Topic: Compression drop


sarahcecelia    -- 03-16-2019 @ 3:40 AM
  Did a major tune up and checked compression on my 1950 V 8 - all were 120 or 115. Got the problem solved with it quitting but now it shakes too much at idle. Rechecked idle mixtures, 1/2 turn out from RPM drop. Pulled plugs, rechecked compression. All had 120 or 115, except #3 had 105? What can cause that to happen in about 3 days, and only 4 or 5 test drives of about about a 6 block run? I ran it up to about 35 in second gear a few times because my flat buddy said it could be carbon on the valve seat, thinking that would clear it out. This is a Putt Smith rebuilt with maybe 200 or 300 miles on it!

Regards, Steve Lee


37RAGTOPMAN    -- 03-16-2019 @ 12:51 PM
  HI
In #3 cylinder, did you try a wet compression test ? or just dry ?
let us know,
1937 RAGTOPMAN


sarahcecelia    -- 03-16-2019 @ 4:03 PM
  What do you mean by wet or dry compression test. Worked for dealers for ten years and never heard that one. Please explain. I just cranked her w/my hand held remote start gizmo, with compression tester in each cylinder, about 4 revolutions, as I have always done. They were all 120 or 115; now, 3 days later #3 has 105?? never had that happen in 60 years of this!

Regards, Steve Lee


cliftford    -- 03-16-2019 @ 9:54 PM
  Wet: with a couple of squirts of oil in the cylinder. Dry: without oil.


37RAGTOPMAN    -- 03-17-2019 @ 9:33 AM
  HI
if when testing wet, the compression goes up , it might be rings,
that little difference in compression should not effect the rough running,that much
I would think that it might be a fouled spark plug,
try removing one spark plug wire at a time,with a insulated pliers, while running,
when it makes no difference you found the bad cylinder, wire , plug '
you can also do a leak down test to find out what may be the problem,
you can also use a vacuum gauge to see if it is a vacuum leak, in the intake manifold
carefully spraying carb cleaner on the intake gasket, if it makes a difference it might be the intake manifold gasket leaking,
if the engine has not run it years, it might have stuck rings,
it might be a good idea to remove all the plugs and use a rust buster, in the cylinders,
soaking for a few days, turn over engine before reinstalling the plugs,
hope this helps 1937 RAGTOPMAN


sarahcecelia    -- 03-17-2019 @ 9:54 AM
  Never have done a wet test for compression, but either way that cylinder would be lower than the others. Can't understand it, just 3 days before that the compression was good on all 8, and the vacuum was in the Green area (good) and steady! Then that #3 cylinder was low!! How could that happen when I was only driving the car around the block 5 or 6 times in between to find out why the motor was dyeing, and found out it was a "fuel starvation problem," and I fixed that problem.

Regards, Steve Lee


sarahcecelia    -- 03-17-2019 @ 9:59 AM
  The motor was rebuilt about 100-150 miles ago by Harold "Putt" Smith. What "rust buster" are you referring to?? maybe a sticking valve??? "over night??"

Regards, Steve Lee


37RAGTOPMAN    -- 03-17-2019 @ 11:21 AM
  Hi
, it is most likely
I am thinking you have a sticking valve in the guide,
if you locate which one you can remove the spark plug and push down the valve by hand using a bent rod of some kind and use light oil and make sure the sticking is not happening any more, it might take a few tries, I have done this in the past,
use TOP OIL in it, this will lube the valves and guides, and a lot more,,,!!!
MARVEL MYSTERY OIL !!! to the RESCUE ,
if this fixes the problem < I would use it for at least 1000 Miles,
I always use this , in my 37, if it needs it not, since 1980
valves have a habit of sticking if the engine sits for long periods of time, on rebuilt engines,
that have been sitting for period of time,
with out turning over, even if by hand, or just hitting the starter button once in a while,
dry compression test,
wet compression test, seals the rings,if have issues, goes up
LEAK down test, by putting compressed air into cylinder at top dead center,
air coming out of exhaust, leaking exhaust valve, too tight or bad ?
air coming out of carburetor leaking intake valve, too tight or bad ?
or bad valve seats.
air coming out of oil filler leaking rings or bad piston,
Bubbles coming out of radiator bad head or gasket, crack in cylinder to water jacket,
this is a quite common procedure to do a diagnostic on a engine with problems, no power, missing, smoking,noisy, problems etc
RUST BUSTER, LIQUID WRENCH,,,, is a great product , using for years
hope this helps 37RAGTOPMAN, Maine
hope to hear what the problem was, GOOD LUCK,,,,

