In my experience a leak down test can be somewhat misleading. Friends of mine did a leakdown test years ago on my dad's '73 Mercury. [351C engine] Plugs looked clean, but there was a hissing noise out of the crankcase. Oil consumption was about 1 quart/3000 miles, not alarmingly high. Turned out the only major thing wrong was burned valves from the use of propane even though they rebuild the entire engine. In hindsight I could have just removed the heads & save money. Greetings from Holland.
Thanks so much Eric. I was trying to understand the difference between leak down and compression tests. You schooled me proper. Hope your are doing great.
More then half of My engine is under the cowl on My 98 Camaro. its almost easier to remove the engine to do even something as simple as spark plugs. i hate working on GM cars. always have. out of all the cars i have worked on Nissan is By far the easiest. ford has the best dealer Diag tools. and Chrysler/dodge is the easiest Domestic line i have worked on. but then again i learned on Chrysler and became a Chrysler gold tool master, so i kind of favor them as far as turning wrenches in concerned
My car has a broken camshaft and was told I need a new engine. How do i do this if I don't have any compression? I just don't want to replace the whole engine if I can get away with just replacing the head. any advice?
@usafguy691 if the camshaft has broken there is a reason why,doesn't sound good...you may have bent valves?,take the camshaft out then all the valves will be closed,be sure to keep the cam caps in order,and put them back exactly where they came from...im thinking this would only work on a leakdown test,not a normal comp test...hope this helps :]
Hi Eric after watching this video I have some question for you about my car, it is a honda accord dx manual with 157k on it. I went outside and as I open the oil filler cap I notice that there is a rush of air coming out from that hole and i could feel it on my hand. What does it mean to my engine? And also I notice there is also alot of steam and water coming out from exhaust tailpipe, does it mean my head gasket is no good no more? Please help me diagnose my problem and I really appreciate it
Great Vid. Great logic and common sense. As an engineer, I like to do things myself instead of getting reamed for $200 just to diagnose a problem. Right now I'm trying to figure out what is causing my p0300 random misfire error code. Interesting challenge. Some diagnostic tools needed for checking fuel pump pressure, compression, and vacuum. Thanks Eric.
Great video. I feel sorry for the owner of that brand new truck. I like how you said that line where you gather the evidence to find the solution to the problem, and not just guessed, like a lot of motha$%^& out there who still be getting paid at the lack of knowledge of a costumer. Thanks!
I got a leak down tester from hf, and I connect it to a 125psi source...BUT the source psi readout gauge only gets up to like 18psi..? I set the compression tester gauge at ZERO and perform the test... but with only 18psi? How can it be when I have 125psi in the source hose?
Is there a parameter adjustment that will let more than just 18psi into the source readout gauge?
@urgeone Yea I had the same problem with my HF gauge in this video, that's why I recommended to just use the hose from the compression tester and hook it to shop air to do the test. Good luck.
@EricTheCarGuy Thanks man. It's a VQ35de going into a 99 Maxima lol.
Do you know anything about honing because the local guy said he'll do it at a price for $188...I'm not too crazy about that deal, I'd rather try myself. I know I can get the honing devices with either stones or the brushes...
Hi, I've been watching Your channel and I've got like 200 more films to go ;) Thanks for what You are doing here. I'm an engeneer and I see that You are really aware of Your profession. Don't get me wrong but You know that many 'mechanics' do crap not repairs in fact ! Greetings from Poland, God bless You :)
@basracer I was not able to do that because the gauge would only go so high which was no where near 100psi, perhaps it's a cheep gauge but as I said in the video I don't normally use an actual leak down tester for this but rather just use my compression tester hose and straight shop air.
@EricTheCarGuy Actually my source psi readout gauge was like yours though when hooked up to the cylinder it did bleed out all the air pressure from my 100 psi at the compressor to let me hear where the leaking was occuring and stayed constant as the source pressure was enough
luv your vids! keep it up from a fan yoiu should have your own show on tv i would watch every week they have guys on the outdoor channel all the time testing cars and trucks and stuff but nuthin that shows how to really fix stuff like you do! great work! hope to see ya on the tube! btw the music is growin on me lol
@NinjaNeglector Thank you very much for that, the only problem I can foresee with that is that not all repairs fit into a 'time slot' which is required for something that goes on TV. Thanks for the comment.
Hey Eric what happened to this car afterwards? Curious to know the complete 411 after the video.
also did you ever give that leakdown set another shot? forgot to mention how great the video is cuz along w the proper tools you also show the equivalent alternative.
Everyday we learn something new, your videos are really good. Keep up the good work, I'm also a mecanic (still new) but your videos are very helpfull compared to what we learn. Keep up the good job :))
On those leak down testers you have to run the compressed air on the first gage at 100 psi and lock it, then hook up your hose and you'll get your reading:)
@costa83p Yea I tried that, didn't work, there must be some other means of adjusting the pressure on this particular set up but like I said in the video I normally just use the hose from my compression tester to do the leak down test.
@vegasfordguy Honestly I wasn't too happy with the tool because it didn't put out enough air pressure to get an accurate reading, I haven't checked to see if I could adjust the output yet but I would have liked to have more pressure going into the cylinder. Thanks for the comment.
Im so glad i discovered your videos :) with what you demonstrated everything i had learned at uti came rushing back i even saved my cousins 4 grand they were gonna spend replacing an engine when all it needed was a cylinder head gasket thanks :D
Thanks for the great videos. I just bought a Toyota Pickup that apparently the guy over heated and said it was the head gasket. I went ahead and just ran 100psi of shop air in to one of the cylinders and heard just a leak through the oil cap and dipstick. I am almost positive I was at TDC but even if I wasn't air leaking through there would still mean bad rings correct? It was enough air that I could also feel the pressure coming out. I didnt even bother to check any other cylinders..
@airmalloy Yea that would indicate a leak at the piston, if that's the case then you would need to rebuild or replace the engine to correct the issue. Good luck.
