Saturn Repair: Cylinder compression, saturn sl, auto parts stores

Question
I have a 92' saturn SL with a 1.9 SOHC.  Recently i was driving when my car started to make a clicking sound.  Then a large amount of smoke started coming from my tail pipe.  When I got home I found there was no compression in the 3rd cylinder.  I was wondering if this is the rings,  valves or, somthing else.  The other cylinders had compression around 150 but #3 had absolutly no compression.  When I added Oil as sugested by the compression kit the pressure stayed at 0. When oil was added to the other cylinders the compression jumped way up.  Can you help?!?!

Answer
Hi Jake,
It definately sounds like a valve related loss of compression.  It could be a burned valve or valve guide, bushing, etc.  I could be a broken Valve Spring, as well.  You'd have to remove the valve cover to see.  That is why the Compression didn't improve with the oil (which seals the space between the piston and the cylinder wall temporarily) because the cylinder lost it's ability to keep pressure due to an open vavle condition.

The Haynes Saturn Manual (about $15 at most auto parts stores) has more info to tell what component may be at fault and how to tell.
Sorry for the bad news BUT, a head is easier to replace than replacing rings, pistons, or bearings!
Good Luck with it,
Greg Moore
www.taylorgolfsupply.com
P.S.  Pleasse feel free to leave any feedback comments about me at the allexperts.com website.  Thanks.