How do I make / buy / use / troubleshoot a boost leak tester? [merged]

[Turbo Monk3y]

All boost leak tester threads are combined here.

i read somewhere maybe the Vfaq about making or buying a boost leak tester of some sort but never found it.... the reason being my acceleration seems slower than normal and all ive done to my stock car so far is take out the air box put on a K&N filter and cut the dump tube i have my boost guage sitting in a box not hooked up yet. and since those 2 mods it when i go wot on the car i can hear the turbo spool up and it sounds nice but i can also hear a sound as my rpm increases the SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH sound does too. the sound comes from the same area as the BOV i think maybe i got a #@%#@%#@%#@% stock bov and it cant handle over 11-13 psi??? Then i shift and it makes the nice BOV sound WHOOOOSHHHH... but my car seems to be a little slower.. any ideas before i go check every tube clamp and tube????

 

[Dieselboy]

I will make you one. $20 shipped (that will cover materials and shipping costs). PM me if youd like my services

 

[project4g63]

dude. I just made on and it cost me next to nothing. $12.00 if that. All you have to do is drill one hole. keep that in mind.

Boost leak tester

 

[Dieselboy]

Let me know if youd rather go that route justin, before I get your materials and Ill paypal you back the money, but I need to know soon.

 

[justin0469]

i know i know but i dont have a drill or a tap to tap the hole to screw the valve into or the time to make it. jsut dont screw me over dieselboy, make it high quality and make sure the leak tester doesnt like itself. (like tap the drilled hole and screw the valve in with some kind of sealant.) thanks

 

[Dieselboy]

Im not going to "screw you over". I have dealt with pleanty of people on here with no complaints. If your afraid I am, you can have your money back and have someone else do it for you. And no offense, it will work and do its job, but high quality shouldnt be expected for something thats made to test leaks and is made of PVC and rubber hose.

 

[justin0469]

i didnt mean it as an attack on you or anything but i just wanted to make sure i said somethin so you couldnt say i never said anything. and i didnt mean that i expect it to be made out of stainless steel or anything. just as long as it works good w/o any problems whatsoever

 

[rivet0r]

Actually, I believe that line in the picture is supposed to route to the BOV.

 

[00 Agent]

Originally posted by rivet0r
Actually, I believe that line in the picture is supposed to route to the BOV.

Yep.

 

[2smokin'tires]

I was doing a boost leak test on my car. When you fill the turbo inlet with air is it suppose to hold the pressure when you stop pumping? Or, in my case, is the air pressure suppose to steadily drop the second you stop pressurizing the intake?

 

[Enigma_Man]

It will usually slowly drop. If it's dropping quickly (more than a psi every few seconds) you probably have a leak somewhere. Listen for the leak.

-Jesse

 

[vtlaxplaya16]

does anyone have a leak tester that'll fit a big 16 in Connecticut that i can buy? or can some1 anywhere build me one and ill pay for the cost? I cant find the right materials around here, i cant find tubing large enough or the right cap. thanks alot

 

[Coldandafraid]

go to heavy duty truck part store and get 3 inch or what ever size you want in rad hose.

 

[turboholic]

Originally posted by vtlaxplaya16
i cant find tubing large enough or the right cap. thanks alot

-Did you try local performance super store aka Home Depot? the 3" rubber coupler and PVC cap work fine for mine, try the isle with lots of PVC pipes.

 

[rivet0r]

I hooked up a boost leak tester that I had made this weekend, and I tried pumping it up with this air compressor that hooks up to your cig. lighter in your car, and I had no luck building pressure. I'm not sure if the compressor is too slow or what, so I need to try something else that is on the cheaper side, I'm not going out and buying $500 air compressor for a simple test.

Thanks,
-rivet0r

 

[vtlaxplaya16]

Originally posted by turboholic
-Did you try local performance super store aka Home Depot? the 3" rubber coupler and PVC cap work fine for mine, try the isle with lots of PVC pipes.

yeh i went to home depot and picked up the 2" coupler and 2" cap but it was a just a bit too small so i figured that the 3" would be too big. But the 3" worked for your big 16g?

 

[Zex4g63]

You need 2.25" not 3". Go to NAPA or a Heavy truck garage get a piece of radiator hose that size.

 

[vtlaxplaya16]

alryte im about to test for boost leaks I was wondering what people meant when they say block off the MBC before doing it.

-also-

when i do a compression test on my 99GSX what are good readings?

 

[jott5555]

if u have a harbor freight u can get i got a nice 7hp 10gal one for 100 bucks, places r haveing sales too

just look around

mine workes purfect

 

[Defiant]

http://vfaq.com/mods/ICtester.html

http://www.dsmgrrrl.com/FAQs/compression.htm

 

[90DSMTurboFWD]

You could go down to a local Gas station and use that...but then again you have to take off your intake system at their station...

 

[frontdriver]

How about one of those portable air tanks that just holds air. Fill it up at your local station. Holds about 100 psi, it's about the size of a propane tank with a gauge for filling. I would prefer a regulator on it though so I could turn down the pressure entering thi intake to a reasonable psi. They're about $20.

 

[psychlow]

Hey guys....

Just purchased a 92 TSi AWD the other day.... My problem is that it has a MASSIVE boost leak....

I was wonderin' where you guys got hose for leak testers... I'm trying to build one, and Home Depot had the PVC end cap, of course, but I can't find anyone that has 2.5'' OD hose....

Anyone know if NAPA has this hose?

 

[Jasper16g]

What I did was went to lowes and got a 2.5" coupler for pipe. It cam with 2 worm clamps. Was about 3 bucks.

 

[psychlow]

Cool.... I saw those at Home Depot as well, but I wasn't sure if they'd actually fit the inlet on the turbo.

Thanks.

 

[Jasper16g]

If you are on a stock style turbo then yes.

Squigs