Your leak down tester was operating at 10 or so PSI... that will generate very little flow, hence very little noise. So...
Your shop air will definitely help you find the leaks better, and that new toy will give you a general assessment of the life left in the engine. Great videos btw.
Hi Eric. I just did the pressure test on my 2001 ford taurus and it turns out i have cylinder # 6 (25PSI) and 4 (0PSI) has a bad leak and it's coming out of the exhaust. What do you think is causing this problem and how difficult is it to fix it for an intermediate knowledged mechanic? I also would like to thank you for all your videos and effort. I have learnt a lot from you. Thank you.
@TheMrGuest If you hear the leak at the exhaust it's probably an exhaust valve, you're going to need to remove the cylinder head and inspect it to confirm. Thanks for your comment and stay dirty.
@serchmarc Personally I don't normally use the gauge but rather the compression tester hose as I showed in the video so for me it's shop air pressure that gets used.
@EricTheCarGuy uhmm ??????? :S i just asked the number,well i thinkg im gonna start with 0 and go on hehehe thanks for the reply eric, i listed the radio show yesterday and i heard you are busy with the web so that was your last day,,well hope some day you have a live radio or tv internet show,tahts would be awesome,cheers and thaks
@EricTheCarGuy thank you for your time ,even when u didnt tell me the pressure i just tried several press and i got bubble in my trueno i think ill have to take the head off,but again thank you for your time answering my quest.cheers
Hi! I dont speak english so I gonna try to expain myself the better possible;
I have a Datsun 80 1600 engine, I have experimenting a lose of speed, I see your videos a while ago, and I have done your method of checking the leak down, I trew air with a air compressor through the spark plug holes, in the spark plug 1 and 2, air come out trough the carburator, in the spark plug 3 and four, air come out trough the muffler, also I have notice some small bubbles in the radiator, what could it be?
air come trough the muffler in the spark plug 1 and 2, and in the 3 and 4 come out trough the carburetor, and the bubbles in the radiator appears when the engine its working, when I threw air in the spark plug it happen nothing
@adlervonstahl What you describe would indicate leaks in too many areas for the engine to run so make sure you are using the tool correctly and that the cylinder you are testing is at top dead center and on the compression stroke, if not you will not get accurate readings. I suggest you try the test again and make sure of the things I just mentioned.
I have the same tester as you but when i hook it up and zero the right guage out the left guage barely has any psi to pressurize my cylinder and if i turn the regulator up to get more air pressure the right guage is in the 20% range why is this?
@1sick05srt I had the same problem with my cheep gauge as you could see in the video. I think the reason they limit the output of the tool is to prevent the engine from turing over during it's use, unfortunately this makes it so that the tool is much less accurate.
Hey Eric... could you maybe do a video on how a new tech should go about buying tools? Im working at a small engine shop and am gonna need to start soon.
@Bassman018 Good idea. I would say spend your money on good quality hand tools as you will always get your money back from those. You can worry about the specially stuff as time goes on and you make a list of what you need most while you work. Good luck.
this guy is awesome! used his technique with the compression tester as a cylinder leakage tester...car wouldnt run once hooked up to air all came out of the intake with engine at TDC...proving a bad intake valve...thank you very much for the video
@v0blida I appreciate the comment but you might want to go back and rematch the video or better still watch the series I did on the replacement of this engine. Thanks for the comment.
I have a single cylinder motorcycle engine, I can't get to TDC, I can get close but then it just cranks all the way around. Any tips on how I can keep it from going passed TDC?
@Jacare1973 Not really as you don't have any traditional vales in an engine like that however it can tell you how much is leaking past the rings if you suspect low compression. In fact a compression test might be a more efficient test for you.
LMAO! Oh stress full week for me as my motor died and I just spent a bunch of money on a used motor that may or may not be any better than what I have. Your videos told me what I already know but they made me laugh thank you for that.
It reminds me also I need a better nose hair trimmer, your seem to be under control any suggestion? Thanks for sharing and the laughs. Dallas<TX
@Bulgdoom Nothing really 'bad' happens but it's just not good practice to rotate an engine opposite it's normal direction of rotation. In some cases however if the timing chain or belt is loose enough it can jump time however but I believe that to be a rare occurrence.
@mechretired You do realize that you don't really need the tool, in fact the only reason I bought this tool was to show one in this video. If your to a point where you have a major compression leak like in this video there is only one question to answer in my opinion, "is it coming out the top of the bottom of the engine", how much is leaking is irrelevant in my opinion because lets be honest you really won't know anything for certain till you get the engine apart. Thanks for the comments.
no compression on cylinder 6 on an engine that only has 137K on it, thats not very good. i have had engines with allot more miles on them then that and still run good. it probably has something to do with maintenance, i take good care of my engines. or is it product quality? are the newer small blocks not built as well as the older engines? was the 305/350 built better than the 5.3/6.0?
@ad356 I believe this was a maintenance issue. I did an entire series on this engine replacement including an engine tear down, look under Tahoe engine swap. Thanks of your comment.
I know your in the middle of your move & I hope all is going well so far. I could use your knowledge & skill for a second.
I just bought a compression tester at HFT. I needed one to test the compression on my motorcycle. I started with the 1st cylinder & got a reading of 105psi (specs call for 150) then I moved to the other cylinders & the pressure relief valve on the tester was going up/down with the cylinder & not locking in a reading. Am I doing something wrong?
Nice video Eric. I liked that you were honest and left the bloopers in about your first experience with a brand new leakdown tester. It reflects well on your honesty. One note, you may have figured this out already, but it is easier to hear the leak if the tester is using higher pressure. Around 80-100 psi works good. Your gauge works with 15 psi. You can replace the gauge with a 100 psi model fairly cheaply. Thanks for taking the time to do this video.
