accord96lx

Any thing special in compression testing a 4cyl 96 Accord?

I want to try and tune up my engine and the first step Ive read is to compression test. I have a compression gauge, just wondered if anyone might be able to give me some guidance on testing the 4 cyl?

exb18c1

My ? to you is - compression test is not really a tune up,it's a way of troubleshooting a seal between cylinder and the piston rings or head and valves or the head gasket (usually accompanied with shaking of a motor misfire or no start conditions).It is definately not the way to start the tune up.What made you to get the compression tester?

accord96lx

I have one from another car I have been learning on, a 63 nova that I have been tinkering on for years when there is time.

I have a Haynes Repair manual for the Accord 1994-1997, and thought I would maybe save some $$ and learn how to tune up the engine. The manual said the best first step is checking engine compression, otherwise a tune up wouldn't help. It doesnt seem though to show to how run the compression test and what the specs should read for good/acceptable compression.

Its running fine right now but its got 270k on it and last paid for a tune up in 2007. I change the oil regularly and want to see it run a while longer. Maybe the compression test is overkill?

Roader

Do it. You'll have the plugs out anyway and you have the compression tester. Make sure the car is kind of warm (don't let it cool down for more than a half an hour.) Pull the plugs, unplug the distributor multi-pin connector, screw the compression tester into a cylinder, hold the gas pedal down, and crank the car. Count the "hits"; you'll hear the cylinder with the tester bog the engine. Get six or more hits out of each cylinder, but the same number on each.

holmesnmanny

Unplug the main relay to disable the fuel pump. I like to unplug the ecu fuse to disable the spark, but that's just me you can also just unplug the distributor connectors.