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????

 

[mramc3]

damit, for such a big leak, I can seem to find it! all hoses are tight, all vac lines are ok, i dont know where to look?

 

[JoeWagon]

Get a friend and have one of you listen/feel for leaks. If it's big enough to drain your entire system, you will be able to find it.

Are you able to boost at all while driving?

 

[Defiant]

Bump the crank, make sure you aren't on a valve overlap. Check at the tailpipe and see if it's coming out there.

 

[mramc3]

I can get boost under load, but when I do, the rpms will drop and the car will die, at that time my cheapo a/f meter from autometer reads nothing. The stupid compressor is so load, that its hard to hear anything. I put soap water across the lines, but it I dont hear/see anything.

 

[Talon2z]

I built a boost leak tester from the instructions on the FAQ site and I can't seem to get the intake to pressurize. I figure I must be doing something wrong since the same thing has happened on three different DSM's (ruling out the possibility of a massive leak). I am pluging the tester into the intake side of the turbo and using a compressor but I look at my boost guage and it barely moves. What am I doing wrong?

 

[linksys42]

are you pluging off the MBC do you, are you letting pressure out of the compressor?

 

[jott5555]

bypass the mbc, and make sure the engine is at TDC.

 

[linksys42]

Even with the engine at TDC the #2 valves will be open slightly though. so i dont understand why you have to bring the engine to TDC to do a boost leak test?

 

[DaPurpleRT]

If I can't get ahold of my uncles air compressor, would one of those tire air compressors that run off of the cig. lighter be sufficient for it?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, please be kind.

Thanks, Ryan

 

[neuromonic]

Aren't those kind of noisey. I don't know if you'll be able to hear the leak over the noise.

 

[Defiant]

Use your uncle's air compressor to fill a portable tank.

And build a portable tank from a discarded refrigerant bottle from your AC repairman.

 

[DaPurpleRT]

Don't know any fridge repairmen. Hmm.

Thanks for the help though guys.

 

[98FWDSM]

ok, i was running the GST really hard the other night and when i was driving her slow again it was makin this really strange high pitched whistling sound before the turbo spooled...i checked all my IC pipes and they are all connected properly and i had the car on and went through and unplugged one at a time and i still havent found the leak...i can hear it coming from right around the intake manifold but i cant seem to find the leak??? i made a intake leak tester and i am not how sure how to use it....what hole on the turbo to i connect it to, and do i have the engine on or off or what???

Thanks

 

[eclipse90gsxt]

Tke the intake to the turbo off, off the compressor housing, where the blade of the turbo actually is. Have the car off, and leave it off

Then wedge open the throttle Body plate, with a screwdriver or something, then hook up compressed air to the intake leak tester. A leak will be easy to hear, but if you hear it while driving around the intake manifold, you Intake manifold gasket could be bad.

 

[Coldandafraid]

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

 

[temfate]

Did you try clicking intake on the vfaq?

http://www.vfaq.com/FAQlocator-index.html

If so, it's listed as "leak tester"...

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

 

[psychlow]

Yeah, an air compressor will work. But a bicycle pump or foot pump will work just fine. And maybe prevent you from going to high.

The only problem I found with this was that if you have a moderate to bad leak, you'll never be able to find the leak since you'll be pumping the air straight out and it'll never pressurize long enough to find it.

I unhooked the line from my BOV and hooked up a vac/boost gauge to that line and used compressed air in a storage tank (since I didn't have my compressor on hand). That worked really well to find a leak at the TB elbow gasket that I was completely unable to find using a bike pump.

Also, on most compressors, there is a pressure regulator before the outlet. Set that sucker to 18-20PSI, and it's nearly impossible to overpressurize the system. You might use a boost gauge to verify the pressure on the engine, though, because those regs are usually only accurate about -+2-3PSI, depending on the brand/type.

 

[midnght]

Also, on most compressors, there is a pressure regulator before the outlet. Set that sucker to 18-20PSI, and it's nearly impossible to overpressurize the system. You might use a boost gauge to verify the pressure on the engine, though, because those regs are usually only accurate about -+2-3PSI, depending on the brand/type.

Yes, that would be ideal.

