I have a 19997 Ford van E-250. It has a 5.4 liter engine what are symptoms a burnt valve v/s bad injectors?

Question

This van is skipping, cutting off when stopped,loss of compression, not smoking nor are any engine lights on. I suspect it might be a bad injector but, have been told by a few mechanics by them listening to it run of a possible bad valve. I don't want to get ripped off.

Answer 1

the injectors don't affect compression ..
valves do

Answer 2

The easiest way to find out would be do a compression test. Bad injectors would make it hard to start, loss of power, but it wouldn't do anything to compression. On the other hand a burned vale would show up in a compression test because one or more cylinders would show low or no compression.