Compression Test

[bake74]

     I know you are suppose to warm up the engine to operating temp before testing compression.  The problem is I want to go look at a truck that the dist. is bad and they have told me it is bad along with the carb being bad.
     My question is how accurate would it be or even possible to check the compression without running engine first. 
      Thanks in advance for any help suggestions.
               

[Irish_Alley]

i would swap the parts out if its just the distributor and carb, but if the po think both went bad at the same time i would be very carful of what your about to get into. i know you can test a cold engine tested a saturn once 3 out of the 4 where within 10 psi of each while one was at 0 cause the hole in the piston lol.

[Captkaos]

You can do a cold test and tell if it produces pressure, but I would assume the motor is bad if nothing works and price accordingly.

[bake74]

     The good thing is it is a 79 step side 4wd, she only wants $1000.00.  I have not seen the truck yet but from the pics it looks clean, I want it for the doors basically, power doors and windows for my 74 I am building. 
     Was thinking if the motor was good I might just put it together with some of the stuff off my 77 parts truck (no registration or vin #, I got it that way strickly for parts)  and turn around and sell it after I make sure it runs good.

[Jason S]

You should be able to sell enough parts off it to make back the $1,000.

OR

You could add 79 K10 to your truck repertoire...

[bake74]

     Well looked at truck today, chalk another one up to the hill people tearing vehicles to pieces.  I wouldn't even want to take on this one, somehow they ripped all 4 top shock mounts out, probably jumping the truck.  Oh well, the search goes on.