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Original Message
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| RE: Did you do a cylinder leak down test? |
| By Mel Clark - 08/15/2001 10:04:08 PM; IP 152.163.207.199 |
| A simple or poor boys way of doing a leak down test is to use a screw in compression gauge hose connector and test each cylinder with the piston at top dead center by locking the engine mechanically and applying air pressure to the cylinder. If you hear air escaping into the intake your intake valves are not seating, if you hear the air escaping out the exhaust pipe the problem is the exhaust valve. If you can hear air escaping at the valve cover breather or oil filler you have bad rings. If you get bubbles in the radiator the head is cracked or you have a blown head gasket. You will need to do this with each cylinder if you suspect the problem is only in one cylinder as you need to find the weakest one. Some parts houses have an inexpensive leak-down tester which is a good thing to have in your tool box if you are a budding mechanic. If you dont want to go through all this trouble you can take it to most any good shop and they will perform the test in about two hours. A leak-down test is a good way to determine the condition of an engine, race engines are good at 2% or less, 5% is very respectable for a street engine. |
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