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Old 04-08-2011, 12:09 PM   #11
Pete_89T2
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Lacking a compression tester (rotary specific or otherwise), you can do a quick "poor man's compression test" to get a quick thumbs up/down assessment of your rotary engine's compression. Here's the gist of it:

1. Remove the EGI fuse, and disconnect the CAS (Crank Angle Sensor) - this kills spark & fuel, preventing the car from firing while testing. The EGI fuse is located in the fuse box under the hood, driver's side strut tower.

2. Make sure your battery is fully charged, and/or have another car handy to hook jumper cables to your battery. You'll be cranking your engine repeatedly and won't want to drain your battery down.

3. Remove the trailing (top) spark plug from one of the rotors, doesn't matter which one you do choose to do first.

4. Get yourself in earshot of the spark plug hole - don't need to be TOO close, leaning over the fender will work, and have an assistant floor the throttle open while cranking the engine.

5. While it's cranking, listen to the sounds made -- you should hear a consistently strong & rythmic POP--POP--POP sound coming from the open spark plug hole, meaning you've got compression on all 3 faces of that rotor. If the loudness of the POPs are weak, or more importantly, if the rythm is broken up, i.e., POP--POP--(silence)--POP, then you've got internal problems with that rotor that most likely will require a tear down/rebuild.

6. Repeat steps #3-5 for the remaining rotor, after replacing the spark plug in the one you just did.
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