Newbie question: can I compression test a single cylinder engine

meestahmarc · May 24, 2018

Hi - I am soon looking at a ground blower... I know these things get a ton of use, so am on the fence, do I buy new or do I buy used... I am sure the unit I will test will run and put out good power, but how do i know if the power output is typical, as a novice looking it might be hard for me to tell. Can I test the compression or something else. Thanks (and if this is a dumb question - please go gentle on me).

Rivets · May 24, 2018

If it was me I would go new. Buying used with this type of equipment is a crap shoot and because most are heavily used you may be buying someone else’s problem, like why are they getting rid of it. There are not diagnostic tools which will tell you how long they will last.

Boudreaux In Eunice La. · May 24, 2018

If you are talking about a Leaf blower, then yes you can run a comp test.... If have one or borrow one from a friend that's fine......

If you buy a 60 dollar tester then you are pissing good whiskey........... Unless you have use for the tester later down the road........

Let us know Mon Ami ...............

Darryl G · May 25, 2018

Just a word of caution that one of the engines used on these units in the early to mid 2000s, a Briggs & Stratton 10hp I/C was a problem engine. It had a poorly designed exhaust port that would cause it to bend rods and spit out valve seats. I know that they used them on the Billy Goat Quiet Blow series units. They were used on others too but I forget if they were Little Wonder or Giant Vac.

With that said, in my experience, for most uses a backup blower is a better tool, unless you're blowing level open areas or strictly pavement.

meestahmarc · May 27, 2018

Thanks. Interesting points. I am blowing a lean that is pretty flat.about an acre. I have a Stihl br600 backpack blower. It is pretty awesome. I just thought a 9 or 13hp Billy goat ground blower would be good too. New one is $2k for self propelled 13hp... The 9hp one I am looking at is 500, but just not sure. The unit looks like new, guy said he uses his more powerful unit for pavement blowing commercial work... I have a compression tester, but never actually used... And yeah I drink too notch whiskey.

Darryl G · May 27, 2018

I rarely use my 10hp Billy Goat since I got my Husqvarna 580BTS backpack blower, which outblows the BR600 by a good bit. Wheel blowers are clumsy, tiring and inefficient on lawns IMO. Not a big fan of walking backwards with them either.

Newbie question: can I compression test a single cylinder engine

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