No compression on #2 cylinder safe to drive?

[PNYKLR]

My friend has a 97 Jetta 2.0 with losing compression in cylinder #2
Is it safe to drive it while he accumulates the money to fix it (2 or 3 weeks) just local driving?

 

[cool 84]

If it's lost enough compression and isn't firing on that cylinder, all that unburned fuel is washing the cylinder down and wearing it. I guess it would also matter why he's losing compression. If it's a valve it might not do anymore damage. If it's a headgasket or rings it could possibly hurt it more. Then, vibration of a dead cylinder comes to mind. Not sure how hard it is on a motor but it can't be good for it.

 

[SuperSix]

Originally posted by PNYKLR
My friend has a 97 Jetta 2.0 with losing compression in cylinder #2
Is it safe to drive it while he accumulates the money to fix it (2 or 3 weeks) just local driving?

"losing" or has none? If it's just low, MAYBE, but if it has none, he stands a good chance of kicking a rod out of the block.