Non Glow Plug Diesel Compression Testing

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,
My range of Perkins 6354 six cylinder diesel motors were not fitted with glow plugs. They came fitted with an intake manifold heater. By not having glow plugs these engines prevent the usage of compression testing fittings that screw into the glow plug threads after a glow plug is removed.

Would it be possible to convert a sacrificial diesel injector and adapt it so that a generic one size fits none very well compression testing glow plug based kit could be used? Or alternatively would something like making a steel plate the same shape and size as a Perkins diesel injector's base where it is secured by two bolts. Then drilling a hole through the metal plate and welding on a nut. Where the nut's thread suits the glow plug fitting adapter?

Or alternatively is there a compression testing fitting that screws into the diesel injector's fuel line banjo bolt fitting?

Or did Perkins make a special tool for the purposes of allowing compression tests?

The youngest Perkins 6354 I have was made in 1981 and the oldest could date back to the 1950s. I have come across a couple of decoding publications. However, they only provided details that allowed me to identify the 1981 engine. The two other motors which are both older did not match the details in the decoders.

Subsequently, I sent a letter to Perkins headquarters in England - mostly because they do not supply an email contact! I recorded on A4 paper all the engine markings and codes for each motor. The mail tracking proved they received the letter back in January. The sods have never replied! I included my email contact and my full postal details too. It would be good to be able to accurately identify my engines so that matching spare parts can be bought with some degree of confidence. As you probably could guess I am "not happy Jan" about Perkins headquarters in England.

Kind regards
Lionel

[oka374]

Lionel some brands of diesel compression testers especially older kits might have an adapter that screws into the injector hole, we just used an old injector and put a fitting that suited the tester hose on the top.
I made fittings for both the original Perkins and the Cummins using old injectors for the Oka.

[Lionelgee]

Lionel some brands of diesel compression testers especially older kits might have an adapter that screws into the injector hole, we just used an old injector and put a fitting that suited the tester hose on the top.
I made fittings for both the original Perkins and the Cummins using old injectors for the Oka.

Hello Oka,

Thank you for your reply. When I was removing the injectors from a motor that I bought in a seized condition I noticed that one injector had been pulled apart and was missing some pieces. Now armed with your knowledge the damaged injector will become the guinea pig.

Kind regards
Lionel

[oka374]

Make sure you either have a supply of the injector sealing washers to install when using the injector with a through hole so readings are accurate or just retemper them by heating to red and allowing them to air cool. Once they are used a couple of times they become hard and compressed and often don't seal well which can lead to overtightening to achieve a seal which in turn can lead to problems with the thread in the injector hole which in turn causes more problems.
I forgot to add don't forget to disconnect the fuel stop solenoid or keep the rack in a stop position when cranking the engine over while testing compression, if you don't you will frighten the sXXX out of yourself when it fires up and diesel goes everywhere out of the disconnected fuel line.
Some engines might need to have all injectors out to get it to spin fast enough on the starter to get a compression test, depends on engine age and health of starter and battery.
I'm talking mechanical injected engines here, never tried on a late model common rail job. I guess it can't be a whole lot different just need to remove a fuse to stop fuel supply and the injectors still unscrew.