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New Compression Tester, handheld and digital!!

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Old 02-21-2009, 04:29 PM
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Compression Tester Guy
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Just a little carried away there Ash, but thanks and I love the enthusiasm!

Here's the video of us testing the front rotor on HeavyMetals RX-8. It was easier this time to get the adapter in, but I'm still looking into possible alternatives. Nice strong pulses with only a little variance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IjZH2Xongw

-John

Oh, and yes my tester will work just fine on a boinger. However, I'm pretty sure the current adapter won't fit down into some of the deeper sparkplug holes. Valve covers and all that extra stuff might get in the way. A piston engine specific adapter would be extremely simple to make and offer as an option.

Last edited by TwistedRotors; 02-21-2009 at 04:43 PM.
Old 02-21-2009, 07:37 PM
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Looks like good compressions there on HeavyMetals RX-8 and an excellent 293 RPM Crank.
Old 02-21-2009, 07:49 PM
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Cool more test more test! I want one
Old 02-21-2009, 08:03 PM
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lol very neat, id want one to lol
Old 02-23-2009, 01:31 PM
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Testing is just about done for the compression tester -John

You need to become a site vendor, or set up a group buy before you can start advertising things....S
Old 02-23-2009, 03:27 PM
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Website info done, thanks..
Old 02-24-2009, 05:51 AM
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Sweet! when can we buy? lol I want one now dam it
Old 02-25-2009, 11:55 AM
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So here's a pic of the final adapter, let me know what you guys think. I feel the swivel was just more trouble than it was worth. It could have started to leak and was just a pain to thread in. This new adapter can be fully threaded in by hand and without the swivel and quick connect the internal volume of air is much smaller as well. More proof that simpler can be better. The only drawback to this design is it makes the sensor a bit more vulnerable. These sensors are not fragile and are designed for industrial applications, however dropping it on concrete would not be good.
-John

Old 02-25-2009, 12:29 PM
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Can't see why it would not work.
Old 02-25-2009, 01:44 PM
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Looks OK, does that make the unit Cheaper by $50?

Perhaps a rubber sleeve could be put over the sensor to help protect it from a fall?

I can perhaps see an issue when one goes to remove the unit from the Spark Plug Hole in that the sensor may unscrew from the plug adapter.

Last edited by ASH8; 02-25-2009 at 01:46 PM.
Old 02-25-2009, 01:58 PM
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Subscribed. That would have been great to use before our last dyno day and tuning day. Where are Charles R. Hill and MazdaManiac? They should want one of these as well.
Old 02-25-2009, 02:02 PM
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Since I've got to thread one in I think that is a million times better.

The swivel made it ridiculously tough.


You could heat shrink the sensor, but I doubt it would help.
Old 02-25-2009, 02:44 PM
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Originally Posted by shaunv74
Subscribed. That would have been great to use before our last dyno day and tuning day. Where are Charles R. Hill and MazdaManiac? They should want one of these as well.
Jeff has one - quite different but it works
Old 02-25-2009, 03:09 PM
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His plugs into a laptop I believe and is probably a bit more expensive. On the other hand it gives you a cool graph.

If you are going to get a compression test done to your car by the dealer more than once, it would be cheaper just to buy your own.
Old 02-25-2009, 04:10 PM
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Sorry Ash, no such luck. The swivels and quick connects are actually very cheap from Harbor Freight and unfortunately putting the connector in the middle of the cable makes for a bit more labor/time spent building them. A rubber sleeve is not a bad idea, I'll look into that. Again, the sensors aren't fragile...just care has to be taken to not abuse them. I have dropped mine onto concrete (it was an accident) and it doesn't seem affected however I make no guarantee that the sensors will stand up to that kind of abuse. They are designed for industrial/automotive applications so they are ruggedized to handle vibrations and such, just sharp impacts like a fall onto concrete I think could severely damage it.

