Whats needed to perform a compression test?
Whats needed to perform a compression test? I'm going to be doing a compression test of my car finally and I need to know whats needed. I've read a bunch of posts on the topic, but no one has actually where to get the compression testing guage. Where should I get one from / rent one from and is anything else needed? Thanks.
You can get it at most automotive part stores. If you have a small squirt bottle/oil squirter, that'll help too so you can do a dry test first and then squirt a little bit of oil into the cylinder (not so much that you hydrolock it or skew the compression), crank it a bit to get the rings oiled up and then re-test with the rings wet.
Teching In
Joined: May 2009
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From: North East Ohio
Compression gauge is easy to come up with. Oreily, Autozone and Advanced auto NAPA should have it in stock. Do not use the rubber nubbed hold in kind, make sure you get one where the line uses a quick connector to the gauge and threads into the head. They cost a little more but are much better to work with
Once you have your gauge disable your ignition system or ecm.
Remove all your spark plugs.
Open the throttle all the way and crank it so it turns over a couple of times.
Check the pressure and write it down.
Once all are done then you can start to go from there.
If this does not answer your questions on the engine you may look to a leak down test.
Hope this helps
Once you have your gauge disable your ignition system or ecm.
Remove all your spark plugs.
Open the throttle all the way and crank it so it turns over a couple of times.
Check the pressure and write it down.
Once all are done then you can start to go from there.
If this does not answer your questions on the engine you may look to a leak down test.
Hope this helps
. What is required to do a leak down test? 
Harbor freight sells a kit for both compression and leak down. Both are decent quality and are much cheaper than the parts stores. They are all made in china now so it doesn't really matter where you get them.
