low compression diag info tips needed.

[fjubain]

I had an E450 towed in with bad white smoke and missing. performed all usual diag and #5 injector was overfueling badly, power balance showed it nicely, then relative compression test revealed no low cylinders after running engine with #5 injector canceled. Did not performed manual compression test because of access limitation .Drop and injector in, restarted engine and still missing on that cylinder.now i performed a manual compression test and had 345psi which did not show on relative compression test. Removed cylinder head to find burnt exhaust valve, scored cylinder with damaged piston. Ended up with new short block and a new head.My question is, any tips or ways to lead me into that low compression cylinder without a manual compression test (hard to access) or save me time from putting that injector in and re evaluating then find out i need an engine repair. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/scratchhead.gif

[Jim Warman]

One of the things that we need to realize about checking how well a cylinder seals is that we have a series of tests we can perform.. not to preach to the choir, but we would start with the least intrusive test and work towards more intrusive tests as needed...

 

After we finally work our way up to the compression test, we have a couple left... My personal favourite - and I will often go straight to this rather than deal with wet and dry compression testing - is the cylinder leak test... (for this to be accurate, the piston needs to be at TDC because the top of the cylinder bore is the area subject to the most wear). I use the MAC CLD210M which helps quantify the "size" of the leak, but rigging shop air to your compression tester hose will identify cylinder leaks all the same.

 

The other is a borescope. Unfortunately, I don't know of any affordable bore scopes with a tip small enough to get into a PSD cylinder. My Rigid See Snake has a new "business end' - they brought out a 9mm tipped wand but this is still too big to make it into a PSD cylinder...

[fjubain]

Thanks Jim, i tried our boescope but the tip end is too big and to access that #5 glow plug is a pain on e series.Just not enough room in there.By the way yesterday i replace a #1 injector on a 01 7.3 e series,after working on a 6.0l this was like an orgasm.Now i wonder why we ever complained when the 7.3 came out.

[Bruce Amacker]

is the cylinder leak test... (for this to be accurate, the piston needs to be at TDC because the top of the cylinder bore is the area subject to the most wear). I use the MAC CLD210M which helps quantify the "size" of the leak, but rigging shop air to your compression tester hose will identify cylinder leaks all the same.

 

The other is a borescope. Unfortunately, I don't know of any affordable bore scopes with a tip small enough to get into a PSD cylinder. My Rigid See Snake has a new "business end' - they brought out a 9mm tipped wand but this is still too big to make it into a PSD cylinder...

I agree totally on both counts. Make sure the piston is at EXACT TDC compression. Keep important appendages away from the belts as the engine will have a tendency to whip a half turn with a vengeance and no notice.

 

[mchan68]

Speaking of bore scopes, I just purchased this model from Snap-On: http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?...mp;dir=catalog.

 

Does anyone else have any experience with using this particular tool? Is it useful for 6.0L or 6.4L applications?

[fjubain]

Yes Michael I have one too, I used it everywhere and almost every day, even used it as a flash light in tight spot,check cac for presence of oil, check intake through egr for excessive carbon , injector bore, under dash.i like it a lot.

[Keith Browning]

Drool! I remember when my Snap-On dealer came in with that one. I still want one but just dont have any spare coin these days.

[ChristopherH]

Dittos. Does anyone know of a borescope small enough to fit down the injector hole on a Powerstroke? There are times I would pay good money for such a tool!

[fjubain]

By the way what do you guys charge for manual compression test on e series, Thanks.

[OHNO60]

Think the labor op for compression check on an Econoline is 6007- r&r the motor. Think we were the forgotten end of the engineering equation when they designed this engine in an Econoline.