Is 270 compression too low? Bamboozled?

[Tork]

I bought a non running 1998 E350 4x4 van; tried to start it but it's been cold here in Alaska. I sprayed WD40 and it would nearly fire, but not quite.

I took it to the local diesel mechanic and he said there was no current to the injectors. I still had hope. He used a known good used replacement computer (IBP, IHP or something like that). Still no current at the injectors.

The next day he says there is LOW compression on the left bank of cylinders. They didn't check the right bank to save me money. He says that with 270 psi the engine is toast.

Can no current at the injectors be caused by low compression (doesn't make sense to me)? Is 270 psi too low to start? Should I take it to the Ford dealer? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.Y'all are awesome. Thanks.

[mschn99]

270 is way low on compression.... (a brand new motor is close to 400 and any motor should be over 330-350 on each cylender to run right)...

tough to say whats causing your compression issues....a cylender leakdown would tell you a little...but not much.... It could be valvetrain or rings...

[Dirk]

270? damn. Around 400psi is normal.

EDIT: Beaten like a step child.

[Tork]

Darn it. There must be a lesson in this somewhere. Like, maybe buy a RUNNING vehicle.......

thanks for your quick responses.

[Tork]

Oh, one, or two, more things. Does the " no current to the injectors" issue have anything to do with the no compression diagnosis? In other words, could a compression reading be altered by ANY other problems such as no current to the injectors, a bad battery, etc?

thanks again.

[Diesel Monkey]

May have had a serious leak in the air filter allowing sand to enter the motor, and well, sand down the compression.

No current to injectors could be low HPOP oil pressure. Can you get a 0-3000 psi gauge on the HPOP lines? It needs to see 500 psi on the HPOP for the engine computer to turn on the power to the injectors.

[Tork]

I went to pick up the van today and because of reading the forums I asked a few questions.

Had they checked the glow plugs because there is no WAIT TO START light? They hadn't.

Had they check for fuel? They hadn't because they already determined the compression was low.

The rear doors are really dented. Had they check the inertia/fuel shut off switch? They hadn't.

The van has been sitting for many months. They found the compression was low, but couldn't the fact that it's been sitting be a problem?

I know that a gas engine that sits for a long period of time doesn't always start up ready to sprint, but after she runs for a while things seat correctly and she can run strong.

Got any advice? Should I have them get the glow plugs working, and make sure that fuel is available?

BTW, all the questions I asked the mechanic were because of the powerstroke forums. Y'all rock.

Thanks again!

[mschn99]

i have all kinds of ideas.....

post in this thread in the morning to bump it and ill get to those..

one thing im curious about though.....you have to pull the valve covers to check compression..

if they didnt check the easy things first....are you sure they checked the compression right?? Im wondering if they werent just trying to sell you a motor...

[Tork]

Does anyone know if a 1998 E-350 4x4 van with a 7.3 has a fuel shut off/ inertia switch?
If so, where would it be located?
Thanks