COMPRESSION

GAUGE
 PURPOSE OF COMPRESSION
GAUGE
Compression tester: a specific
compression gauge used to determine
how much pressure an engine can
produce. Fuel pump relay: the electrical
component that energizes the fuel
pump.
15 STEPS ON HOW TO
USE COMPRESSION
GAUGE
STEP 1: WARMING AND UNPLUGGING
THE
 Bring theENGINE
engine to its normal running temperature.
 Start your vehicle as usual and keep the engine
running for 5 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to
overheat the engine by letting it run too long before
the test.
 If you have taken your car for a long drive recently,
give it at least 30 minutes to cool down.
 Make sure the engine feels warm instead of burning
hot. You could also try doing a compression test on a
cold engine. The test is more accurate when the
engine is warm.
STEP 2
 Switch off the engine before
opening the hood. Make sure it is
all the way off without any
electricity or fuel flowing to the
engine. Remove the key from the
ignition to ensure the components
can be safely removed from the
engine bay. If your car plugs into a
wall, unplug the charging cable first
before handling any components.
 STEP 3
 Put on insulated gloves and safety
glasses for protection. Since you’re
going to be near hot parts, wear heat-
resistant gloves while reaching into the
engine compartment. Always wear
gloves to protect yourself from burns.
The safety glasses are good protection
against possible gas and oil spray when
you’re detaching engine components.
 If you’re performing the test on a cold
engine, you won’t need the gloves.
 STEP 4:
 Remove the fuel pump or injection fuse in your
vehicle.
 Locate the fuse box, which is usually inside the
engine compartment. Open the black case to expose
the colorful plastic tops of the fuses plugged into
various slots. The fuel pump fuses are often colored
BLUE, although this can vary depending on your
vehicle.
 Once you find the one you need, pull it out with a pair
of tweezers to prevent gas from flowing to the engine
during the compression test. The fuse box can be
located somewhere else in your car, such as
underneath the steering wheel or inside the
passenger glove box.
STEP 5
 Disconnect the ignition coil fuse in
the fuse box. This will disable the
ignition system so it can’t send a
spark of electricity to the engine’s
spark plugs.
 If your vehicle doesn’t have an
ignition fuse, look for the big
ignition coil in the engine
compartment. It looks like a cylinder
perched on top of the engine. Pull
off the big wire plugged into the top
part of the coil.
 STEP 6
 Detach wires from each spark plug on
the engine. Check the engine for a series of
black cables coming out the top end. Grasp
each wire at the end, then twist it while
simultaneously pulling it up to detach it
from the engine block. The opposite end of
each wire will still be plugged in, so you
won’t be able to take them out of the
vehicle. Instead, push them aside so they
are off the engine.
 Label the wires so you know which spark
plug each one connects to.
STEP 7
 Remove the spark plugs with a socket wrench.
 Once the wrench is onto the spark plug inside,
turn it counterclockwise until you can lift it out of
the engine. Each cylinder will have a spark plug
for you to remove
 Label each spark plug with chalk or a piece of
masking tape so you know which cylinder they
belong to. Lay them out in a secure spot near
your vehicle. Consider checking the spark plugs
for damage while you have them out. If they look
worn out, replace them.
 STEP 8
 Put the compression test adapter into
the engine's first cylinder. Look down
on the engine to figure out which cylinder
is closest to the front of the engine.
 The first cylinder is on the rightmost ones
in most engines. Once you have it, put
the test compressor’s hose into the
spark plug slot, turning it clockwise by
hand until it locks in place.
STEP 9
 Connect the compression gauge to the
opposite end of the hose. If you’re testing a
diesel engine, make sure you’re using a gauge
designed for diesel since it will have a higher
compression tolerance.
 Make sure the gauge is well-connected to the
hose. If it feels loose, it will affect the test.
 Keep in mind that some compression gauges
plug directly into the engine and don’t require a
hose. However, most gauges you will come
across make use of a hose adapter.
 STEP 10
 Crank the engine at least 4 times to complete
the test. Turn the key as far as it will go in the
ignition, then release it. Do this about 4 or 5
times without shutting off the vehicle at all. The
engine will be running throughout the entire
process. When you’re done, check the
compression gauge to get the test result.
 The needle on the gauge should stop moving
and point to a number. If it doesn’t stay in place,
crank the engine for up to 10 seconds. Ask a
friend to sit in the driver’s seat and crank the
engine for you.
STEP 11
 Move the compression gauge to repeat the test on
the other cylinders. Unscrew the hose adapter by
hand, then move it onto the second cylinder. Keep
doing it until you have a result for all of the engine’s
cylinders.
 Be sure to record each number on a piece of paper so
you can compare them when you’re done
 Test all the cylinders in order, starting with the first one
and working straight down the line to the engine’s
opposite end.
 Once you’re done testing, you can remove the
compression gauge and hose adapter.
STEP 12
 Note pressure readouts between 125 and
175 PSI on a standard engine. Most engine
cylinders fall in the middle of that range,
usually around 125 PSI.
 For diesel engines, the optimal PSI is
between 275 and 400.Low individual
readings indicate cylinder-specific
problems like worn-out piston rings.
STEP 13
 Make sure the test results are no more than 10%
apart. The difference between the highest and lowest
cylinder rating should be no more than 15 to 20 PSI.
 Big pressure differences are a sure sign of engine
problems. Note which cylinder has the low reading to
uncover the source of the problem. You may also see
multiple cylinders with low readings, which could
alert you to more serious issues.
 A series of low readings could indicate that the
valves between cylinders have worn out. It could also
be a sign of overall engine failure.
 STEP 14
 Retest cylinders below 100 PSI after adding
engine oil to them. Pour about 1 teaspoon
(4.9 mL) of fresh engine oil directly into the
open cylinder. Then, hook the pressure gauge
and hose adapter to it again. Repeat the test by
turning over the ignition a few times. When
you’re done, check the readout again to see
how it has changed.
STEP 15
 If the low reading is from a single
cylinder, check it for worn-out piston
rings. If the test results were both the
same, the cylinder could have a bad
valve.
 If you notice 2 nearby pistons with
low PSI readings, you most likely
have a blown head gasket to replace.
PARTS OF COMPRESSION
GAUGE
1. INTAKE VALVE
a valve in the cylinder head of an internal-combustion
engine that opens at the proper moment in the cycle to allow
the fuel-air mixture to be drawn into the cylinder.
2. EXHAUST VALVE
 EXHAUST VALVE a valve through which burned gases
from a cylinder escape into the exhaust manifold
3. HEAD GASKET
A cylinder head gasket is a complex high-tech component
primarily designed to keep the various media such as water
and oil apart in the engine, as well as providing an external
seal.
4. PISTON RINGS
 A metallic ring, usually one of a series, and split so
as to be expansible, placed around a piston in order
to maintain a tight fit, as inside the cylinder of an
engine.
5. PCV VALVE
 Any device for halting or controlling the flow of a liquid,
gas, or other material through a passage, pipe, inlet, outlet,
etc.