98RedBird

iTrader: (77)

i was wanting to do a compression test on my car, but a friend of mine who is a mechanic said that with 61k miles on a 98 t/a there is really no point. he said as long as it is not missing, compression is not bad. he said that the only thing that a compression test will tell you is if a cylinder is firing or not. he said if i want to check the condition of a cylinder i need to do a leakdown test. but he said that he wouldnt even bother with that. he said that im just paranoid because i just got the car. head gasket is not leaking, no hydrocarbons are coming out of the radiator cap, and no bubbles are present. i am not losing coolant, and no white smoke is present in the exhaust, a small amount was when i bought the car only when it was just started or had only been driven and was idling, but that has not happened for a month, so i guess thats normal. i changed the oil, and it smelled like gas, but he said that was just from short trip driving. i dont have a leakdown tester readily availble to test it. do you guys think that im just being paranoid, or should ihave it looked at?? what else can i look for. I just want to make sure everything is alright. im **** when it comes to my cars. you guys can appreciate that, im sure. thanks.

Casper9T9

iTrader: (1)

A compression check basically tells you if the cylinder is sealed, not if it's misfiring. A leakdown test tells you where your leak is coming from if you have one. A compression check is not hard to do, so you really have nothing to lose.

PREDATOR-Z

Do both

777

iTrader: (21)

Any write-ups/tools needed. Thanks