@pawker5700 You are correct and that is the reason that I ran straight shop air into the cylinder in the second part of the video. Thanks for your input and comment.
great tutorial Eric! questions, what is your diagnbostic fee for compression, wet and leak down? I'm a mechanic and like to know what other shops are charging for this diagnostic
Because I doing regular oil changes, is it safe to leave the engine alone and leave it burning oil or will it eventually cause the cat converter to clog ? If I took this engine to a workshop and asked them to repair the valve oil seals could I risk spending money for a problem that could be worn rings in block? What would you advise the best things to do ? The car has only done 86k but is 10 years old and loses oil very quickly.
@MrDookie2011 I always advise testing and diagnosis before committing to a repair. If you have an oil consumption problem I would start with a leak down test to see if it's a worn engine or some other issue.
Hi, what's the best way of determining high oil consumption, when there are no visible oil leaks? I have a Audi A3 1.8T which does leak slighlty from the intercooler pipes but have been told this is normal. There doesn't appear to be any smoke from the exhaust however it's had new plugs in which are carbon fouled and the exhaust tail is also carbon fouled. Should I carry out the same procedure as you "leak down test" to check compression. If compression is ok, how can i diagnose valve oil seals?
@MrDookie2011 The leak down would be a more accurate measure of combustion chamber sealing as it would also tell you where the leak is, a compression test is really just a 'quick look'. If you have a solid combustion chamber then you may look to the valve seals but in your case I would be looking for issues with the turbo as well.
When I get a misfire code on a customer car and I find low compression on that cylinder i spray some wd-40 in the cylinder and let it set for a few minutes. That usually helps seal up the rings for a short amount of time. If there is better compression after this then its a ring problem. If the compression is the same the its a top end problem. I like your method better though I am going to start doing this instead.
@rx8on19ss I covered that in the compression test video. The leak down is a more accurate test however as it not only tells you how much is leaking but where. Thanks for your input and comment.
Hi Eric, I´m going to perform a leak down test on my Camaro 3.4 on cilinder 2 cuz that`s the only one where the spark plug doesnt work quite well, I even tried several sets of spark plugs and always number 2 its the problem. There is not quite significant smoke coming out or almost nothing just some in the mornings when I start it, not black not white some where in the middle, but what I can smell its a strong exhaust odor.
How can I find the TDC on number 2 cilinder of that engine? Thanks.
@chevy362000 Finding TDC on a cylinder is covered in this video so you may want to go back and review it but I'm not clear on your problem, when you say 'doesn't work quite well' what are you referring to?
@EricTheCarGuy You are right Eric I already got the DTC understood now. My car has 120,000 milles always well maintained. I am referring to the spark plug on that particular cylinder that comes out blackish not dry but slightly oily, the engine doesnt really burn oil not even half of quart every 4 months or so, hesitates a little at low or high rmp. I got new spark plug wires and swaped coil packs and still the same. I´m suspecting the fuel injector is not working well, even though I checked
@chevy362000 I checked the resistance and its fine around 13 ohms and I got good voltage on the connector. Do you think I got a clogged injector?? Thank you Eric.
@chevy362000 In my experience resistance checks are useless as most circuits like that fail under load. Don't rule out a mechanical issue, how did the leak down turn out? If you suspect a clogged injector I would recommend using a professional fuel injection cleaning system that hooks directly into the fuel system rather than the stuff you just dump in the tank as I have not found that to be very effective at doing anything to help the fuel system.
@EricTheCarGuy Thanks for taking your time and helping me with this valuable info. I did the test on cylinder 2, 5 and 6 they were all about the same, no inconsistency 10% leakage coming out form the crankase on the three of them, Im sure that can be normal, the difference is that the spark plug on cylinder 2 is the one that comes out black. On the dash I got no light indicating check engine or anything, I did a vacuum leak test too and I couldnt find anything. I dont know what to do now.
@EricTheCarGuy Problem solved I took the car to a place to where they did like you said a professional fuel injection cleaning and what a big change now. Thank you so much for all your help!!! I am happy now.
maybe if you knew how to use the leakdown tester right you would have been able to hear it. You turned down the regulator too much when you were trying to set it to 0 and once you connected it the pressure went down.
@Diallo268 I just took the tool out of the box and used it, I didn't make any adjustments. If you had watched the video however you would have seen that the method I've used for years is just running shop air into the cylinder with the compression test lead as that tells me all I need to know.
@EricTheCarGuy it doesn't tell you what you need to know because it doesn't show how much is leaking. By shop air you mean 120 psi? You shouldn't put that much load on the piston because if the piston was on the up stroke, the air pressure could force it backwards and without lubrication. That's why the tester uses low pressure.
@Diallo268 I think your missing the point, I don't CARE how much is leaking when I do a leak down just WHERE it is leaking, top or bottom of the engine. ANY amount of leakage that shows up as low compression like in this engine is a mechanical failure and a leak down just points you in the direction you need to go. As for how much air goes in it's not a concern because there is still oil in the cylinder and if it spins over no big deal that's what it's designed to do.
Good video. You have a quiet shop there to do the leakdown test in where you can hear the air passing the leak. If you were in a noisy shop or couldn't hear as well, you can put a latex glove over the oil fill, radiator, exhaust pipe, and intake to get a visual clue when there is leakage. A large leak like you found will inflate the glove quickly.
I watched both the compression and leak down vids - now it all makes sense.. screw buying a tester - i just need to buy a compressor - what sort of psi do you need? cheers
@SilentlyCreeping Thanks very much for the sub and for the comment. Congratulations on finishing school and I'll check the videos out when I get some time.
awesome videos man, detailed and in depth!
Patrick1245 3 days ago
T.P for myyy bung hole hahaha
redworry 3 days ago
What were you playing around with around the fuel rail and cylinder 6?
