FAQ |
Members List |
Social Groups |
Calendar |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
||||
|
||||
Leak down gauge/tester
Anyone have personal experience with one they highly recommend that won't break the bank for a shade-tree type? I have one but it's crap. Won't zero out any more. I've only used it a couple of times in the last 10 years but I need one now.
Is it even possible to get a 'decent' one for a $100 bill? Maybe something like this? https://www.amazon.com/OTC-5609-Cyli...22629493&psc=1
__________________
Greg Reid Palmetto, Georgia |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
I have that exact one & it's worked great the few times I've used it.
__________________
No! Do not try! Do! Or do not. There is no try. - Yoda 1967 Firebird Restoration 2005 - 1/25/2017 |
The Following User Says Thank You to Speargun For This Useful Post: | ||
#3
|
|||
|
|||
I'd check to see if any of the auto parts store by you have the "free loaner tools".
__________________
"Honestly the car will only be there for a few weeks, OK maybe a month at the most" |
The Following User Says Thank You to rustedgoat For This Useful Post: | ||
#4
|
||||
|
||||
That's an idea...but I could use one with all the old junk i've got around here..lol
__________________
Greg Reid Palmetto, Georgia |
#5
|
||||
|
||||
I have the one you posted, has worked well for a few years.
__________________
66 GTO Nostalgia Super Stock/Street Legal Car 421 CID, stock block, Wenzler Intake, 2- Carter 750 AFB's, 3.90 Gears, Full Factory Interior, Full Exhaust, Stock Suspension 3750LBS 9.77@136.99 Multiple NSCA/NMCA World Champion 66 GTO 389 3x2, 4 speed, 4.33 gear, Montero Red 33K original Miles 67 GTO 2dr Post, 428, Tri Power, 3.55 Gears 80 Trans Am Black SE Y84 W72 WS6 |
The Following User Says Thank You to Mike Davis For This Useful Post: | ||
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Order up a new gauge??
__________________
"At no time did we exceed 175 mph.” Dan Gurney's truthful response to his and Brock Yate's winning of the first ever Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining Sea... Still have my 1st Firebird 7th Firebird 57 Starchief |
The Following User Says Thank You to 694.1 For This Useful Post: | ||
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Yeah, I could try that and thought about it but I don't really know that the gauge itself is bad or the adjuster or what. I'd really rather replace it. It was an el-cheapo to begin with. Think I paid about $30 for it 15 years or so ago.
Besides, sometimes when I'm trying to troubleshoot something, I hate it when I have to troubleshoot my troubleshooting tools in order to troubleshoot the only thing I'm really trying to troubleshoot. I just ordered the one I linked to. Thanks for ALL input fellows.
__________________
Greg Reid Palmetto, Georgia |
The Following User Says Thank You to Greg Reid For This Useful Post: | ||
#8
|
|||
|
|||
The OTC leakage tool you listed in post 1 is a nice tool. We have about 6 of them in use at the college I teach at. So your talking about hundreds of students handling them each year. Also hundreds of uses. They are pretty tough and reliable. Much better than the Milton units they replaced. BTW, do NOT purchase one from Harbor freight. Had a student bring one in and use it on his Toyota 4-cyl. It had the plugs deep in a spark plug tube. (hemi-style head) The latent heat softened the hose some and the hose just spun on the cheap crap crimp and the low grade rubber hose. Could not remove the hose and fitting, no access. Had to remove the cylinder head to get it out. Student learned a good lesson about buying quality tools that day.
|
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to mgarblik For This Useful Post: | ||
#9
|
||||
|
||||
Thanks, that makes me feel better about buying it. I can't remember where I got the one I have now. Likely ebay. Doesn't even have a plastic case.
__________________
Greg Reid Palmetto, Georgia |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
I got that exact same OTC one as well. Works great for me.
|
The Following User Says Thank You to rohrt For This Useful Post: | ||
#11
|
||||
|
||||
It's on it's way along with a fuel pressure gauge. I have one of those that works fine but only goes to 15psi. That's fine for my old carb'd cars but I'm working on an older fuel injected car and fuel pressure is supposed to be 35psi.