It just that I don't give the benefit of a doubt to many people. I would feel bad if he/she was to come back on here cause they just went at it.



Do as psychlow described and make sure you have all of the stuff set to regulate itself. Otherwise, you could bring about a serious problem.

 

[1fast97gsx]

I've posted this before with no responses and still haven't found out the best way to go about this. I need to make a leak tester to fit a 3" inlet on my turbo and withstand being pressurized up to 35 psi. The first one I made would always blow off the turbo over 17 psi because of the silicone reducer stretching ... the second one literally shattered because it was some thing plastic piece ... so now I'm clueless. Obviously I need a 3" ID silicone coupler, but what should I use for the 3" cap? PVC stuff is always too big or too small and I don't know what else to use. HELP I NEED TO FIND THESE LEAKS!!!

 

[swing lo]

Try taking a can of carb choke and spraying it on all of your i/c pipe joints, or anywhere that air runs, and you'll know leaks if the engine idles up. This won't work for certain vacuum hoses though.

 

[1fast97gsx]

yea I tried that as well and all my hard gaskets and stuff seem ok .. I'm worried about vaccum lines and injectors seals

 

[gsxtacy]

You should be able to find results with WD40 sprayed on the injector seals too right?

The injectors are under vacuum at idle.....if you spray the WD40 on them and it stumbles you know you have a leak....only thing is under boost, the injector tips see positive pressure too and if ones cracked or all the fuel rail retaining bolts aren't there.........I believe enough boost could actually raise the whole fuel rail off the head with injectors too. :thumbdown

I wish I could help ya, I have been a silent fan of yours for nearly two years!!

I remember when you where one of the only street driven 2G guys in the 12's on DSMtuners!!

I am still trying to get in on that club.

Hell as easy to replace as Injector seals are...if in doubt change them!!

I believe its pretty safe to say your vacuum lines are good as long as their clamped/ziptied on both ends.


Hope you get it worked out....good luck on your new set-up!!

 

[1fast97gsx]

You should be able to find results with WD40 sprayed on the injector seals too right?

The injectors are under vacuum at idle.....if you spray the WD40 on them and it stumbles you know you have a leak....only thing is under boost, the injector tips see positive pressure too and if ones cracked or all the fuel rail retaining bolts aren't there.........I believe enough boost could actually raise the whole fuel rail off the head with injectors too. :thumbdown

I wish I could help ya, I have been a silent fan of yours for nearly two years!!

I remember when you where one of the only street driven 2G guys in the 12's on DSMtuners!!

I am still trying to get in on that club.

Hell as easy to replace as Injector seals are...if in doubt change them!!

I believe its pretty safe to say your vacuum lines are good as long as their clamped/ziptied on both ends.

Hope you get it worked out....good luck on your new set-up!!

hey thanks a lot for your help. I will try the wd40 again. I replaced the injector seals just for the hell of it as well. I know it's just something stupid because when I set my controller at 24 psi I hit 22 psi and it stays there. If I set it for like 19 then it goes to 19 .. so its gotta be a really small leak.


Lol yea I remember those days of having a street driven 12 second RELIABLE car. Once you go inside the engine or bigger than the 16g problems just don't stop . Only problems the car ever had on the 16g were a broken clutch, and a leaking transfer case. Thats it. Man I miss those days

yes vaccum lines are clamped on tied .. might be the bov. I'm going to put the 2nd spring back in and see if that helps on the greddy type S.

Hopefully my new setup will work out for me soon. Although last night we tried to set up a race with an rt10 viper and he wouldnt do it .. not even heads up

 

[EnticivEclipse]

After i install my FMIC I want to test for leaks before i bolt everything back...
http://www.vfaq.com/mods/ICtester.html

now my question is would using a gas station air pump will be too much pressure to use to inject air in my intake system?

 

[SpoolnTsi]

No, if anything it might not be enough. It might have enough pressure to pump up 80lbs into a tire but it might not pressurize it fast enough. It just depends on what type of system they use. Some work some dont. But you should only pressurize your system up to the same amount of boost your running. If your running 23lbs, pressurize it up to 23lbs. Maybe alittle more just to be on the safe side. Wouldnt hurt anything