Thanks for these great vids!
socamoto 6 days ago
In my experience a leak down test can be somewhat misleading. Friends of mine did a leakdown test years ago on my dad's '73 Mercury. [351C engine] Plugs looked clean, but there was a hissing noise out of the crankcase. Oil consumption was about 1 quart/3000 miles, not alarmingly high. Turned out the only major thing wrong was burned valves from the use of propane even though they rebuild the entire engine. In hindsight I could have just removed the heads & save money. Greetings from Holland.
MrZdvy 1 week ago
gracias eric!!
estrelladelnorte1308 2 weeks ago
Thanks so much Eric. I was trying to understand the difference between leak down and compression tests. You schooled me proper. Hope your are doing great.
crodrigo 3 weeks ago
Good vid, I really enjoyed that, and I learned something.
Barnekkid 3 weeks ago
Thanks man. Great tips.
boldswede 4 weeks ago
More then half of My engine is under the cowl on My 98 Camaro. its almost easier to remove the engine to do even something as simple as spark plugs. i hate working on GM cars. always have. out of all the cars i have worked on Nissan is By far the easiest. ford has the best dealer Diag tools. and Chrysler/dodge is the easiest Domestic line i have worked on. but then again i learned on Chrysler and became a Chrysler gold tool master, so i kind of favor them as far as turning wrenches in concerned
MrGizmo757 1 month ago
My car has a broken camshaft and was told I need a new engine. How do i do this if I don't have any compression? I just don't want to replace the whole engine if I can get away with just replacing the head. any advice?
usafguy691 1 month ago
@usafguy691 if the camshaft has broken there is a reason why,doesn't sound good...you may have bent valves?,take the camshaft out then all the valves will be closed,be sure to keep the cam caps in order,and put them back exactly where they came from...im thinking this would only work on a leakdown test,not a normal comp test...hope this helps :]
MyDucatiGT1000 1 week ago
You have to turn the regulator up to turn the pressure up. There isnt enough volume of air to hear it. Thats why you where having an issue.
srtrcr 1 month ago in playlist More videos from EricTheCarGuy
@srtrcr you are right 9psi is too little ...i think.
estrelladelnorte1308 2 weeks ago
so un bolt the dam v/c and back off the rockers and all the guess work is done u know its internal already so go after it
blevomust 1 month ago
and now you know y it set a fuel pump circuit code unplugging the relay
blevomust 1 month ago
why unplug the coils dumbass it already told u what cylinder the miss is at
blevomust 1 month ago
Hi Eric after watching this video I have some question for you about my car, it is a honda accord dx manual with 157k on it. I went outside and as I open the oil filler cap I notice that there is a rush of air coming out from that hole and i could feel it on my hand. What does it mean to my engine? And also I notice there is also alot of steam and water coming out from exhaust tailpipe, does it mean my head gasket is no good no more? Please help me diagnose my problem and I really appreciate it
kinakusgansacebu 1 month ago
That looks like the cheapo one from HarborFreight. I know you can't say it on the video but I got one too ;)
venxxxxx 2 months ago
hello Eric loves all your video! keep it up Greeting from Australia!!!
ikoikomick 2 months ago
Great Vid. Great logic and common sense. As an engineer, I like to do things myself instead of getting reamed for $200 just to diagnose a problem. Right now I'm trying to figure out what is causing my p0300 random misfire error code. Interesting challenge. Some diagnostic tools needed for checking fuel pump pressure, compression, and vacuum. Thanks Eric.
Thelofis 2 months ago
Great video. I feel sorry for the owner of that brand new truck. I like how you said that line where you gather the evidence to find the solution to the problem, and not just guessed, like a lot of motha$%^& out there who still be getting paid at the lack of knowledge of a costumer. Thanks!
strongsoldier100 2 months ago
how do you remove the schrader valve from the compression tester hose? I have a compression tester but don't know how to remove the valve.
bran1har 2 months ago
I got a leak down tester from hf, and I connect it to a 125psi source...BUT the source psi readout gauge only gets up to like 18psi..? I set the compression tester gauge at ZERO and perform the test... but with only 18psi? How can it be when I have 125psi in the source hose?
Is there a parameter adjustment that will let more than just 18psi into the source readout gauge?
urgeone 2 months ago
@urgeone Yea I had the same problem with my HF gauge in this video, that's why I recommended to just use the hose from the compression tester and hook it to shop air to do the test. Good luck.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy Thanks man. It's a VQ35de going into a 99 Maxima lol.
Do you know anything about honing because the local guy said he'll do it at a price for $188...I'm not too crazy about that deal, I'd rather try myself. I know I can get the honing devices with either stones or the brushes...
Thanks again.
urgeone 2 months ago
Hi, I've been watching Your channel and I've got like 200 more films to go ;) Thanks for what You are doing here. I'm an engeneer and I see that You are really aware of Your profession. Don't get me wrong but You know that many 'mechanics' do crap not repairs in fact ! Greetings from Poland, God bless You :)
SzymekCRX 2 months ago
@SzymekCRX Hello Poland! Thanks for your comment, in fact I actually speak to that fact about some mechanics on my other channel ETCG1.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
dont you have to open that regulator to 100 psi watching the gauge go to 100,psi first, then the right leakdown gauge will show leakage. t
The the 100psi will bleed out the cylinder for you to hear where its coming from
Doesnt look like you had more than 20 psi built up to start the initial process ?
basracer 2 months ago
@basracer I was not able to do that because the gauge would only go so high which was no where near 100psi, perhaps it's a cheep gauge but as I said in the video I don't normally use an actual leak down tester for this but rather just use my compression tester hose and straight shop air.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy Actually my source psi readout gauge was like yours though when hooked up to the cylinder it did bleed out all the air pressure from my 100 psi at the compressor to let me hear where the leaking was occuring and stayed constant as the source pressure was enough
basracer 2 months ago
haha I did the same exact thing when I first got my leak down tester. I didn't realize you needed to pull the regulator down in order to spin it.
jdmfreak92 2 months ago
@jdmfreak92 Yea I don't mind showing my mistakes, I am human after all.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
This video is great!!!!!
theshadiest86 2 months ago
@theshadiest86 Thank you.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
Clever Guy ! Very Video !
