I just purchased a compression test kit fro advanced auto parts. I think I may have made a mistake when doing the test because the kit comes with an extra adaptor which is to be used if you need extra reach into the cylinders. I used it without knowing that you shouldn't use it unless you actually need the extra 14mm reach and it specifically says that if it is not needed and you use it, you could damage the piston?? Can anyone tell me if this could have damaged my piston if I used the deeper adaptor? Thanks in advance.

 

did you turn the crank by hand when you did the test or did you turn the engine by tapping the starter from inside the car? If you did it by hand then no you probably didn't damage anything cause you would have felt it hit the adapter and wouldn't have been able to turn it anymore, if you look at the end of the adapter and see if it has any marks on it from where the piston might have hit it, if it doesn't then ur fine. i dont think that the adapter really makes a big difference, i have the same tester here.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kreush33 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">did you turn the crank by hand when you did the test or did you turn the engine by tapping the starter from inside the car? If you did it by hand then no you probably didn't damage anything cause you would have felt it hit the adapter and wouldn't have been able to turn it anymore, if you look at the end of the adapter and see if it has any marks on it from where the piston might have hit it, if it doesn't then ur fine. i dont think that the adapter really makes a big difference, i have the same tester here.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I dont know what you mea by crank by hand? I turned the motor from inside the car by turning the ignition for about 5 seconds. Have you used the adaptor or no?

 

anyone?

 

you dont need the adapter, hold throttle open while cranking, and crank like 7 times. crank the same amount on all cyl. so readings are more ''accurate''

 

I'm more curious as to if my pistons got messed up due to using the adaptor. It says the top of the piston may hit the adaptor if i dont need the extra depth. I checked the actual adaptor and I dont see any damage on the tip which leads me to believe it is ok.. but I can't be sure.. can someone just confirm that they have used the deeper adaptor without issues?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by StockEG9 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm more curious as to if my pistons got messed up due to using the adaptor. It says the top of the piston may hit the adaptor if i dont need the extra depth. I checked the actual adaptor and I dont see any damage on the tip which leads me to believe it is ok.. but I can't be sure.. can someone just confirm that they have used the deeper adaptor without issues?</TD></TR></TABLE>Well, what's your compression test results in all four cylinders? If there is a variance in just that one cylinder, you might've damaged it. Most likely you probably didn't do much damage if any.

 

I see three different ways to verfiy there was no damage.

1. Pull the head, look at the piston. Probably not what you want to hear.
2. Pull the plug and use a narrow beam flashlight to inspect the top of the piston. What might work better for that is one of those ear, nose, throat divices. its called an Otoscope.
3.

Step A.
Disconnect battery. You do not want the engine or someone else to turn the motor over while doing this procedure.

Step B.
Pull the plug. put that piston to TDC and put a straight very clean object (wood dowel) into the whole and gentle touch the top of the pistion. Lay a straight edge on the valve cover in the trough where the spark plug wire attatches. Now make a reference mark on that object at the bottom of the straight edge. Set this aside for now.

Step C.
Move the piston off TDC. assemble the compression tester as previously used. Screw it into the subject spark plug hole. pull the hose straight and make the same mark on the hose the same way as above. Remove the compression tester.

Step D.
Now take the compression tester and lay it next to the original object. Line up the top marks. If the wood dowel is longer than the compression tester length. You win!!! If it is shorter........... you lose ......... If it is close .... repeat to make sure your measurements are accurate . IF it is still close.....It is time to wrench and get better measurements .

AB

 

if it hit the top of the piston.. what type of damage could have occured?

 

dude,

Dont worry about it. The end of the adapter is okay. your presumtion is more than likely correct that there is not damage. to make sure follow the instructions above.

Any damage wouldn't be good would it. make sure and put the doubts you have to bed. Then you will be happy agian