Is there anyone who owns a rotary compression tester and could help out with checking my engine's compression? No problems experienced, but my 8 years powertrain warranty is up in about two months and I'd like to find out the compression values before it runs out. If possible, I'd like to know this without having to fork over the 140-150 bucks to the dealer
I live in Foster City, certainly willing to drive a reasonable distance for this.

Please let me know - thanks.

 

An 04 with almost 100K miles and an original motor? I promise you the compression is down from factory fresh and might even be in the Warrenty Range. Most drivabilty issues dont show unless one rotor is down instead of both or unless the compression is super low. So I would say take it to the dealer and just tell them your MPG have dropped off over the last 6 months and power feels down.

I do have a standard compression tester and so does every repair shop and most DIY car guys, however you wont find many people with the fancy rotary compression tester which is really needed to accuratly check a rotarys compression With a standard compression tester you can get a pretty good idea of the rotarys compression by removing the shrader valve, cranking the motor over and watching the needle jump. This should be done with the engine warm, so you need to be good at removing the plugs and have some gloves handy so you dont get burned.

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for the reply.

Actually, my car has only about 46,800 miles so the warranty will be up not because of that but the age (8 years coming up early November).

I guess if nobody has the rotary compression tester, then I'll bite the bullet and go to the dealer. It's still better to spend 150 bucks and learn that the engine is healthy than running out of warranty then realize later that the engine was due to replacement but now it's on my own dime

Honestly though, since so far I have no symptoms of any problem, I would be surprised if the compression was low. Car runs like a champ. But you never know...

 

You could always let me drive it for a week and I could probably blow the motor for you and get you a replacement.

With such low miles, it running like a champ and MPG haven't dropped , I wouldnt even worry about it. Drive the car and enjoy it. If a year down the road the motor starts to get weak, your better off getting a quality rebuild instead of a mazda warrenty replacement.

 

Thanks for the offer - I think I'll pass

You're right, that would be my choice as well when it becomes due.

 

If you or anyone you know gets to that point, let me know. I have a guy in vallejo who builds rotarys and does installs. Very good, reasonable pricing and flexible. In fact, he might have a tester, I will check and LYK