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8/06/2019 4:52 PM  #1


What do you think about these numbers....

While waiting for spark plugs, points and coil to arrive I adjusted the valves and did a compression check. These are cold numbers as I found throughout the years on my airplane that cold vs hot differ only by a few PSI. 

1: 130
2: 130
3: 130
4: 130
5: 138
6: 135
7: 135
8: 135

I find it interesting that the 5-8 has higher readings than 1-4 The numbers are identical to the last compression test 3 years ago. The numbers may seem low to you sea level dwellers, these are at 8500 feet. 

 


Gary Zilik - Pine Junction, Colorado - 67 Coupe, 289-4V, T5
 

8/06/2019 7:10 PM  #2


Re: What do you think about these numbers....

Think I would set aside some time and money and get ready for a total 're-do'!   ALL those number should be the same. Rebuild time is what I think
6sally6

J/K BTW

Doesn't get much more consistent than that!


Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
 

8/06/2019 11:24 PM  #3


Re: What do you think about these numbers....

Given 8500 ft, 130's is not so bad.  mine run in the 150's at around 300 ft above sea level. 

However, the diff between each side sounds weird.  I do not know why other than maybe one head/gasket is someway different from the other.   It would be strange for rings to do that.


Original owner - 351w,T-5, 4whl disks, power R&P
 

8/07/2019 4:36 AM  #4


Re: What do you think about these numbers....

Max difference of about 6% cylinder to cylinder?  Definitely not indicative of an issue.  I always look at the difference, not the number, unless its really low.  That difference could be caused by a lot of things, but I'd probably bet on a slight leak at the threads for the adapter.  Were 1-4 harder to get to to tighten than 5-8?  It doesn't take much to cause a tiny, tiny leak. 

 

8/07/2019 8:53 AM  #5


Re: What do you think about these numbers....

From one airplane mechanic to another I agree with TKO. I doubt that your airplane ever had even compression numbers. If it did your gage was broken. The numbers on airplanes have always been more reserved than cars. Yours are definitely within those limits. In the past I've experienced compression leaks around the sparkplug seal that cause a miss. Motorcraft plugs fixed that issue but that was with iron heads with tapered plug seats. I'm getting that miss again now that I have aluminum heads that require plugs with gaskets. I haven't found a plug or anything else has fixed it yet. There is a tool out there that we used to use at the car shop that could find a miss in a cylinder. It could tell if it was a wire or plug or low compression but I can't remember what it was called. It was also hooked up to a device that could read how rich of lean your mixture was when you stuck the probe up the tail pipes. The boat shop I worked at had a portable one.


70, ragtop 351W/416 stroker Edel Performer heads w pro flow 4, Comp roller 35-421-8. T5
 

Board footera


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