Looking for instructions for testing compression...

[LamboSE5]

Hey guys, just finished up my compression testing.

Geevs - I'm pretty sure 5 or more cranks is good (5-10), I don't think the needle will, or should (for the sake of "good" results) climb anymore after 5 or 6 cranks. My compression tester held the numbers solid, and I could see the needle as soon as I exited the car.
I didn't need a helper, awesome!

Anyway, here are my results. (Cylinder #'s are from left to right standing facing the engine bay, TB to Dist. I don't know if that is the correct cylinder numbering..I think it is though..anyway)

Cyl----Dry----------Wet----------Wet#2
#1----188-190-------208-209
#2----190------------202-203
#3----190-----------*185* ---------*189-190*
#4----190------------200
#5----189-190------200

Note*: When I was doing the wet test I put some oil in cylinder 3 when I meant to put it in cylinder 2, because #2 was the next in line to be tested. I just decided to put some oil in cylinder 2 and test it, then try to just do cylinder 3 next quickly. So I think that explains the very slight difference on the first wet test of cylinder 3 (the oil had made its way down/got blown out as I tested cylinder 2). Makes sense right?
So I retested cylinder 3 again, after I had gone through 4 and 5's wet tests. I added a little more oil to cylinder 3 and then I got the result of ~189-190.

Test was done on a warmed up engine. With a charged battery

Please comment...Thank you.

I have pics/videos I'll post when I get a few minutes.

[Geevs]

Those are consistently solid numbers! Is your car turbo or NA? Just wondering why you had to do the wet test. I think that is only recommended when a reading is repeatedly registering low relative to the other cylinders.

[kcjones]

Or if you want to see how incredibly your 15yr old R is holding up

[LamboSE5]

Those are consistently solid numbers! Is your car turbo or NA? Just wondering why you had to do the wet test. I think that is only recommended when a reading is repeatedly registering low relative to the other cylinders.

Thanks, I thought so. By the way - Who know what my numbers SHOULD be, for a 1998 Volvo S70 SE5 (Turbo)? Like.. what should my numbers be?
My car is a Turbo Geevs. I figured it was supposed to be done if there was suspicion of a problem, but as I stood there in front of the car I figured hey I might as well do it, I was interested.

Or if you want to see how incredibly your 15yr old R is holding up

--Word! I'd like to see a picture, Geevs.

[LamboSE5]

Is there anyway, with those compression readings that I could have a head gasket leak? How would that be possible?

[jblackburn]

Is there anyway, with those compression readings that I could have a head gasket leak? How would that be possible?

No. Your numbers are VERY good.

~190 psi is factory spec for a brand-new 2.3 engine.

In comparison, my T5 with 193,000 miles on it comes in around 180 on all cylinders; the lowest at 175.

[LamboSE5]

See, now I am..vexed.

I was afraid I'd get very conflicting info like this. I KNOW I did the compression test(s) correctly and those are the numbers I got.
But the guy at the shop just called me and told me, "it's a head gasket leak... left rear head gasket"... I was shocked. I said wow, so...there's..blow-by and it's spitting out oil/causing oil leak? He said "Yeah".

Now, I know - I am not the professional. Far from it. But I don't understand how it could be a head gasket, (I don't understand exactly the mechanics of how 'blow-by' would directly (cause) push/spray/spit oil from the right side of the engine (under dist. cap), wetting the PCV, turbo intake hose etc..

Is a Rear Main Seal an interchangeable term (for some??) for "left rear headgasket", would a mechanic ever say its a left rear headgasket, instead of saying RMS? I know I sound really dense now. But this....diagnosis really has me spinning.

Stressed now.

[jblackburn]

Please go punch him in the face. That's a blown camshaft seal; don't even let him charge you to replace a head gasket.

EASY, cheap fix. The distributor cap has to be removed and a new seal put in. It takes probably 40 minutes at most.

A clogged PCV system will cause this - there is always blow-by past the rings into the PCV system; it is there to recirculate those vapors into the combustion chamber/separate the oil vapors back out. When it's clogged, the engine begins to vent gases anywhere that it can - through seals, your oil cap, etc.

[LamboSE5]

Please go punch him in the face. That's a blown camshaft seal; don't even let him charge you to replace a head gasket.

EASY, cheap fix. The distributor cap has to be removed and a new seal put in. It takes probably 40 minutes at most.

Wow, are you serious?
Are you talking about the camshaft seals I just looked up at FCP for ~$4.00 each!? They list a front, and a rear camshaft seal at FCP - each says "2 required per engine". Do I need 2 of each of these: FCPgroton link ?

I just got back from the garage a while ago with the car, charged me ~$134.00

A clogged PCV system will cause this - there is always blow-by past the rings into the PCV system; it is there to recirculate those vapors into the combustion chamber/separate the oil vapors back out. When it's clogged, the engine begins to vent gases anywhere that it can - through seals, your oil cap, etc.

Video of oily areas; PCV tubes/Intake Mani./Dist. Cap, etc..:
1) This one really shows the tiny pool of oil on the intake manifold at 0:05 in the movie. Along the contoured recess on the intake manifold:

2) This shows the area as well:

Edit: third video removed..

[LamboSE5]

I see there is also "Crankshaft" seal listed...it says it's a.k.a. "Rear Main Seal". I guess you don't mean that - as that is not EASY fix, from what I heard, at all! haha

which of these do I need, please, if you could tell me all the ones I'd need to fix what ya think is causing the oil there?
(also, which for the alternator fluid mess if applicable - would that be the 'intake's' side camshaft seal that perhaps "went" while at the garage? See video "after garage visit" above.)

Should I order'em all?