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Comments sought on compression test results... 200 1979

Hello, I hope everyone is well.

I just did a compression test on my modified B21F with 11:1 CR and 150,000 miles.

Set-up:

- Equus gauge
- Clean, rebuilt head
- Warm engine
- Wide open throttle
- All plugs out
- 5 seconds of cranking for each cylinder

Results in PSI:

- 150, 148, 148, 148

The consistency is good across the cylinders but I was expecting higher PSI because of the higher-than-stock CR. Maybe I was expecting wrong?

Will you share your thoughts?

Thanks, as usual...








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    Comments sought on compression test results... 200 1979

    Your compression is just ABOUT right for 11:1. Depends on your altitude above sea level.

    Do the math: Sea level atmosphere is 14.7 psia. As a first approximation, assume that the air does not heat as it is compressed because the heat is absorbed by all the cool metal. If that were true, then compression would be a straight multiple of the compression ratio (minus 1).

    Since your frame of reference, or 'zero' point is a background of 14.7 psia (absolute), if you had a 2:1 compression, you would read 14.7 psig (guage). At 3:1 you would read 29.4 psig, and so on up to 11:1 where you would read 147 psig.

    However, somewhere around 6:1 to 8:1, you start to generate enough heat of compression to be a factor in your measured pressure. Therefore, the actual measured pressure will be higher. If I knew your altitude, I suppose I could dig out my old thermodynamics textbook and figure out your theoretical compression pressure.

    If you are a couple thousand feet above sea level or more, your compression is probably fine.

    If you are not, the first thing I would suspect is the guage. Is it accurate?

    The second thing I would suspect is that if you modified the engine to get higher compression, you probably put in a different cam. If the cam duration is such that the intake valve stays open into the compression stroke, you will loose compression back through the intake valve at cranking speed (but not at high RPM). That is one of the reasons that cars with long-duration cams have 'lumpy' idles.

    The third and least likely possibilty is a leak past rings or valves. Highly unlikely with compressions all within 2% of each other. You can check for compression ring leakage by squirting oil into the cylinder and running the test on each cylinder a second time. I'm pretty sure you won't find a problem there.

    Good luck.









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      Comments sought on compression test results... 200 1979

      Thanks for the detailed reply, Manolo...

      I live a few hundred feet above sea level. I have a "K" camshaft on. I am happy to have learned the reason for the lumpy idle. From some reading I have done since posting my question, it seems such a cam will lower the pressure-gauge reading about 10 PSI.

      I am positive valves/seats are not leaking as they were just recut.

      From Volvo's specs of 128-156 PSI for the B21F with 9.3:1 CR and factoring in the lower readings the "K" entails, I extrapolate the 11:1 CR should make for an approximate 141-174 PSI range. My present 148 PSI tells me I probably will not go another 150k. miles with my engine as is.

      Thanks again for your great reply, Manolo, and thanks to the other posters as well.








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    Comments sought on compression test results... 200 1979

    Don't see a huge issue. Air pressure testing (compression or leak down) should be considered as just one viewpoint, a single tool. The real question is:

    Are you having problems?
    Is the car down on power (yeah I know it's not a turbo :-P)
    Is it burning oil?
    How sure are you the CR is really 11:1? (Is this based on some head milling or custom pistons?)

    At 150K miles, you should have plenty of ring life if good maintenance was followed. Was the head rebuilt? New valves and seats? If you suspect leaking at the valves try a leakdown test.
    --
    http://www.fidalgo.net/~brook4/oilslubesfilters.html








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    Comments sought on compression test results... 200 1979

    Perfect.

    Mak








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    Comments sought on compression test results... 200 1979

    Man, I wish mine were that even!
    --
    Thanks to everyone for the help, Doug C. 81 242 Brick Off Blocks, stock; 86 240, 129K







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