Compression Test

"Burt Squareman" ) writes:

> See link below for a practical method. What you want is
> to put some volume of air into a fully shut cylinder and
> listen at the oil cap, oil dipstick, radiator, muffler, or
> throttle body.
>
> http://www.geocities.com/dsmgrrrl/FAQs/leakdown.htm
>

listen with a lenth of hose stuck in one ear?

assume one could, like checking for a tire leak, also use soapy water or
maybe spray on some oil and look for visual evidence of air flow?

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In article >,
(William R. Watt) wrote:

> "Burt Squareman" ) writes:
>
> > See link below for a practical method. What you want is
> > to put some volume of air into a fully shut cylinder and
> > listen at the oil cap, oil dipstick, radiator, muffler, or
> > throttle body.
> >
> > http://www.geocities.com/dsmgrrrl/FAQs/leakdown.htm
> >
>
> listen with a lenth of hose stuck in one ear?

Yep, works great. Just like a doctor's stethoscope, only a whole bunch
cheaper. Besides... the end of a hose fits deep into the intake manifold
a whole lot easier than your ear - unless you've got one extremely tiny
ear!


>
> assume one could, like checking for a tire leak, also use soapy water or
> maybe spray on some oil and look for visual evidence of air flow?

Ehhhh... Yeah, kinda...
It's not going to do much for telling you about an intake valve that's
leaking back into the manifold, a stuck exhaust valve dumping the
compression out the tailpipe, or rings letting the pressure past and
into the crankcase. It MIGHT tell you that you've got a bad head gasket
if you coat the head/block seam. I doubt it would tell you anything
useful in the event of a cracked/otherwise compromised cylinder leaking
into the water jacket.

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Cheers guys, I'll give it a go before I remove the head again.

I should have known there would have been problems, this job went perfectly
smoothly from beginning to end, not one rusty bolt or problematic part, as I
was bolting down the last head bolts I was thinking, "blody hell, this is
easier than changing brake pads or something"

Doh.