leak test did i mess up???

[AWDMENACE]

well my car ever since mid winter now has felt like it has a boost leak it came out of no were but everyonce and awile you start to get on it and and the boost gauge shows max boost but the car barely gets out of its on way or it will gain pressure lose pressure and studder and so on ..so it must be boost leak ..now first things first the car is bone stock only thing done to it is the aircan was cut open and a k&n filter put on but theese problems were before that. so i biult the boostleak tester described on this site i disconected the intake line and followed the test instructions..yet when i started pumping pressure into the tester with a bycicle pump ..the boost gauge never responded and i could not identify the hissing of a boost leak anywere..did i do something wrong??

 

[Gromit]

It's hard to get enough pressure into the system with a bicycle pump - you're really better off with an air compressor that has a regulator on it so you know what you're putting into the system. Aside from that, it's not uncommon for a first boost leak test to yield your results. Try isolating each area - start with connecting to the throttle body elbow & check that section by spraying soapy water all around it. You'll probably find the throttle body shaft seals, gaskets, & the BISS screw are likely to leak to some degree. Other common places are the PCV valve, BOV, & IC piping.

Boost leak tests can be frustrating but are well worth the effort!

 

[crazyboost]

As long as everything is sealed up good, it should be able to hold pressure. The bike pump might not be able to pump in air as fast as your leak lets it out. Try and get a hold of an air compressor and then use soapy water over everything to look for leaks. Common boost leak areas are. intercooler pipe connections/couplings, throttle body gaskets and seals, pcv valve, injectors seals. so check those ones out. Good luck.

 

[crazyboost]

that was sneaky gromit, you are just too fast for me!

 

[thrdtryGSX]

if you do not have a place to hook up your car to an air compressor you can get a resevoir tank and fill it up at a gas station. then at least you can regulate the pressure coming out of the tank.