Blown HG?

[burkem]

So I recently purchased an e30 that had been sitting for "2 years" due to a bad starter. Their son had attempted to replace the starter but couldn't figure out why the car still wouldn't crank even with the new starter. Turns out he never hooked up the power wire to the new starter haha.

So long story short, I fixed the starter wiring and had to put a new fuel pump in the car to get it to start. I drained all the old gas and replaced the fuel filter. Upon starting, it runs like absolute ass. Sounds like it wants to die (and sometimes does), slight white smoke from the exhaust but nothing crazy.

Worried that it may be the head gasket, I did a cold compression test and got the results below.
Cylinder 1. 127
Cylinder 2 135
Cylinder 3. 100
Cylinder 4. 125
Cylinder 5. 120
Cylinder 6. 130

Do these numbers look ok? I have already purchased the head gasket and timing belt kit, but wanted some opinions before tearing into it.
Here is a video of the second startup. Also to be noted, the fuel pump is whining abnormally loud imo. Not sure why.

https://youtu.be/4eNwSnKLwbY

[itsonlygeorge]

Those number are nowhere near close to each other, or to the normal values. Good compression values are between 140-160 psi, and within a 10% margin.

You should also do a leak down test to find out where your leak is. There maybe a number of issues contributing to low compression numbers.

What model year is the car? The early models had an in-tank and external transfer pump. If one of them is dead, it will force the other to work harder and fail. You should probably check that the in tank pump is working first (under the rear seat), and check the rubber lines.

[FireFight]

i have pulled cars that sat for a long time and had shit compression and idk if the rings reset them self's or doing a good valve adjustment fixed it but damn near all have been good runners.

i would expect a blown Head gasket if you has
1 150
2 150
3 90
4 90
5 150
6 160
because the compression couple be leaking from cylinder 3-4.

also all the cars i have got to run after sitting for years smelled and ran like shit for a couple days.
replacing the head gasket may be a bit of over preventative maintenance at this point but totally do the timing belt.
if it sat for that long the parts next to the tensioner probably got some cracks from the elements and sitting with tension. you don't want to deal with that snapping and have a whole different issue

[burkem]

It is a late model (92). So by my understanding it should only have the in tank fuel pump, which I have already replaced. I'm gonna do a second compression test today and see how the numbers compare. I'd love to not have to pull the HG. Don't wanna do all that work and it not fix the problem.
Also, I'm gonna get a fuel pressure Guage and test the pressure at the fuel rail. If it had crap pressure world it even idle correctly?

[FireFight]

if the pressure was bad i would imagine it would be a bit lean so idle wouldn't be on point.
but i have found that its either working or not, and when they are on there way out it whines but still delivers enough fuel (but that has been what i have found)
i would look at the fuel pressure regulator in the case of low fuel pressure first.