This is my 90 744 with regina ignition and original engine.

I wanted to at least check compression in #3 before ordering any parts and before registering this. It'll be a little extra work and cost with a notary to get it registered, since my late friend didn't list his wife on the title.

Anyway, I warmed the car up, put the gauge in #3, and left the other plugs installed, pulled fuse 1 and cranked the engine. First reading was 30, but I hadn't gotten the gauge seated fully. I tightened it again, and got a whopping 65. I stuck a glove on the oil fill port and saw it pop off when cranking along with some vapor. The PCV was in terrible shape (cracked seam) on this.

So I think "ugh, probably needs a head gasket... dang it." I added 2mL of oil to the cylinder and put a little on the threads and o-ring too. I got 70psi. I decided to check the others. #2 and #1 *both* read 70psi, and I knew there was a leak onto the timing belt because the top waterpump seal is balooned from oil touching it.

I lined up the crank mark and the cam mark is one tooth to the left of aligned with the dot on the timing cover, maybe 1.5 teeth. That would put the cam advanced 1 tooth, I think (judging from the outlet of the water pump, I think these spin CCW). It definitely needs a new belt, as this one is showing cracks in the back side of it, and the cam seal.

To make sure I'm reading the crank timing marks right, it's -1, 0, +5, +10, right?

Is 70psi across the board (ok, I didn't feel like doing #4) reasonable for being 1 tooth off and having left the plugs in? That seems like a big change from the ~175psi I would expect for an NA engine.