At the heart of OTC’s pressure tester is a 2.5-inch gauge that reads from 0 to 300 PSI and 0 to 2,100 kPa, allowing you to check your engine’s compression in whichever unit you’re more ...

Our top recommendation for a basic engine compression tester is this simple kit from INNOVA. While the INNOVA 3612 is a basic set, it contains all you’ll need to easily check your engine’s ...

7. Insert the compression gauge into the hole in the engine where the first spark plug screwed into the cylinder (refer to Figure 8-10). 8.

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.

First of all, the test is made with a compression gauge, which is an instrument that measures pressure produced individually by each cylinder. If you have a 4-cylinder car, you'll get four results.

This engine will think it is running with 6.17:1 compression and will be happy with 80-octane fuel. As a general rule, the best available pump gas will work with an 8.0:1 dynamic compression ratio.