HF Compression Tester - Need Sanity Check

I went to to a compression check on my F500

The needle on the HF tester just bounces up and down; I never get any sort of reading. I've not used the gauge since April.

Now given how off my F500 was at the last autocross I could believe the more has almost no cranking pressure except for the fact that I primed the motor and it started up.

I could in theory hook the tester up to the Datsun and check it but I'd rather not do that.

So anybody have experience with the guage ever doing this and not being directly tied to the engine?

A functional compression gauge shouldn't go down without pressing the release button. The only time I've had that problem it was because I had pulled the Schrader valve to use the adapter hose to pressurize a cylinder and forgot to put it back in but a leak anywhere in the gauge would do the same thing.

In reply to APEowner :

Thanks, I was thinking it had to be the tester.

OK it appears to be operator error; got it working.

In reply to Tom1200 :

Okay, so what's the verdict on the engine?

Tom1200 said:

 

OK it appears to be operator error; got it working.

Those darn operators.  They're the least reliable part in any system.  Fortunately, once you've managed to diagnose them the repair is usually free.

I'm glad you figured it out.

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

The engine is impressive in the fact that it ran at all..................

The normal reading for this engine is 70psi.  #1 was at 45 psi & #2 was at 60 psi.  

The AMW engine had a claimed output of 83hp.................it was probably more like 60 horsepower. 

This would also explain why the motor was lacking oomph.