Compression Test on my 318, not good

First test, engine cold, numbers are as much as 21 percent different between cyls.

101 128
115 109
108 128
109 115




Next Test, engine hot (only burnt one finger getting the last plug out..lol) Some numbers went down, others came up. But they're much closer to all being the same only a 13 percent difference.

113 110
120 105
118 117
120 114


Last test, engine hot, couple squirts of oil in each cyl. All numbers came UP, now only a 10 percent difference.

120 124
125 113
122 120
125 120

The last set of numbers coming up tells me there might be a ring problem. Could be they are collapsed from so many years of sitting. Or, like some already mentioned, the engine might not even be broken in yet. 3000 miles on it is actually a high estimate, it's probably less.


Let's go with "not broken in yet".

Drive it around and put some more miles on it. Then do the wet and dry compression test again after a few months to see if it gets more stable. If not, you can always do the rings later or next winter.