How to Check Compression on Car Engine Cold
Checking the compression on your car engine is a relatively simple task that can provide you with valuable information about the health of your engine. By measuring the amount of pressure in each cylinder, you can determine if there are any problems with the valves, piston rings, or cylinder head.
To check the compression on your car engine cold, you will need the following tools:
- Compression tester
- Spark plug wrench
- Rag
Once you have your tools, you can follow these steps to check the compression on your car engine cold:
1. Disconnect the spark plugs
The first step is to disconnect the spark plugs. This will prevent the engine from starting when you crank it over to perform the compression test.
To disconnect the spark plugs, use a spark plug wrench to loosen the spark plugs and then pull them out of the cylinder head.
2. Install the compression tester
Once the spark plugs are disconnected, you can install the compression tester. To do this, simply screw the compression tester into one of the spark plug holes.
3. Crank the engine over
With the compression tester installed, you can now crank the engine over. To do this, have someone turn the ignition key to the “start” position for about 5 seconds.
4. Read the compression gauge
Once the engine has been cranked over, you can read the compression gauge. The gauge will display the amount of pressure in the cylinder in pounds per square inch (psi).
5. Repeat for other cylinders
Repeat steps 2-4 for each of the other cylinders in your engine.
6. Compare results
Once you have checked the compression in all of the cylinders, you can compare the results. The compression in each cylinder should be within 10% of each other. If the compression in one or more cylinders is significantly lower than the others, this could indicate a problem with that cylinder.
Checking the compression on your car engine cold is a simple task that can provide you with valuable information about the health of your engine. By following these steps, you can easily check the compression on your car engine cold and identify any potential problems.
