Where to get a compression test?
02-07-2008, 10:05 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,402
Car Info: 02 WRX wagon=dead; rollin' in a Craptastic Camry!
Where to get a compression test?
I discovered a fair amount of missing coolant recently (~300ml I'd estimate). There is no coolant smell and no sign of leaks, so I am naturally wondering where the heck the coolant went.
I figure it is either one of the head gaskets or the gasket on the turbo...
So...
can anyone recommend a place in the South Bay, I'm close to the San Jose Airport, to do a compression test on a Subaru? I'm pretty sure anyone can do it, but the configuration of our engines makes it a bit trickier to get to the spark plugs than on most cars.
Also, if any arm chair mechanics or Subaru experts want to chime in on other possible problems to make me feel better, please do!
Car is a 2002 WRX purchased by me in March 2001. She has 111k on the odo.
Car has good power with no noticeable drop in engine performance at low or high rpm's.
Oil looks good, with no bubbles and no perceptible smell of anti-freeze. I bought a new pan this morning and am going to change the oil tonight. I intend to let the oil sit for a few days to see if any water/coolant seperate.
I had a gas station garage do my radiator, timing belt, water pump and thermostat last June after the water pump went. I went with this shop because it was geographically convenient to where my water pump gave up the ghost - downhill. I knew they didn't adequately burp the system, and I topped it off after they did the work with distilled water a couple times. I've tried to tell myself that there has been a bubble in the heater core since then, but I don't believe it. It seems too long of a time for an air bubble that large not to have shown itself.
I have not yet had someone follow the car after it's fully warmed up to see if there is white smoke (steam) coming from the exhaust, but in the interest of time, I'm planning on having a compression test done before that.
any help is appreciated!
I figure it is either one of the head gaskets or the gasket on the turbo...So...
can anyone recommend a place in the South Bay, I'm close to the San Jose Airport, to do a compression test on a Subaru? I'm pretty sure anyone can do it, but the configuration of our engines makes it a bit trickier to get to the spark plugs than on most cars.
Also, if any arm chair mechanics or Subaru experts want to chime in on other possible problems to make me feel better, please do!
Car is a 2002 WRX purchased by me in March 2001. She has 111k on the odo.
Car has good power with no noticeable drop in engine performance at low or high rpm's.
Oil looks good, with no bubbles and no perceptible smell of anti-freeze. I bought a new pan this morning and am going to change the oil tonight. I intend to let the oil sit for a few days to see if any water/coolant seperate.
I had a gas station garage do my radiator, timing belt, water pump and thermostat last June after the water pump went. I went with this shop because it was geographically convenient to where my water pump gave up the ghost - downhill. I knew they didn't adequately burp the system, and I topped it off after they did the work with distilled water a couple times. I've tried to tell myself that there has been a bubble in the heater core since then, but I don't believe it. It seems too long of a time for an air bubble that large not to have shown itself.
I have not yet had someone follow the car after it's fully warmed up to see if there is white smoke (steam) coming from the exhaust, but in the interest of time, I'm planning on having a compression test done before that.
any help is appreciated!
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