__________________
Greg Reid Palmetto, Georgia |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Maybe you can cancel your order. There are no legal regulations nor "industry standards" for automotive leakdown testers. Leakdown tester design is totally up to the manufacturer. One leakdown tester doesn't have to be made the same as another--leading to different indicated leakage. OTOH, the Federal Aviation Administration issued guidelines for leakdown testers used on aircraft. Beyond that, Teledyne has it's own spec for verifying leakdown testers. I suggest a leakdown tester compatible with FAA regs, and testable with Teledyne-style Master Orifice built-in. You want the variety that has a .040 orifice in the tester (suitable for cylinders under 5" bore.) https://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/detail.aspx?id=2EM Comes with an 18mm cylinder adapter. Tell them you want the 14mm one instead. They swapped it out for me at no increase in price. I bought mine in...2012...maybe. Last edited by Schurkey; 03-26-2021 at 10:19 PM. |
#13
|
||||
|
||||
Thank you, I just may do that one. I like the look of the hardware. Amazon is pretty low hassle if you want to return something.
__________________
Greg Reid Palmetto, Georgia |
#14
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
....... Frank
__________________
Poncho Huggen, Gear Snatchen, Posi Piro. |
#15
|
||||
|
||||
Or this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08yePfqQbmU
__________________
Greg Reid Palmetto, Georgia |
#16
|
||||
|
||||
Read this while trying to understand the 'master orifice' use. Very interesting tech article. Clarified some things for me on how a leakdown tester works.
https://www.kitplanes.com/maintenanc...ssion-testing/ They delivered the OTC one today. Looks much better than my old one and no obvious issues... but I'm leaning towards the other now.
__________________
Greg Reid Palmetto, Georgia Last edited by Greg Reid; 03-28-2021 at 03:30 PM. |
The Following User Says Thank You to Greg Reid For This Useful Post: | ||
#17
|
|||
|
|||
The link Schurkey provided was for a VERY nice cylinder leakage tool. The fact that it is certified and can be verified is a nice feature and it is American made. Your first post did state a nice tool for under $100.00. It cost about 30-40% more than that with shipping. The OTC tool is made in CHINA, I verified that. But so is about 30% of the Snap-ON catalog and about 75% of their diagnostic tools. Hard to win these days if you want all American stuff. A cylinder leakage tool is really a comparative tester, looking for differences cylinder to cylinder. The actual % of leakage has little meaning unless all the cylinders are low. No doubt the Aviation rated tool is better and more accurate. You get what you pay for most of the time.
|
The Following User Says Thank You to mgarblik For This Useful Post: | ||
#18
|
||||
|
||||
Yes, that is true that it's more than I initially stated and that's why I'm not knocking the OTC and haven't hit the 'return' button yet.. As I stated, it's much better than the one I had and will probably serve my purposes just fine...if it lasts.
What I don't know and perhaps one of you will, what is the significance of the orifice being .040"? I took my old one apart and it's way smaller than .040...probably more like .010". Just an arbitrary standard in the aircraft industry?
__________________
Greg Reid Palmetto, Georgia |
#19
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
To tell the whole truth...the one I bought back in 2012 has "Made in Taiwan" gauges. Quote:
If this were just me--and not Major Aviation Manufacturers--I'd reduce the size of the Master Orifice. I think the orifice produces too much leakage, it sets the leakage limit too high. It's useful as-is, but it would be more useful for automotive/high performance use if the orifice was smaller. I've heard of folks using a Holley main jet as a master orifice, but I don't remember what size they chose. When I'm using my tester, I mentally adjust the maximum leakage/minimum pressure to about 3/4 of what the Master Orifice allows. If you're lucky. Quote:
Yes, somewhat arbitrary. In the Aviation world, .040 is used for cylinders having a bore size less than five inches. A cylinder with a larger bore size is tested with a leakdown tester having a .060 orifice. A larger bore is expected to leak more, due to the bigger diameter of the rings, and consequently the larger ring gap. The size of the orifice makes as much difference in the indicated leakage as the actual leakage of the cylinder. A smaller orifice makes the tester more sensitive (larger pressure drop for a given leakage.) A larger orifice makes the tester less sensitive (smaller pressure drop for a given leakage.) This is the main reason that different leakdown testers can't be directly compared to each other--and why the Master Orifice is so useful. Any leakdown tester plugged into the Master Orifice can be "baselined" for the maximum allowable leakage. Last edited by Schurkey; 03-28-2021 at 08:12 PM. |
#20
|
||||
|
||||
Thanks for that information. If I hadn't already pulled the trigger on the OTC, I would have spent another $40 bucks or so on the ATS rig without a doubt.
But having the OTC in hand now and seeing nothing glaring about it that gives me the heebeegeebees, I will probably keep it. By the way, I inquired about the 2EM with the 14mm adapter and they told me that the 2EM-14 is the same unit and comes with both 14 and 18. They are listed for the same price so I'm skeptical..
__________________
Greg Reid Palmetto, Georgia Last edited by Greg Reid; 03-29-2021 at 09:47 AM. |
Reply |
|
|