Dead hole. What’s the next step

[RustyRatRod]

That lifter in the pic, in it’s current state....... is an issue.

You may be able to maneuver it out of the motor without pulling the manifold.

I’d try and get it out and see if you can figure out how it ended up like that.

I agree. I would double and triple check that.

 

[Dartswinger70]

Something like lifter usually indicates more is going on , I would suspect the cam and the rest of the lifters are beat, possibly that lobe is round etc. . There is always the train of thought that "there is a reason this engine isn't in a car..."

 

[pishta]

Could be broken rings, also.

Where would a broken ring go. Possibly a broken ring land? Zero is zero. Sounds bad.

 

[cudamark]

Yeah, I've never seen bad or broken rings cause zero compression. Got to be a lot bigger hole in the combustion chamber than that. The engine would smoke like crazy too.

 

[TrailBeast]

With the look of that lifter and it’s out of place cup I have to think the cup was bouncing around causing an erratic compression test.
Personally I would drop a new one in there and see how that affects it before I decided it was a bad valve or broken rings.
(If this is done remember to do a 2k break in even for just the one lifter.) still no guarantees that it will break in right.