Greetings,

I bought a leakdown tester at Harbor Freight, which may be the
problem :-)

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94190

I have read and understand the process, but never done it, until now.
Got my compressor set at 80psi, attach it up, set the engine to TDC on
the compression stroke for number one, and attached the tester to the
cylinder.

What happens is, that the directions tell me to open the pressure
valve until the leakdown gauge reaches 0, or the position marked as
SET.

When I open the valve, the leakdown gauge goes around to the top of
the settings, at 0, but the input gauge, is only reaching
20psi........ If I open the input to the full 80psi, the leakdown
gauge wraps around way past the 0 point, and pins all the way up high,
making it useless.

Should there be away to calibrate the leakdown gauge? I am just not
sure if I am missing something that is required, as at 20psi, there is
no leaking of consequence, and for me to set the leakdown to 0, seems
an odd thing to do.

I would have thought I should set the input to 80psi, and the leakdown
percentage would read on the leakdown gauge.....

If anyone has done this, seen it, or wants to take a guess, I am up
for all the help I can get.

Thanks in advance.

John

On May 23, 11:30 am, "Dan Calhoun" <dcalhou... (AT) comcast (DOT) net> wrote:


Thanks Dan. That does help, because I am trying to learn if this
tester even works, and from what people are telling me, it is not
working properly. At least now I understand what is -should- do, so
that helps me get it figured out.

Much obliged for you help.

John

My experience with leakdown testers is with a Snap-On unit. First you hook
the air supply line to the unit (from Compressor) Then you dial the gauge
till it reads "0" Then you screw the adapter into the spark plug and then
connect the tester to the adapter. Then it reads cylinder leakage when
cylinder is at TDC compression stroke.

"John" <ewsnet (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote