Compression question

[majorpecs]

So in reading all over the internet about this truck I have...it seems like the next step for me is a compression test. I don't have the money to get one right now, so my question is, what's going to happen if I do have low compression and I keep driving the truck?

I've had some weird issues with it, and from what I'm reading, I think it's going to be low compression. A Ford dealership replaced 2 injectors about 3 weeks ago but I'm still having sluggishness, losing oil and I'm not sure what to do.

I've tried to find someone in my area who could help me do a compression test with no luck....

[Nashotah7]

Are you losing oil? Or burning oil? Big difference.

[majorpecs]

Nashotah7...I bought the truck about a month ago from a dealership about 4 hours from me (independant dealer that buys from auction). I had them send it to a Ford dealership before i drove up there to buy it, the dealership replaced 2 injectors and a couple of sensors. They were also supposed to have done a full inspection of the engine...which I later found out they didn't do. The air filter and fuel filter were in horrible shape (I replaced both). Oil was nasty, again I replaced.

The truck is an early '99 and so it seems sluggish to me, but I've can only compare it to an 02 7.3 with a chip (never drove it stock) and an 04 duramax which was 400% better than this pooch!

Couple issues with it on some start ups where it was whomping, shut it back down and then it started up, idled roughly then smoothed out. Died on me about a block from work, started up again and whomped, killed it and restarted idled roughly for about 2 minutes then was fine again. Took it straight to a buddy's shop and they buzz tested it and it was fine, left it overnight and the tech called and said it was 8 quarts low on oil! This was 2 weeks after I changed the oil, and I know I put 15 quarts in it when I changed it. There's no oil in the engine, and none in my driveway, so I assume it's burning it.

This was Tuesday of this week, since then I've checked the oil 2 times a day and it's not losing anything.

It seems to be running fine now, but I'm scared about this compression thing because it's going to put me in a HUGE bind financially. I'm right in the middle of buying a house and I can't afford to rebuild the engine.

If it's not the compression I think I'll be able to deal with it...but it just seems like everyone keeps saying it sounds like a compression issue and I don't know how to do it myself and can't pay to get done at the shop right now.

sucks to be me...

[Nashotah7]

I think you'll be alright, sounds like an injector didn't seat right and now it has. Did you have any smoke out (white smoke) of the tailpipe? Yes the early '99's are going to feel a little sluggish compared to the late 99's. There is alot you can do to wake this motor up tho. Also because of the dirty oil, that could have been playing games and it just took a little while to clear itself out. Or an injector cup or two could have been leaking and now they got plug up with all the crap that could of been floating around in there. So many trucks, so many different issues. If it seems fine now, drive it and keep an eye on it, and see what happens. I find it hard to believe it is a compression problem. The 7.3 is pretty much bullet proof, but I am sure others here will have thier say against it. One other thing I might look at is the cam position sensor, it wouldn't have much to do with the oil consumption, but it can cause loss of power, and rough idle.

[majorpecs]

It did smoke alot for a few days it seemed like, but lately I haven't really seen it smoking. I did notice it smoking the other day after idling for about 10 minutes.

The most smoke I ever saw was on my first re-fuel I poured some Amsoil diesel treatment into the tank, about 6oz worth. The next morning when i fired up the truck it smoked something fierce for a few minutes lol...

I do seem to notice a smell other than diesel exhaust though when I get out of my truck, but don't notice much smoke any more.

I am checking the oil 2 times a day and so far it hasn't lost any since the shop gave it back to me. The truck isn't throwing any codes so they didn't think it was the CPS although I suppose i could put one on and see if it makes any difference.

the reason I want to get compression testing done is that I'm considering putting in stage 1 injectors and a custom tune from DI here in Houston, but don't want to put out the money/time/effort if the engine is fixing to blow.

I think I will take your advice, stop stressing out and just keep an eye on the oil levels and watch the smoke output for awhile and see how it goes.

[majorpecs]

Well I spoke to soon...checked the oil saturday morning and it was at the fill line so I added 2 more quarts...that's about 10 quarts in a month...the mechanic still thinks it's an injector problem he's pretty adamant that it's not a compression issue....now to come up with 1500 for a set of injectors

[Nashotah7]

Well, I would say that it's injectors, or bad injector cups. Are you going to throw the stage ones in there now? If your not, I would look around for a shop shop that rebuilds them. My mechanic sent mine out to get rebuilt and it cost me $ 30.00/ea. to have them rebuilt and flow tested.....just a thought.

[majorpecs]

My desire is for stage 1's...this e99 is such a pooch, i'm never going to be happy driving it until it's woke up slightly.

Although it's pretty tempting to get them rebuilt, i also can't be without a truck that long....I'll let you know what I end up doing.

[Nashotah7]

I think it was three day turn around with the rebuilds, and yes it sucks every day the truck is down.

[majorpecs]

Okay well I just picked up some stage 1's from diesel innovations and am getting them installed. Replacing all 8 injectors and glow plugs, replacing both uvc harnesses and gaskets and then David Lott is going to tune the truck to run with the new injectors. I'm pretty excited!! Meeting David was pretty cool, I got the chance to look around his shop and he's a really laid back dude!