FIX UP
Simple gadget can detect common car issue with easy fix before ‘wasting money’ on expensive repairs
It could also save you from buying a 'lemon'
A MECHANIC has urged drivers to pick up a simple gadget which can detect a common and easily fixed car issue before they "waste money" on expensive repairs.
You could end up shelling out thousands on an engine replacement over a problem which could be sorted by swapping out a single part.
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Scotty Kilmer, who has spent over 50 years in the motors biz, revealed how to spot trouble early in seconds.
Demonstrating the hack on YouTube, he said: "I've seen people spend a fortune on a car that still doesn't run right.
"They bring it to me and I tell them to do this first.
"Before you waste a lot of money on a car that's got problems, do a compression test on the engine."
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The compression ratio, as the name suggests, measures the engine's capacity to compress fuel before it is burned to power the vehicle.
A higher compression ratio results in more power, better efficiency and lower emissions but it can be affected by a number of factors.
Drops in compression could leave your motor with symptoms ranging from poor acceleration, unusual engine sound and even failure to start.
However, these can often be misdiagnosed as the result of much costlier problems.
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Fortunately, all you need to do the test is a compression gauge, which can be picked up for as little as £12 on Amazon.
Simply remove the engine spark plugs with a socket wrench and place the gauge in each cylinder of the engine before turning over the ignition.
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Test each cylinder in turn and compare the results with the recommended compression in your owner's manual.
Scotty explained that the readings should all sit close to the manufacturer's recommendation and all be within 10% of each other.
As a rule of thumb, the RAC suggests that the average cylinder should return a reading of around 100 PSI.
Scotty went on: "If some or all are exceptionally low, the engine is worn out internally.
"You either have to put another engine... or give up.
"Don't put a tonne of parts into a car that needs this work - check it first."
The simple check could, therefore, help you cut your losses on your broken-down old banger and even help save you from buying a "lemon" - petrolhead slang for a car that needs a lot of work to run.
However, if just one or two of your cylinders have low compression, this could indicate that you just need to replace a single gasket or cylinder head.
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And while this could set you back a couple of hundred quid, it's nothing compared to the thousands that a full replacement could cost.
It comes after Scotty shared an easy four-step method to "clean anything off your car" using a 10p wonder goo.
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