BeedieMobilityHire 3 months ago
wow, I learned a lot from this video. Thanks for making it.
bran1har 3 months ago
@bran1har You're welcome, thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
Eric i got the Actron cp 9580 is that one okay?.
hp11208 3 months ago
@hp11208 I think I have the same one and it's served me quite well.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
Stay dirty,lo
hp11208 3 months ago
how many miles on that truck? looks like a 07 or newer
4g63junkie 3 months ago
@4g63junkie I don't remember but I cover that in the Tahoe engine series.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
wow,came back to see spell check typed out TDM instead of TDC. Haha
Placer 3 months ago
luv your vids! keep it up from a fan yoiu should have your own show on tv i would watch every week they have guys on the outdoor channel all the time testing cars and trucks and stuff but nuthin that shows how to really fix stuff like you do! great work! hope to see ya on the tube! btw the music is growin on me lol
NinjaNeglector 3 months ago
@NinjaNeglector
I second that. I'd watch it any day of the week. Great work!
mslacrosse12 3 months ago
@NinjaNeglector Thank you very much for that, the only problem I can foresee with that is that not all repairs fit into a 'time slot' which is required for something that goes on TV. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
BTW after checking the next cylinder and noticing a 60% loss....wouldn't that be the case because its not @TDM?
Placer 3 months ago
@Placer No because I rotated the engine so that cylinder was at TDC (Top Dead Center) before I did the test.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
back here again.
Hey Eric what happened to this car afterwards? Curious to know the complete 411 after the video.
also did you ever give that leakdown set another shot? forgot to mention how great the video is cuz along w the proper tools you also show the equivalent alternative.
Placer 3 months ago
@Placer See the Tahoe engine series as I follow this one all the way to the 'end'.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
Everyday we learn something new, your videos are really good. Keep up the good work, I'm also a mecanic (still new) but your videos are very helpfull compared to what we learn. Keep up the good job :))
costa83p 3 months ago
@costa83p Thank you very much for that and good luck in your career.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
On those leak down testers you have to run the compressed air on the first gage at 100 psi and lock it, then hook up your hose and you'll get your reading:)
costa83p 3 months ago
@costa83p Yea I tried that, didn't work, there must be some other means of adjusting the pressure on this particular set up but like I said in the video I normally just use the hose from my compression tester to do the leak down test.
EricTheCarGuy 2 months ago
all i can say is great video
thebrenism 3 months ago 4
@thebrenism Thank you, glad you liked it.
EricTheCarGuy 3 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy
Eric
Great videos, How did you know that the piston was on the compression stroke instead of the exhaust stroke?
Thanks for everything
jsamaustin 3 months ago
how many miles does that truck have??
Epill11 3 months ago
@Epill11 I forgot but I talk about it in the rest of this series, look up Tahoe Engine Replacement.
EricTheCarGuy 3 months ago
great videos!!!! You can't go wrong with good old Harbor Freight tools!
vegasfordguy 3 months ago
@vegasfordguy Honestly I wasn't too happy with the tool because it didn't put out enough air pressure to get an accurate reading, I haven't checked to see if I could adjust the output yet but I would have liked to have more pressure going into the cylinder. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 3 months ago
Im so glad i discovered your videos :) with what you demonstrated everything i had learned at uti came rushing back i even saved my cousins 4 grand they were gonna spend replacing an engine when all it needed was a cylinder head gasket thanks :D
liljoker062000 3 months ago
@liljoker062000 No THAT is something I love to hear, thanks for your comment.
EricTheCarGuy 3 months ago
Thanks for taking the time to make this leakdown video. Good stuff. Your methodical approach is assuring and impressive.
ThatWhichIsLeft 4 months ago
@ThatWhichIsLeft Thank you very much for that comment I really appreciate it.
EricTheCarGuy 3 months ago
Hey Eric,
Thanks for the great videos. I just bought a Toyota Pickup that apparently the guy over heated and said it was the head gasket. I went ahead and just ran 100psi of shop air in to one of the cylinders and heard just a leak through the oil cap and dipstick. I am almost positive I was at TDC but even if I wasn't air leaking through there would still mean bad rings correct? It was enough air that I could also feel the pressure coming out. I didnt even bother to check any other cylinders..
airmalloy 4 months ago
@airmalloy Yea that would indicate a leak at the piston, if that's the case then you would need to rebuild or replace the engine to correct the issue. Good luck.
EricTheCarGuy 3 months ago
Your leak down tester was operating at 10 or so PSI... that will generate very little flow, hence very little noise. So...
Your shop air will definitely help you find the leaks better, and that new toy will give you a general assessment of the life left in the engine. Great videos btw.
jimzamerski 4 months ago
@jimzamerski Yea it's a pretty cheep tester, in fact I only bought it to make this video with. Thank you very much for your input and comment.
EricTheCarGuy 4 months ago
Hi Eric. I just did the pressure test on my 2001 ford taurus and it turns out i have cylinder # 6 (25PSI) and 4 (0PSI) has a bad leak and it's coming out of the exhaust. What do you think is causing this problem and how difficult is it to fix it for an intermediate knowledged mechanic? I also would like to thank you for all your videos and effort. I have learnt a lot from you. Thank you.
TheMrGuest 4 months ago
@TheMrGuest If you hear the leak at the exhaust it's probably an exhaust valve, you're going to need to remove the cylinder head and inspect it to confirm. Thanks for your comment and stay dirty.
EricTheCarGuy 4 months ago
how much pressure must enter to the comb chamber to hear a good wissh LOL,,as far i see in your 1st gauge is like 15psi? or more?
serchmarc 4 months ago
@serchmarc Personally I don't normally use the gauge but rather the compression tester hose as I showed in the video so for me it's shop air pressure that gets used.
