200TDI compression test gauge adapter for Land Rover

I want/need to do a compression test on my 200TDI to try to figure out what the cause is and what the remedy will be.

     I have a compression gauge for a diesel that I used on my 19j 2.5DT engine. For that I had to make an adapter from an old glow plug. Luckily I had a bad one lying around for that project.

    Not so lucky that I don't have one for the 200...So I decided that the need was great and the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few so 1 of my spares was sacrificed.

   Here is a pic of the glow plug and the end of the compression gauge hose. The glow plug is metric and has M10 x 1 thread while the hose has 1/8BSTP. they are close and will thread into the same hole just not the right pitch and the T means tapered so it won't work.

I started off by removing the round bit above the red insulator. I wasn't sure if it was threaded or pressed on. Using vise grips and a vise i found it was indeed threaded on.

Next was to try and get the center electrode out. I did not know if it was threaded or pressed on either. So I tried unscrewing it...No. Pressed on from the threaded end, so I'll hammer on the electrode end....No. Has to be pressed in from the other end so I'll hammer on the threaded end.....No. Hmmm must be threaded so I will try harder to unscrew....Oops, no, broke out the electrode center.

OK, now that will make it easier to drill out. The looong 3/16" drill went in the drill and a few moments later;

 At his point I had to go and get a 1/8 BSTP connector, I found one at Fastenal for a couple of bucks. Then off to Daren at Arc-Tec and have him weld the 2 together.

I was thinking that I needed to have access to the 10mm flats so as to screw the adapter into the head. Turns out it looks like it was more useful to grind some flats on the side of the 1/8 fitting to fit a 12mm  open end wrench as it is tight on the head for the 10mm open end wrench. I always use a deep socket when installing/removing the glowplugs.
    Then once I put it on the hose it became apparent that the fitting on the hose may suffice. Time will tell.

I know that this is a small story in the overall story of my progress, but I include it hoping that someone in the future will read it and KNOW what to do(or not do) from my struggles.

Hopefully tomorrow= the compression test!!