I knew you'd like this new adapter HeavyMetal, the swivel made it convenient, but just not worth the pain that it was to thread in.

Also, the sensor is seriously torqued into that adapter and sealant will be used. The idea is to be able to thread the adapter in by hand (maybe just a quarter turn with a wrench to fully seat the o-ring) and then take it back out by hand. The only way these two will separate is if you put 2 wrenches on there and actually try to take it apart.

-John
Old 02-25-2009, 04:42 PM
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Filled out the website info as well.. awaiting more info.
Old 02-25-2009, 05:35 PM
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Man, this is making me excited....I can't wait for them to become available.
Old 02-26-2009, 01:49 AM
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wow,

looks good.

the only thing i would add is an old spark plug swap trick..

add a piece of rubber tubing over the electrical stuff attached solid to the metal on the sensor side .. this will protect it, and give something positive to screw the sensor in with..

beers
Old 02-26-2009, 01:51 AM
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twistedrotors - just to show you what else is out there.. don't know if you've seen this before:

http://rotarydiagnostics.com/

of course yours is a much cheaper alternative.
Old 02-26-2009, 08:30 AM
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Originally Posted by alz0rz
twistedrotors - just to show you what else is out there.. don't know if you've seen this before:

http://rotarydiagnostics.com/

of course yours is a much cheaper alternative.
I would not call it cheaper but less expensive alternative. I was considering the unit in the link until this product came to our attention.
Old 02-26-2009, 08:56 AM
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Have these test results been compared to a Mazda Compression tester yet? If the Mazda Compression test and this compression test yeild different results, I think it would be beneficial if there was an output for the Mazda results. This would be so we will know if Mazda will get the same readings and replace our engines. I do understand that you are unsure how Mazda calculates compression, but you could just compensate your calculations for the difference. Maybe you could have it show your readings and Mazda's if they are not the same.
Old 02-26-2009, 02:34 PM
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JMC, I am trying to find someone local (besides a dealership) that has a Mazda compression tester so that I may compare the two side-by-side.
I have checked out the Rotary Diagnostics site. I think both our testers have their pluses and drawbacks, but the end result is the same. Originally I was intending to build a tester for myself similar to the one offered by RDS but I didn't like the idea of having to drag my laptop into the garage just to be a display screen for a compression test.
I'm going to pick up some big 'ol heatshrink today and wrap it around the sensor. I don't think it'll protect it much, but like Swoope said it will give something to grab onto with dirty/oily fingers. :-)
-John
Old 02-26-2009, 03:53 PM
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I think if you solve every little tidbit + the Mazda comparison you have a lot of potential sales. Keeping my eye on this
Old 02-27-2009, 01:39 AM
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Originally Posted by TwistedRotors
JMC, I am trying to find someone local (besides a dealership) that has a Mazda compression tester so that I may compare the two side-by-side.
I have checked out the Rotary Diagnostics site. I think both our testers have their pluses and drawbacks, but the end result is the same. Originally I was intending to build a tester for myself similar to the one offered by RDS but I didn't like the idea of having to drag my laptop into the garage just to be a display screen for a compression test.
I'm going to pick up some big 'ol heatshrink today and wrap it around the sensor. I don't think it'll protect it much, but like Swoope said it will give something to grab onto with dirty/oily fingers. :-)
-John
wow,

i am the old guy now..

twisted rotors, find the outside dia of the rubber plug that comes out of the sensor.. find rubber hose that has the same or close inside diameter.. split it and install over the wiring.. it protects and serves..

the old way to install plugs on hard to reach places.. was take a piece of rubber hose and stick it on the end of the plug.. then guide the plug with one hand as you turn the rubber hose with the other.. it would always allow you to get it threaded correctly, and most of the time get it almost to the bottom..

beers

Last edited by swoope; 02-27-2009 at 01:41 AM.
Old 03-31-2009, 03:25 PM
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What has happened to this Tester??...Twistedrotors?


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