EricTheCarGuy 4 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy uhmm ??????? :S i just asked the number,well i thinkg im gonna start with 0 and go on hehehe thanks for the reply eric, i listed the radio show yesterday and i heard you are busy with the web so that was your last day,,well hope some day you have a live radio or tv internet show,tahts would be awesome,cheers and thaks
serchmarc 4 months ago
@serchmarc My shop air is at 125psi, sorry I didn't post that for you. Thanks for your comments.
EricTheCarGuy 4 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy thank you for your time ,even when u didnt tell me the pressure i just tried several press and i got bubble in my trueno i think ill have to take the head off,but again thank you for your time answering my quest.cheers
serchmarc 4 months ago
@serchmarc Glad you got it figured out, good luck with the repair.
EricTheCarGuy 4 months ago
awesome video! I love how he gives us all the tips you'd never find in the helms manual!! :D
gefallt 4 months ago
that thing dosent have even a valve cover wtf lol...
abunaiN1 4 months ago
Hi! I dont speak english so I gonna try to expain myself the better possible;
I have a Datsun 80 1600 engine, I have experimenting a lose of speed, I see your videos a while ago, and I have done your method of checking the leak down, I trew air with a air compressor through the spark plug holes, in the spark plug 1 and 2, air come out trough the carburator, in the spark plug 3 and four, air come out trough the muffler, also I have notice some small bubbles in the radiator, what could it be?
adlervonstahl 4 months ago
@adlervonstahl my mistake,
air come trough the muffler in the spark plug 1 and 2, and in the 3 and 4 come out trough the carburetor, and the bubbles in the radiator appears when the engine its working, when I threw air in the spark plug it happen nothing
adlervonstahl 4 months ago
@adlervonstahl What you describe would indicate leaks in too many areas for the engine to run so make sure you are using the tool correctly and that the cylinder you are testing is at top dead center and on the compression stroke, if not you will not get accurate readings. I suggest you try the test again and make sure of the things I just mentioned.
EricTheCarGuy 4 months ago
I have the same tester as you but when i hook it up and zero the right guage out the left guage barely has any psi to pressurize my cylinder and if i turn the regulator up to get more air pressure the right guage is in the 20% range why is this?
1sick05srt 5 months ago
@1sick05srt I had the same problem with my cheep gauge as you could see in the video. I think the reason they limit the output of the tool is to prevent the engine from turing over during it's use, unfortunately this makes it so that the tool is much less accurate.
EricTheCarGuy 4 months ago
did the other cylinders besides 1 test bad too? could it have been a lean condition that caused the whole problem?
shwert08 5 months ago
@shwert08 A lean condition doesn't cause compression loss. You can watch the rest of this series under the Chevy Tahoe engine series that I did.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
why is there 2 gauges on the leak down tested? how does that work?
thanks
jambe1234567 5 months ago
@jambe1234567 You might want to watch the video again as that information is in the video.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
Hey Eric... could you maybe do a video on how a new tech should go about buying tools? Im working at a small engine shop and am gonna need to start soon.
Bassman018 5 months ago
@Bassman018 Good idea. I would say spend your money on good quality hand tools as you will always get your money back from those. You can worry about the specially stuff as time goes on and you make a list of what you need most while you work. Good luck.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
U should be president of the U.S hahaha
Where are u located?
VIHUELERO2001 5 months ago
@VIHUELERO2001 I don't think I want that job, too much stress. I'm in Cincinnati OH. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
harbor freight??? us general
galaeron554 5 months ago
@galaeron554 Yes unfortunately.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
this guy is awesome! used his technique with the compression tester as a cylinder leakage tester...car wouldnt run once hooked up to air all came out of the intake with engine at TDC...proving a bad intake valve...thank you very much for the video
v0blida 5 months ago
@v0blida I appreciate the comment but you might want to go back and rematch the video or better still watch the series I did on the replacement of this engine. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
You probably didn't hear any leakage with the tester because it's only putting out 5-10 pounds of air while your shop air is 80-200 pounds.
meandmyevo 5 months ago
@meandmyevo Yea, that's why I switched to shop air. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy if somebody can't afford to switch the engine, can they just unplug connector from Fuel Injector and run on 5 cylinders??
thanks
jambe1234567 5 months ago
@jambe1234567 You could but I would not consider that 'practical'.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
how good is that code reader you use? can it pick up as much as vagcom?
raikkonen85 5 months ago
@raikkonen85 It's actually served me quite well, it's actually made by OTC.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
I have a single cylinder motorcycle engine, I can't get to TDC, I can get close but then it just cranks all the way around. Any tips on how I can keep it from going passed TDC?
archernewb 5 months ago
@archernewb That's a tough one you might try lowering the air pressure going in because it will be tough to keep it from rotating.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
yes , i agree.(gotta pull motor anyway) but many people go beyond this.
1: not all compression tests are for dead motors.! we do the leak down from toi to bottom with the valves relaxed. TDC to BTC
to see if the seal is good top to bottom. (every 100k)
there other reason,
is if valves dont leak, and only the rings leak, we run it another 100k.
see?
the compression test on the other hand fails if you.
have weak battery
for got to pull sparks or is not WOT.
best practice is BOTH TOOLS.
mechretired 5 months ago
@mechretired Excellent points, thanks for your comments and input.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
Great videos! I was wondering if the leak down test would work for a 2 stroke dirtbike engine? Thanks
Jacare1973 5 months ago
@Jacare1973 Not really as you don't have any traditional vales in an engine like that however it can tell you how much is leaking past the rings if you suspect low compression. In fact a compression test might be a more efficient test for you.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
LMAO! Oh stress full week for me as my motor died and I just spent a bunch of money on a used motor that may or may not be any better than what I have. Your videos told me what I already know but they made me laugh thank you for that.