This message was edited by 37RAGTOPMAN on 3-17-19 @ 12:14 PM


37RAGTOPMAN    -- 03-19-2019 @ 7:58 AM
  wet compression test vs dry compression test,
wet , adding oil to the cylinder, then take compression test

it will seal the rings temporally and will increase the compression, if it does not there might be something else going on, in that cylinder, like valve, bad head gasket ?
my 2 cents, 1937 RAGTOPMAN


37RAGTOPMAN    -- 03-19-2019 @ 7:58 AM
  wet compression test vs dry compression test,
wet , adding oil to the cylinder, then take compression test

it will seal the rings temporally and will increase the compression, if it does not there might be something else going on, in that cylinder, like valve, bad head gasket ?
my 2 cents, 1937 RAGTOPMAN


len47merc    -- 03-19-2019 @ 12:44 PM
  Steve - a wet vs dry test can make a huge difference. My daughter's '99 Honda Accord is close to turning 400,000 miles on the original engine and started losing oil with no leaks or smoke at the rate of 1 qt per 750 miles. Dry compression test yielded 2 cylinders are 205 psi, 2 at 65. Wet test all 4 were 205. Problem solved - rings worn out in 2 cylinders. Time for complete rebuild. Yours is a different bird but a dry vs wet test can isolate the issue to rings vs valve issues.

Steve

This message was edited by len47merc on 3-19-19 @ 3:02 PM


sarahcecelia    -- 03-19-2019 @ 5:51 PM
  Thanks for all of those tips!!. I'll check them out 1 by 1.


Regards, Steve Lee


sarahcecelia    -- 03-19-2019 @ 5:53 PM
  I already put one half a bottle of Marvel Mystery oil in the gas tank. (I think it is ATF fluid!)

Regards, Steve Lee


sarahcecelia    -- 03-19-2019 @ 7:05 PM
  50/50 Acetone and ATF fluid were the best old school "rust busters" by far. I'm going to squirt some at the exhaust valve for #3 through the spark plug hole, because I can see the intake valve just to the right and above the spark plug hole and it moves up and down when I use my remote motor starter to to turn the motor over , and I believe that the exhaust valve is to the right of it, since #2 and #3 exhaust both dump out to the center port on the exhaust manifold, and #1 dumps exhaust out of the front of the exhaust manifold, and #4 dumps out of the back of the exhaust manifold.

Regards, Steve Lee


len47merc    -- 03-20-2019 @ 1:47 PM
  Before you spray acetone into an engine try spraying acetone on a new flathead main bearing and wiping it off 1st, then decide whether you'd think it wise to spray it in to your engine, cylinder or otherwise.

Steve


sarahcecelia    -- 03-21-2019 @ 8:00 PM
  Took a screw driver and started to ground from the top of each plug to the head with motor running and found #2 and #7 weren't firing. Took those 2 plugs out- installed to new plugs. Purring like a kitten now! I am going to replace #1 with the bad plugs, one at a time, which were wet with what looked like a very thin film of 3 in 1 oil, and I cleaned with carb cleaner and let dry out, to see if they are really bad or just fouled. I'll let all know how that turns out! Those plugs only had a max of 150-200 miles on them.There were no cracks visible in the porcelain!!

Regards, Steve Lee


shogun1940    -- 03-22-2019 @ 1:23 AM
  If this engine was just rebuilt then the rings have not seated yet, no synthetic oil until 5000 miles, read up about doing a leak down testfor Moore accurate diagnostics


ken ct.    -- 03-22-2019 @ 5:13 AM
  IMO your being overly concerned about a 10# drop compared to the rest of them !!! ken ct.


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