[rmtaylor]

I haven't seen anyone post their compression test numbers on here so I think I'll start one. Just finished mine a few moments ago.

Engine has 194k+ miles.

#1) 125
#2) 117
#3) 120
#4) 125

Seems like she's holding steady. Anyone have anything to compare?

 

[Manifest]

Those seem quite low.

 

[smachan]

i had mine checked awhile back, and all cylinders checked 200 or over. that was done wet (squirt of oil b4 test). i think the low was 200 and the high being 220. i have a non-turbo as well. i think a 160-180 is prolly what they would have tested if done dry.

 

[rmtaylor]

So is the turbo engine less compression than the N/A engine?

 

[smachan]

yes the turbo has less compression. i *think* theres is 7:1 and ours is 9:1.

 

[rmtaylor]

Ok so my numbers really aren't low...

 

[smachan]

well the min requirement is 100 from what i have heard.

 

[anarchyx34]

I had mine tested a month or 2 ago and got an even 150psi in all cyl's. Your #'s sound a bit low. Do you burn any oil?

 

[rmtaylor]

Yeah I hear 100 is the minimum as well. Anyone know the maximum?

Nope, not buring oil. Spark plugs are all normal, and the oil level stays the same each change.

 

[Pyro]

How do I check my compression? Can I do it my self? if so how? Thanks guys, I've been wanting to check it for a long time.

 

[rmtaylor]

It's really easy, a one man job too. They sell a compression test guage at Autozone for $25 or so. It's a guqge on one end of a hose, and you screw the other end into the spark plug hole. You do one cylinder at a time with all plug wires unplugged (so the engine doesn't start), leaving the spark plugs in each cylinder that you're not testing. Turn the car over for about 5 seconds until the pressure stops on the guage, then voila you have a pressure reading. There are more specific instructions on the package of the guage.

 

[mkb]

Don't know a max. The minimum to actually achieve combustion is 75psi,give or take a few. Much less than 100 is too low. The change from cylinder to cylinder should not be more than 10%, I believe.

 

[rmtaylor]

No, the lowest should not be less than 70% of the highest, according to Haynes.