It reminds me also I need a better nose hair trimmer, your seem to be under control any suggestion? Thanks for sharing and the laughs. Dallas<TX
MrLShlong 5 months ago
@MrLShlong Just grab them and rip them right out, the pain can help wake you up if your feeling drowsy.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
What happens if u turn engine anti-clockwise? Just wondering, my mechanic told me that its bad when i was adjusting my bike's valves.
Bulgdoom 5 months ago
@Bulgdoom Nothing really 'bad' happens but it's just not good practice to rotate an engine opposite it's normal direction of rotation. In some cases however if the timing chain or belt is loose enough it can jump time however but I believe that to be a rare occurrence.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
your's is the best video, bar not so far.
your's does show how to use the tool to find leaks best , bar none.
but, all videos to date fail to show how tool works, or how test the tool before starting.
its not a rant , just trying to help the persons, that cat get off square one.
mechretired 5 months ago
@mechretired You do realize that you don't really need the tool, in fact the only reason I bought this tool was to show one in this video. If your to a point where you have a major compression leak like in this video there is only one question to answer in my opinion, "is it coming out the top of the bottom of the engine", how much is leaking is irrelevant in my opinion because lets be honest you really won't know anything for certain till you get the engine apart. Thanks for the comments.
EricTheCarGuy 5 months ago
great video.
just wanted show how to test the tool first.
doing it last is a waste of time.
almost all failed posts here, are for these facts
w w w .kick-fix.com/compressiontest.html#leakdown
mechretired 5 months ago
you failed, (good video, but tail coupling failed.)
you didnt test the HF leak down tester first.
1:attach tank use 50psi, more dont help ! the left gage is reg air not input !!!
1a: do not attach tail hose
2: open reg, see 0 set (right gage) (note end fast coupling is closed) no leaks
3: now attach tail hose ( this opens the fast coupling) hear it leak?
4: yours didnt so Your fast coupling just failed (FACT)
5:Cylinder at TDC, you screw in hose(its leaking) . gage goes to Good zone.
2 tests
mechretired 6 months ago
@mechretired Did you watch the entire video or just go off on a rant?
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
no compression on cylinder 6 on an engine that only has 137K on it, thats not very good. i have had engines with allot more miles on them then that and still run good. it probably has something to do with maintenance, i take good care of my engines. or is it product quality? are the newer small blocks not built as well as the older engines? was the 305/350 built better than the 5.3/6.0?
ad356 6 months ago
@ad356 I believe this was a maintenance issue. I did an entire series on this engine replacement including an engine tear down, look under Tahoe engine swap. Thanks of your comment.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
Great gentleman with honesty, confidentce and correct information
dawood1351 6 months ago
@dawood1351 Thank you very much for that, glad you liked the video.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy u r welcome
I have a vw 99 golf mk4
It is ok when idling
But when I accelerate at 100 km ph or 30 rmp, I see a smoke that is not blue or white but between them coming out of my tail pipe.
There not been any oil or coolant loss for the last 400 miles that is since I had it this car
So what can be wrong with it?
dawood1351 6 months ago
All you had to do was hit the top button for the DIC to display the odometer :P Anyway, great vid :)
kyle51895 6 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Hi Eric,
I know your in the middle of your move & I hope all is going well so far. I could use your knowledge & skill for a second.
I just bought a compression tester at HFT. I needed one to test the compression on my motorcycle. I started with the 1st cylinder & got a reading of 105psi (specs call for 150) then I moved to the other cylinders & the pressure relief valve on the tester was going up/down with the cylinder & not locking in a reading. Am I doing something wrong?
Michiganborn1969 6 months ago
Nice video Eric. I liked that you were honest and left the bloopers in about your first experience with a brand new leakdown tester. It reflects well on your honesty. One note, you may have figured this out already, but it is easier to hear the leak if the tester is using higher pressure. Around 80-100 psi works good. Your gauge works with 15 psi. You can replace the gauge with a 100 psi model fairly cheaply. Thanks for taking the time to do this video.
pawker5700 6 months ago
@pawker5700 You are correct and that is the reason that I ran straight shop air into the cylinder in the second part of the video. Thanks for your input and comment.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
Great video, thank you
pacosa234 6 months ago
@pacosa234 Glad you liked it, thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 6 months ago
great tutorial Eric! questions, what is your diagnbostic fee for compression, wet and leak down? I'm a mechanic and like to know what other shops are charging for this diagnostic
reikoinaz 7 months ago
@reikoinaz Depends on the engine but somewhere between 1-2 hours for diagnostics.
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
Because I doing regular oil changes, is it safe to leave the engine alone and leave it burning oil or will it eventually cause the cat converter to clog ? If I took this engine to a workshop and asked them to repair the valve oil seals could I risk spending money for a problem that could be worn rings in block? What would you advise the best things to do ? The car has only done 86k but is 10 years old and loses oil very quickly.
MrDookie2011 7 months ago
@MrDookie2011 I always advise testing and diagnosis before committing to a repair. If you have an oil consumption problem I would start with a leak down test to see if it's a worn engine or some other issue.
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
Hi, what's the best way of determining high oil consumption, when there are no visible oil leaks? I have a Audi A3 1.8T which does leak slighlty from the intercooler pipes but have been told this is normal. There doesn't appear to be any smoke from the exhaust however it's had new plugs in which are carbon fouled and the exhaust tail is also carbon fouled. Should I carry out the same procedure as you "leak down test" to check compression. If compression is ok, how can i diagnose valve oil seals?
MrDookie2011 7 months ago
@MrDookie2011 The leak down would be a more accurate measure of combustion chamber sealing as it would also tell you where the leak is, a compression test is really just a 'quick look'. If you have a solid combustion chamber then you may look to the valve seals but in your case I would be looking for issues with the turbo as well.
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
Thank you very much for this and lots of other videos.
