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Compression test during valve adjustment

Being that I'm in the middle of a valve adjustment the oil is drained. Doesn't seem safe to turn the engine over so many times with only residual oil -- it's been sitting with the cam covers off for about a week.

Is there disagreement on this (safe vs unsafe) or am I being overly cautious?
Maybe I reassemble and swallow that pill if needs to come apart again...

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Old 09-23-2009, 06:05 AM
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NEVER turn over an engine without oil in it.
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Air goes in and out, blood goes round and round, any variation on this is a bad thing.
Old 09-23-2009, 06:24 AM
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Do a leakdown. Turn the engine by hand.
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Old 09-23-2009, 06:47 AM
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Just to be clear, the engine isn't totally dry, it was running before I drained the oil and took off the valve covers. So I've already turned it over a bunch of times adjusting (and re-adjusting) the valves...

A leakdown is beyond my means -- no compressor, no gauges, etc. The motivation for the compression test is I noticed one valve was extremely loose during adjustment. Unfortunately I hadn't read the tech article cautioning against spark plug removal... I'm worried a piece of carbon might be responsible for that particularly loose valve making my adjustment off.
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Last edited by MrScott; 09-23-2009 at 02:17 PM..
Old 09-23-2009, 07:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BK911 View Post
Do a leakdown. Turn the engine by hand.
The engine should be warm when doing a leakdown.

As for the OP; turning the engine by hand should be OK without oil for your compression tests.
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Old 09-23-2009, 07:47 AM
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Alright thanks. I was going off the the tech article for compression testing using the starter.
Also read the rennlist post in this thread suggesting using the starter (or a short-skirted assistant ) to turn the engine over during a valve adjustment.
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Old 09-23-2009, 07:54 AM
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Actually, you may have to turn the engine with the starter to do a propper compression test; in which case I would WANT oil in there.

I've not done a compression test, so my thought on turning by hand is likely not the right way to get a compression reading, it just won't hurt the engine to turn by hand.
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Old 09-23-2009, 08:01 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hendog View Post
The engine should be warm when doing a leakdown.
I've done dozens of leakdown tests on warm and cold engines. The difference wasn't that much. Plus you're only looking for a disparity across the cylinders so as long as all are tested in the same conditions you'll be fine. Imho of course.
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Old 09-23-2009, 08:26 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BK911 View Post
I've done dozens of leakdown tests on warm and cold engines. The difference wasn't that much. Plus you're only looking for a disparity across the cylinders so as long as all are tested in the same conditions you'll be fine. Imho of course.

Your experience supercedes my "knowledge-by-reading-only" . I see your point on the disparity.
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Old 09-23-2009, 08:32 AM
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Alright, so the consensus is button it up, compression test w/starter and spring for the extra oil if I have to drain the sump again. Thanks guys, I'd be lost without this place.
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Old 09-23-2009, 10:49 AM
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Cranking the engine should be fine even with oil drained. However, the engine should be at normal operating temp. before performing a compression test (same with a leakdown test).

Finish adjusting the valves, run the engine, then perform the compression test.

Sherwood
Old 09-23-2009, 11:03 AM
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So say if an exhaust valve weren't fully seating, bringing the engine up to operating temperature and then running the compression test wouldn't hurt it? Sorry if I'm being dense, but my lack of experience combined with the cost/downtime of even a top end rebuild has me nervous...

I'm not looking to evaluate the overall health of the engine -- did that a couple of months ago with the PPI (which showed max 6% leakdown cold) -- just trying to verify I've adjusted the valves properly despite removing the spark plugs beforehand and possibly dislodging bits of carbon.
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Old 09-23-2009, 01:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MrScott View Post
So say if an exhaust valve weren't fully seating, bringing the engine up to operating temperature and then running the compression test wouldn't hurt it? Sorry if I'm being dense, but my lack of experience combined with the cost/downtime of even a top end rebuild has me nervous...

I'm not looking to evaluate the overall health of the engine -- did that a couple of months ago with the PPI (which showed max 6% leakdown cold) -- just trying to verify I've adjusted the valves properly despite removing the spark plugs beforehand and possibly dislodging bits of carbon.
Even if the valve weren't fully seated, the engine would have to run for awhile before injuring the valve.

However, if you didn't adjust the valves properly, e.g. too tight, a leakdown test might be a more accurate test to reveal the source of a leak.

Sherwood
Old 09-23-2009, 01:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 911pcars View Post
Even if the valve weren't fully seated, the engine would have to run for awhile before injuring the valve.

However, if you didn't adjust the valves properly, e.g. too tight, a leakdown test might be a more accurate test to reveal the source of a leak.

Sherwood
Excellent, just what I needed to know. Ideally I'd do a leakdown test but I've got no compressor and no gauges. It was really only one cylinder I was concerned was misadjusted/maladjusted? since it was so out of spec. Leakdown was consistent beforehand, which I'm assuming means compression was consistent so I'm looking for an outlier here. If none, I'm solid, if one (or more!) drive/tow to someone who knows what they're doing.

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Old 09-23-2009, 02:13 PM
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