2.76 open to 3.55 Sure Grip...expectations too high?

Leak down test, round 2. This time I conducted the test at 40psi, instead of 90. I was also much more careful to find TDC in each cylinder. The first time I did the test, I though the piston just had to be coming up on the compression stroke, and not at TDC. The reason I thought this was because I thought all that had to happen was for both valves to be closed. I’ve learned that if the piston isn’t at the top of the stroke, it’s much easier for the air pressure to push the piston down in the cylinder. As always, anyone is welcome to correct any of this.

Here are the results:

CYLINDER PSI LOSS @40
1 - 5
2 - 4
3 - 5
4 - 5
5 - 4
6 - 2
7 - 2
8 - 2

Now, I also did another compression test prior to this second leak down, and most of the cylinders were all so close that I didn’t bother writing down the results. However, number 3 was low, around 120. I don’t know what the variable is here that’s making low pressure jump from cylinder to cylinder, but I’ll tell you that there were 2 things I didn’t trust about the leak down test as well - the gauges and me. I’m pretty sure I’m doing it right, but I’m also pretty sure I don’t trust the cheap *** gauge set I bought from you-know-where. The needles wouldn’t move smoothly, and the test gauge would sometimes take a couple seconds to “catch up” to the regulated air.

Next up is a vacuum test at the intake.