Your videos are very helpful for a guy like me who is just started on my first year apprentice :D
bloodtribe 7 months ago
@bloodtribe Good luck and thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
When I get a misfire code on a customer car and I find low compression on that cylinder i spray some wd-40 in the cylinder and let it set for a few minutes. That usually helps seal up the rings for a short amount of time. If there is better compression after this then its a ring problem. If the compression is the same the its a top end problem. I like your method better though I am going to start doing this instead.
rx8on19ss 7 months ago
@rx8on19ss I covered that in the compression test video. The leak down is a more accurate test however as it not only tells you how much is leaking but where. Thanks for your input and comment.
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
Great video again. I drive a semi, but when I get home I'm going to try this on my bronco 2 just to see (260,000 miles on it). Learn and do.
1967800 7 months ago
@1967800 That sounds like good times. Good luck.
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
Hi Eric, I´m going to perform a leak down test on my Camaro 3.4 on cilinder 2 cuz that`s the only one where the spark plug doesnt work quite well, I even tried several sets of spark plugs and always number 2 its the problem. There is not quite significant smoke coming out or almost nothing just some in the mornings when I start it, not black not white some where in the middle, but what I can smell its a strong exhaust odor.
How can I find the TDC on number 2 cilinder of that engine? Thanks.
chevy362000 8 months ago
@chevy362000 Finding TDC on a cylinder is covered in this video so you may want to go back and review it but I'm not clear on your problem, when you say 'doesn't work quite well' what are you referring to?
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy You are right Eric I already got the DTC understood now. My car has 120,000 milles always well maintained. I am referring to the spark plug on that particular cylinder that comes out blackish not dry but slightly oily, the engine doesnt really burn oil not even half of quart every 4 months or so, hesitates a little at low or high rmp. I got new spark plug wires and swaped coil packs and still the same. I´m suspecting the fuel injector is not working well, even though I checked
chevy362000 8 months ago
@chevy362000 I checked the resistance and its fine around 13 ohms and I got good voltage on the connector. Do you think I got a clogged injector?? Thank you Eric.
chevy362000 8 months ago
@chevy362000 In my experience resistance checks are useless as most circuits like that fail under load. Don't rule out a mechanical issue, how did the leak down turn out? If you suspect a clogged injector I would recommend using a professional fuel injection cleaning system that hooks directly into the fuel system rather than the stuff you just dump in the tank as I have not found that to be very effective at doing anything to help the fuel system.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy Thanks for taking your time and helping me with this valuable info. I did the test on cylinder 2, 5 and 6 they were all about the same, no inconsistency 10% leakage coming out form the crankase on the three of them, Im sure that can be normal, the difference is that the spark plug on cylinder 2 is the one that comes out black. On the dash I got no light indicating check engine or anything, I did a vacuum leak test too and I couldnt find anything. I dont know what to do now.
chevy362000 8 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy Problem solved I took the car to a place to where they did like you said a professional fuel injection cleaning and what a big change now. Thank you so much for all your help!!! I am happy now.
chevy362000 8 months ago
@chevy362000 Awesome, thanks for the update.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
Comment removed
Diallo268 8 months ago
maybe if you knew how to use the leakdown tester right you would have been able to hear it. You turned down the regulator too much when you were trying to set it to 0 and once you connected it the pressure went down.
Diallo268 8 months ago
@Diallo268 I just took the tool out of the box and used it, I didn't make any adjustments. If you had watched the video however you would have seen that the method I've used for years is just running shop air into the cylinder with the compression test lead as that tells me all I need to know.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
@EricTheCarGuy it doesn't tell you what you need to know because it doesn't show how much is leaking. By shop air you mean 120 psi? You shouldn't put that much load on the piston because if the piston was on the up stroke, the air pressure could force it backwards and without lubrication. That's why the tester uses low pressure.
Diallo268 8 months ago
@Diallo268 I think your missing the point, I don't CARE how much is leaking when I do a leak down just WHERE it is leaking, top or bottom of the engine. ANY amount of leakage that shows up as low compression like in this engine is a mechanical failure and a leak down just points you in the direction you need to go. As for how much air goes in it's not a concern because there is still oil in the cylinder and if it spins over no big deal that's what it's designed to do.
EricTheCarGuy 7 months ago
Good video. You have a quiet shop there to do the leakdown test in where you can hear the air passing the leak. If you were in a noisy shop or couldn't hear as well, you can put a latex glove over the oil fill, radiator, exhaust pipe, and intake to get a visual clue when there is leakage. A large leak like you found will inflate the glove quickly.
casemech 8 months ago
@casemech Great tip, thanks for posting.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
nice man, great video.
theGREAT0103 8 months ago
@theGREAT0103 Thank you, glad you liked it.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
The US General leak down tester is crap. It is doing the test at about 15psi and at low air volume.
nhojcam 8 months ago
@nhojcam Hence the reason I switched to shop air. Thanks for the comment.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
Comment removed
int53185 8 months ago
I watched both the compression and leak down vids - now it all makes sense.. screw buying a tester - i just need to buy a compressor - what sort of psi do you need? cheers
unutterable83 8 months ago
@unutterable83 Mine runs at 125psi but it probably comes out more like 90psi.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
Subbed! Graduating NASCAR tech in 3 weeks. Your videos will help me greatly, thank you! Check out my favorites for the truth about what is going on!
SilentlyCreeping 8 months ago
@SilentlyCreeping Thanks very much for the sub and for the comment. Congratulations on finishing school and I'll check the videos out when I get some time.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
if its one cylinder on a fairly new truck why not dry sleeve single cylinder
Reaperofwind 8 months ago
@Reaperofwind Time is money and to tear down and fix the engine would take more time than just replacing it.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
thank u now I know how to do a leak down test..can I do this on my 87 yamaha warrior? should work has valves
socalRooster 8 months ago
@socalRooster You might start with a compression test just to check for starters and determine if a leak down is necessary.
EricTheCarGuy 8 months ago
Man, your videos are awesome!!!!, Thank you Eric. I´m going to suscribe!
chevy362000 9 months ago