To determine whether pressure's escaping from the engine, you need to check the compression in the cylinders. For this job, you need a compression gauge (see Figure 8-9).

Periodic tests are the best indicators of total cylinder sealing and efficient operation A remote starter switch and a top-quality, screw-in-type compression gaugeâ such as these models from ...

The guys at Muscle Car Review show you how to check engine compression with the latest tools. Check it out only at hotrod.com or the October 2011 issue of Muscle Car Review Magazine.

We take a close look at what engine compression means, what it does, and how to test it.

A compression test is a simple way of showing how well your car engine’s pistons are sealing.

With a simple diesel engine compression test, it is possible to spot compression problems before they get worse. Here’s information on these tests and how to decide if it is time to perform one.

When you bring your vehicle in for a compression test, a mechanic places a gauge into each of the cylinders to read how much pressure the engine is producing when the engine turns over.