checking compression with engine out of car

Ive got a sbf 302 on my garage floorand want to check compression. Can i pull the plugs and use an impact wrench on the damper bolt to spin the engine? Will it do any harm to the bearings? What is the best way to do this? Thanks

 

Is there a way to just turn it over with the starter and a battery?
I would think you would be able to turn it over by hand and build up the pressure in each cylinder. the impact might put undue stress on the damper bolt, maybe just use a wrench/breaker bar.

 

hook it up to a battery on the floor and use a screwdriver on the starter to turn it over and check compression with a comp gauge, ***uming it has a starter that is!!
-Anthony

 

You want to do a leak-down check in this instance. You'll need different equipment.
In short- you want to trap air pressure in the cylinder at top dead center. Monitor it with a gauge. See how fast it drops pressure/minute. Then, following firing order, do each cylinder.
Bil

 

We used to do compression tests on engines out of the car all the time at the junkyard way back when....but we would run the engine first to warm it up, then pull the plugs and do the test.

As far as I'm concerned, a compression check done without using the starter to turn it over (and one done on an engine that has been sitting without being run for a long time) is meaningless.