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Can someone point me in the right direction for a how-to check for vacuum leaks?

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Old 04-20-07, 12:02 PM
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Can someone point me in the right direction for a how-to check for vacuum leaks?

I know there's a link somewhere (i've searched for a while) on how to hook up your motor to a wet-dry to check for vacuum leaks.

Anyone know where this link is?

Thanks,

Ian
Old 04-20-07, 12:54 PM
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Well, I don't have a link, but I have a few ideas.

If you're looking for a *vacuum* leak, use starting fluid. Any air that gets sucked in through a leak between the throttle plates and the engine is a vacuum leak, and is a Bad Thing. Spray starting fluid where you think the leak may be, and the engine will rev up and smooth out when it sucks the fluid in.

If you're looking for a boost leak, best way is to pressure test the system. One neat way to do it is with the Fighter's Garage boost pressure tester -

http://www.fighters-garage.com/rx7.html

Scroll to the bottom. Has a pressure gauge so you can see how much pressure you're pumping in, and you can feel and hear boost leaks pretty easily. I've been surprised at the leaks I've found on cars I've worked on. Any boost leak means lost power.

Dale
Old 04-20-07, 02:41 PM
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Originally Posted by DaleClark
If you're looking for a boost leak, best way is to pressure test the system. One neat way to do it is with the Fighter's Garage boost pressure tester -

http://www.fighters-garage.com/rx7.html

Scroll to the bottom. Has a pressure gauge so you can see how much pressure you're pumping in, and you can feel and hear boost leaks pretty easily. I've been surprised at the leaks I've found on cars I've worked on. Any boost leak means lost power.

Dale
Man, I can't believe I never thought of this! I used to pressure check waveguides and TWTs all the time using a very similar adapter (of course, it fit waveguides not IC plumbing).

Old 04-20-07, 03:30 PM
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On my DSM I would just make a pressure tester by taking some rubber hose the size of the turbo inlet pipe, and putting a tire valve in the center, then clamp it onto the turbo pipe. Then you just add compressor air and listen for leaks...it was a simple one, that had no gauge, but you could easily add a gauge. When you throw compressor air in there, you can really hear it hiss out of holes.

here is a quick link to a DSM tester,

http://www.vfaq.com/mods/ICtester.html
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