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Compression Check - what's the right snap on adapter?

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Nik Mills
(@nik)
Posts: 3
New Member
Topic starter
 

I'd like to do a compression and leak down check on my 1969 R50US.
Buying used snap-on on ebay seems like a good deal for a quality tool.
Only I'm not sure which adapter is the right one for these engines. I want to make sure to get a used kit that has my adapter or I might buy a new adapter and old gauges.

I know what plugs to use, of course. But the adapter - is it a just snap on's 14mm short reach?

Thanks for the help.

 
Posted : 02/28/2017 13:15
Richard W
(@wobbly)
Posts: 2597
Member
 

14mm short reach will work fine.

Be sure and hold the throttle wide open while you kick until the gauge stops climbing. Both cylinders need to be within 15% of each other. Min pressure needs to be over 100psi. More compression is gooder.

Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.

 
Posted : 02/28/2017 23:04
Nik Mills
(@nik)
Posts: 3
New Member
Topic starter
 

Thanks! Very helpful. Much appreciated.

 
Posted : 02/28/2017 23:35
Richard W
(@wobbly)
Posts: 2597
Member
 

The adapter should have a fat o-ring to make the seal at the spark plug gasket surface. So the length of thread engagement is meaningless. Therefore, the short tool will work on short OR long reach heads.

Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.

 
Posted : 03/01/2017 22:55
Nik Mills
(@nik)
Posts: 3
New Member
Topic starter
 

I get that the short reach should work on any head.
My concern was that if you stuck in a plug that was too long, or an adapter that was too long, that you'd potentially damage the piston.
Is that not the case? A long reach plug in the wrong head won't get clobbered?
It would be nice to know there's always forgiving room in there for such a mistake.

 
Posted : 03/01/2017 23:36
Richard W
(@wobbly)
Posts: 2597
Member
 

My concern was that if you stuck in a plug that was too long, or an adapter that was too long, that you'd potentially damage the piston. Is that not the case? A long reach plug in the wrong head won't get clobbered?

If you placed a 3/4" reach plug in a 1/2" reach plug hole, then you probably wouldn't get an opportunity to damage the piston. The piston would either be stopped dead in its tracks during cranking, OR the plug gap would be closed to zero. In either case the engine would never run to do any major damage.

Owning an old Airhead is easy.
Keeping an old Airhead running great is the true test.

 
Posted : 03/02/2017 23:13

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