1992 Celica GT compression test - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

0kkin · 10-02-2008, 10:46 PM

I'm currently about to put a '92 Celica GT that I'm interested in through a compression test. It has a stock 2.2L 5S-FE with 227 xxx kms (141 xxx miles). Could anyone tell me what results I should be hoping for from the compression test? Also, how is the mileage on the car? Too high? This is my first post and would greatly appreciate any help. Thanks guys

0kkin · 10-04-2008, 02:56 AM

Hey guys, putting it through the compression test tmr. Even a rough estimate would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

***new echo owner*** · 10-04-2008, 09:43 AM

Slightly about 200psi would be great, anything less than 160psi, is not good. 141k is not much, but that all depends on how it was maintained.

N.E.O.

0kkin · 10-04-2008, 01:51 PM

thanks N.E.O. we'll see how the compression test goes. if all goes well and i buy the car, i'll post some pics up asap

Rick89GTS · 10-04-2008, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by new echo owner

Slightly about 200psi would be great, anything less than 160psi, is not good. 141k is not much, but that all depends on how it was maintained.

N.E.O.

Sorry, but that information is not 100% accurate.
The '92 5SFE compression check specs are 142 psi to 178 psi with no more than 14 psi difference between readings. 200 psi readings are a bit high. Indicates you may have carbon build up in the engine, but for a 16-year-old motor, that's within acceptable limits. My 89GTS (3SGE) was about 185 psi across and runs fine.

0kkin · 10-04-2008, 04:50 PM

Oh alright, thanks Rick. Just to let you guys know there's been a change of plans and I'll be going for the compression test on Monday instead. But just to be clear the engine specs are 142-178psi (no more than a 14psi variance between cylinders) with a bit more pressure being acceptable as long as it doesn't pass 200psi? Thanks for all the feedback btw, appreciate it

Rick89GTS · 10-04-2008, 11:59 PM

"Acceptable" is case-by-case, with 200 psi being a very loose number. There's not really a hard number per se. Like NEO said above, it depends on how it was maintained. See how it runs and if there's any odd symptoms. Read up on carbon build up in engines and that'll give you a better idea of what's acceptable.

Here's an excerpt from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_knocking

Pre-ignition (or preignition) in a spark-ignition engine is a technically different phenomenon from engine knocking, and describes the event wherein the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder ignites before the spark plug fires. Pre-ignition is initiated by an ignition source other than the spark, such as hot spots in the combustion chamber, a spark plug that runs too hot for the application, or carbonaceous deposits in the combustion chamber heated to incandescence by previous engine combustion events.

The car only has 227,000 kms on it, so we're probably getting ahead of ourselves here, but it's always good to have some information. Good luck with it.

0kkin · 10-05-2008, 12:12 AM

Ah, I see.. Well if worse comes to worst, how good of a job do fuel system cleaners do in flushing out the combustion chambers? :S Even if there are no signs of build-up, are they a wise investment??

Rick89GTS · 10-05-2008, 12:17 AM

Other than removing the cylinder head, I've only heard of 2 things that help reduce carbon build up: Seafoam and the ATF trick. I haven't done either, so I can't say. I'm gonna try the Seafoam one day....

0kkin · 10-05-2008, 01:41 AM

Lol well after wiki-ing what both of those methods were, I think I'd probably resort to seafoam as well if it had to come down to it. Physically removing the cylinder head sounds too impractical and using ATF appears to mostly be for rotary engines and even then, still doesn't look too promising. But yeah, thanks for letting me know about those tricks hopefully i won't have to do either of them anytime soon tho ...

***new echo owner*** · 10-05-2008, 01:53 AM

Higher compression is not exactly a bad thing, as long as you are not having pre-ignition or pinging problems. Most of the 5SFE, which I had do compression test on, do have readings up about the 200psi range without any operational problems. Having said that, some times you do have to deal with individually, some vehicles don't have problem and some do. Just play it by ears, literally, if you hear it pinging, check your timing and EGR, try some higher octane fuel to see if it improves.

N.E.O.

0kkin · 10-05-2008, 02:21 AM

To tell you the truth, the car sounded perfect when I took it for a test drive. No "knocking" or anything of the sort as far as I could tell. I'm just running it through a few tests before I regret not spending an extra couple bucks as it breaks down on me on the highway two months from now =.= I figured I'd run it through a compression test and carfax for the sake of knowing I bought the car for more than how it looked, because oh how it pretty it looks.. (pic from the ad: http://i38.tinypic.com/2iqd0t2.jpg)

***new echo owner*** · 10-05-2008, 02:25 AM

That indeed is a beauty. Well, good luck and hopefully everything comes out the way you hope for.

N.E.O.

Rick89GTS · 10-05-2008, 02:26 AM

Ooh, nice and shiny. Looks good, keep us posted!
How much are they asking?

0kkin · 10-07-2008, 06:20 PM

Hey guys. Sorry I haven't been on for a while, been busy with school and such. But unfortunately i still haven't been able to get the compression test done. Probably called the seller around 8 times within 2hrs yesterday but I never got an answer or a call back. :/ Just got off the phone with him now, says he's been tied up at work and so we'll try again for the compression test tmr

As to Rick's question, he's asking for $4000. Do you guys think that's fair? He payed for a 20-point inspection and found that the only things that need replacing are the front left wheel bearings and the windshield. But when I ran it through CarProof (Canadian equivalent of CarFax), I saw that it has one "miscellaneous" accident back in 2004 with a claim for over $3400. How do you guys feel about that.. o.0 I have my suspicions that it was hit on the driver's side as the keys dont really work for that door and you can hear a bit of rattling when that window is fully opened. Unfortunately both the seller and the guy who sold the car to him (I got a hold of him) have no idea what could have happened as neither of them owned the car at the time of the accident.

The previous owner of the car didn't even know that anything had happened to it and agreed with me in my suspecion that it was hit somwhere along the left side as the keyhole and the rattling have been the only problems with the car even back when he owned it ('06 - '07).

Anyways, this is getting a bit too long. Again, any feedback would be great. Oh and FYI, "miscelaneous" means the accident didn't involve a collision, a fire, or theft.