Chocks behind the wheels can also be useful. How to perform a leak down test.
Cylinder Leak Down Testers
How to use a leak down tester. Remove the spark plugs and rotate the engine to put the cylinder to be tested at tdc. A threaded coupling is screwed into a spark plug hole. The crankshaft is then turned so that each piston is at top dead centre. A cylinder leak down test requires the removal of all the spark plugs. Today its common practice to use a cylinder leakdown gauge to evaluate how well each cylinder performs in retaining pressure. Use the leak down test to know if you should be changing head gaskets valves piston rings or looking for a crack.
Remove the screwdriver and hook the leak down test tool into the spark plug hole. Compressed air 80 to 90 psi is then fed into the cylinder. Online auto parts 6637 views. The process is simple enough pump a measured amount of air pressure. To use the leakdown tester youll need an air compressor with an air tank. How to use a leak down tester tool cylinder head leakage detector duration.
If the compression is low in a cylinder its time to find out why. Figure out which spark plug adapter works best and connect the gauge into the hole. Plug the air line into the tester then use the yellow adjustment knob to change the airflow till the needle on the left gauge is on 100. Record leakage percentage for the cylinder. Step 1. I wasnt able to get the tester to work correctly using the instructions provided with the tester so i made one.
This video is about how to use a harbor freight leak down tester on a small engine. Put the vehicle in gear and. Place the car into gear if you can but also engage the parking brake so it wont roll. When the leak down test tool is attached to the cylinder the next task is to attach the tool itself to the air compressor.