Compression tester needed

Redbowties88

Sideways > Straight ;)
Aug 24, 2009
1,943
1
0
609 New Jersey
So I'm 90% sure my headgasket is Fu*ked. Just need to confirm the bad news so if someone could let me know a part number or link to a compression tester that would be great and cheaper would also be better (I hear harbor freight has one but I don't know which)

thanks
 

Redbowties88

Sideways > Straight ;)
Aug 24, 2009
1,943
1
0
609 New Jersey
That's awesome. Yea long as that has the pieces to fit a duramax I'll buy it.

We use the glow plug holes and not the injector holes right?
 

Vrabel

TOYAHOLIC
May 22, 2008
3,434
0
0
57
Hewitt, NJ
Pat even had a thread a year or so ago about the HarborFreight one. That's when I bought mine. Beech-you have a pm.
 

duramax hd

Member
Feb 27, 2009
664
0
16
37
CT
Beech I may need you to loan one to me in the spring if you buy one:eek: when i take the truck out of the garage. Not sure if its a good or bad thing that im thinking I need to check my compression :rofl:
 

Redbowties88

Sideways > Straight ;)
Aug 24, 2009
1,943
1
0
609 New Jersey
Beech I may need you to loan one to me in the spring if you buy one:eek: when i take the truck out of the garage. Not sure if its a good or bad thing that im thinking I need to check my compression :rofl:

not a problem buddy! ide say good thing... less compression means your getting work done :happy2:



and everyone else i really appricate all the help.teads been up for like a day and i got 3 offers to borrow testers:happy2: makes me really love this site(no homo:cool:):hug:

well, im off to harbor freight...ill keep you guys posted on what i find..hoping to dig into it in a few hours
 

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
Staff member
Vendor/Sponsor
Feb 14, 2007
13,713
775
113
Texas!!!
What is the truck doing that makes you think you have bad head gaskets?
 

Chevmeister

Big Dooley
Dec 3, 2010
281
0
16
Garnet Valley, Pa
I would say 420-440 is a good # and that 360 means you got some work to do, but then again what do I know. Doesnt look good to me. im assuming you did each cylinder more than once just to eliminate the possibility of a bad reading. more importantly how fast did the guage rise on each cylinder, did any rise slower than the others? if it took 4 or 5 revs of the motor to build up to the pressure that to is a sign of a problem. It should rise quickly and top out in 4 or 5 revs.

disclaimer: Ive been wrong before, and I will be wrong again, if anything I tell you cost you money sue the internet.
 

Redbowties88

Sideways > Straight ;)
Aug 24, 2009
1,943
1
0
609 New Jersey
I was on my own and had to leave the gauge while I cranked so I was sure to crank it an equal amount every time so it would be even on all cylinders
 

bullfrogjohnson

Big Girl!
Nov 20, 2006
4,167
1
0
39
Locust, NC
spec is 390 +/- 50. Looks good in my book. Burning coolant wont cause rust, but living on the jersey shore will. You need to get a pressure tester and pressurize the cooling system and leave the glow plugs out of it over night.
 

Sledhead

Mountain Pass Machine
Nov 29, 2008
884
0
16
BC
So I'm 90% sure my headgasket is Fu*ked. Just need to confirm the bad news so if someone could let me know a part number or link to a compression tester that would be great and cheaper would also be better (I hear harbor freight has one but I don't know which)

thanks

What were the original symptoms?