It's pretty hard to turn an engine over by hand fast
enough to get a realistic compression reading.  I have
done the bench compression.  It worked fine.  I got a
spare starter & bell housing, bolted it up, got out
the spare battery, and cranked away happily.  I
was seriously considering how to mount a carb on the
engine to get it running until I realized I'd need the
computer for spark control.  Then I gave up.

tabe johnson/87 westy

>Subject: Re: compression testing... on the bench
>
>Why wouldn't you just turn it by hand?
>
>Cya,
>Robert
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Matthew" <mpteleski@YAHOO.COM>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 3:15 PM
>Subject: compression testing... on the bench
>
>
> folks, i have a wasserboxer long block NOT IN A CAR
> which i'd like to check its compression. Has anybody
> bolted a bellhousing and starter to a longblock on
> their workbench and tested the compression? (i know it
> is a cold test, but it will give me an idea of the
> quality of it, etc)
>
> thanks
> matthew