Suspension and engine compression

[Mr2stu]

Hi everyone I'm new on here!
Need to Change my front shocks on my 89 mr2,
Just wondering what the difference is between the early and later mk1 shocks? I've got some front shocks but I took them off a 86 mr2 I broke and I wondered if they would fit my 89 mr2?
Also a did a compression test today, only did it on 3 cylinders as I couldn't get the spark plug out off cylinder 3, 100-170-150.. Not sure where to start here!
Thanks stu

[IanParkhouse]

The early ones had a different number of studs on the strut. If they look the same, my understanding is they'll fit.

[pk_090]

Wow those compression figures seem quite low. and definitely should be such great differences between each. I rebuilt my engine over Christmas and compression tested it a few weeks ago at 240 psi of compression. It was done with all plugs out? on the cylinder that was extra low, pour a teenie weenie bit of oil down the bore just to make sure its not scraping the side.
Alex

[Lauren]

Sounds like you have an issue with figures that low. I had a missing piston ring and it made 50spsi, so maybe your's aren't so bad, but you ought to be looking for 180psi + really.

When I rebuilt my engine think it was a little over 200psi on all four IIRC.

[kaiowas]

Front shocks are all the same, the only difference is with the number of studs where the top mount of the strut attaches to the body (early cars have 3, later ones have 4)

The early struts will fit on your car as they are with just the 3 bolts in use or you can fit your later top mount to the early strut for complete compatibility.

[Mr2stu]

I'll swap over the top mounts and get them fitted soon then!
I did another compression test,
170-150-170-170 so just the one down, it improved by 10 psi when I dropped some oil in there.
Dunno if this could be related at all but the cylinder where the compression is down the spark plug was very hard to get out, think the thread was cross threaded...