A stock 6.5l in our application will have a compression ratio of 21.5:1 - 22.5:1. If you do the math, this means that in a perfect world, each cylinder will read between 301 and 315 PSI on the compression stroke.

To do a compression test, you'll need first need a diesel application compression testing gauge. They will typically read between 350 and 400 PSI.

Next, you'll want to take the GP out of the cylinder you are currently testing and thread the nipple into it's port. Connect the gauge to the nipple.

I'd imagine, like on a gasser, you'll want to disable the fuel delivery system.

Crank the engine for 6 or 7 revolutions. The gauge will read the compression. I would do this a couple of times, clearing the gauge after each test. Write down the cylinder number and the reading. Rinse and repeat for all 8 cylinders.

Unless your motor is brand new/rebuilt with freshly rebuilt heads and new rings, it's doubtful that your cylinders are actually going to read a true 21.5:1 to 22.5:1. They will likely read less.

The key is that you want all the cylinders to to be fairly close to each other in their reading. If you have 7 cylinders that read between 285 and 300 PSI and 1 that reads 200, then that cylinder is leaking. Either you have extremely worn compression rings, a blown head gasket, burnt valves, damaged valve seats, a cracked head or a cracked bock. It's also possible that air is leaking out from around the injector or the glow plugs.

To determine which of these issues it is, you can do a leak down test.

To perform this, you'll need an air compressor and a fitting that will thread into the glow plug port. Then, you'll want bring that cylinder to top dead center, then release compressed air into it.

If you hear bubbling it the cooling system, then you likely have either a blown head gasket or a cracked head that is into the water jacket.

If you hear air coming out of the intake, you have a damaged intake valve/seat.

If you hear air coming out of the exhaust, you have a damaged exhaust valve/seat.

If you hear air in the oil pan, then you have worn rings or a hole in your piston.

Clear as mud?

 

The compression on a healthy engine will be more like 400 psi. They should all be within 10% of each other.

It's also recommended that all the glows are removed. I don't do it myself however.

 

:exactly:

I've pulled the glows when doing a comp test. Less strain on the starter/batteries with the glows removed.

My pickup had 400 psi in 5 out of the 6 cyl i tested(couldn't get to the ones with the GP heat shields). the 6th cyl had 390.

My blazer was all over the board from 360 to 400, but that engine sat a long long time unused.

 

How can I make sure injection pump will not add fuel in the cylinders?

 

If you are 94 and newer then you can either unplug the pmd/fsd or pull the ecm fuse or the fsos fuse

 

ive seen a compression test on a 6.5L come out to 145 psi w/out oil on 2 cylinders... if it started all it did was smoke white.

cold my old ford had under 250 on 2 cylinders but still ran like a champ

 

unless the stealer lied to me, i had them do a compression test when they changed the GP's and the cylinders varied between 395 and 400 psi.
I wish I had them check the GP wires at the same time. Guess I'll have to get dirty again, lol.