Watched your video, Soviet. So would I have to leak test all the cyl. or just #1? What psi does your compressor need to hold? Mine is only 125. Where would you get a decent accurate leak down tester, $?

 

You can pour a tea spoon of oil into the cylinder and do the compression test. If you still have low compression, I'd be willing to be you have one or two burned valves. Tbh you don't need a leak down tester if you have good ears. Just pump air into the cylinder at TDC and listen for air. Intake hissing means intake valves, exhaust, exhaust valves, dipstick, piston rings.

If the clearance is too tight the valves won't close all the way and won't transfer their heat to the cylinder head, because they won't seat. It's not as likely for the intake valves because they're cooled by gasoline and intake air. However if the valves don't seat properly, combustion will leak into the head and ruin the valve seals.

Valve adjustments should be done every ~36,000 miles in my opinion.

 

Technically you only need to test that one cylinder. 125 psi is plenty. I get my tools from Amazon or eBay. I have an OTC tester that was on the pricier side for 70$.

 

I'd do all four. Check for consistency in holding pressure in the four cylinders. Also, test the health of head gasket, across the block and head.

 

Could it just be the head gasket? That would be great! Yeah, might as well check all cylinders why I'm in there, be thorough.I just never thought I'd be doing all this at only 66k miles. Damn! My garage is a mess too.

 

If it were the head gasket, there's be low compression on adjoining cylinders, overheating, coolant in the oil, or oil in the coolant. If none of those symptoms apply to you then it's probably not a head gasket, although if it is burned valves you'll be replacing the head gasket anyway. You only need 135 psi of compression for there to be combustion, so even with the low compression you may not get a mis-fire.

The only other possibility is that your injector is leaking and your valves are coated in deposits which keeps them from sealing properly. But that's almost impossible with this car, especially with your driving/maintenance habits.

 

Thanks for that ^ slowcrash, none of the head gasket symptoms you mentioned apply to my situation. Just wishful thinking on my part, hoping that the head gasket just started to go and that somehow threw the CEL. I am going to do the oil in the cylinder test tomorrow, to check the rings, while I'm waiting for my leak down tester to arrive. I know you said I didn't really need one, but I could always use one in my tool box, same reason I went out and bought a compression tester. Haha, I just realized I'll be buying quite a few new tools before this is all fixed. But if I'm going to do all the work myself.......

 

Acquiring tools and DIY knowledge > paying someone to do the work for you.

 

I did the oil in the cyl compression test, and it only climbed to 140 psi. That is good news for me because I really don't have the capability to pull my motor or would I want to try and pull a piston out with the engine in the car. Next I need to do the leak down test. I was wondering though, should I try some Redline fuel treatment to see if I can dislodge whatever might be making the valve(s) stick? Would I be hurting anything by driving the car more to do that? I'm just looking for anything else I could try before I take the head off.

 

I'd try to give the valve a bit more clearance before using snake oils.