied for responding to my problem. Well, here's what i did. After calling around my local area, I came across a guy who happens to be a Subaru Fanatic (like us all). He told me exactly what my problem was. Since the car sat for 12 years... when i let it run for a good while to burn off the old gas all the slug inside the engine heated up and melted so to say. When the car sat overnight it became hard as a rock and caked up around the valves. Since the car would not start I had to figure out how to uncake this mess. Well, I went to Home Depot and purchased a heat gun for 40.00 bucks. I headed the cylinder head up for about 1/2 hour. Shish Boom Bah turn the key vuala! all valves are back in business. This case is closed, file this one in the search post rolodex. Thanks again.