DIY - Pressure testing your intake - Find Vacuum Leaks

[groggory]

Did this for the first time ever tonight. Ended up finding two leaks that were making my car idle like ****: bumpy idle, engine shaking, all as the ECU/TB hunted for the optimum amount of air.

Things to note:

- A B&M's Baked Beans cans works great. It takes a little squeezing, but it fits perfectly in a Forge TIP... no need for a clamp.
- If you have a big compressor, like a standup 25 gal or something, without an accurate regulator, just give it enough air until you hear the tubing pressurize. Give it slightlyyy more if you don't hear anything, but not much more. You'll blow off your tester.
- Make sure you clamp the hose coming from the PCV port/hockey puck so you don't pressurize the crank case. If you already have done the SAI/EVAP/PCV delete, folding your catch-can-to-hockey-puck hose in half and using a pair of vice grips works great.

I ended up having a ripped vacuum cap on one of the nipples on the underside of the intake manifold: tightened the worm clamp too much. I just put a cap that fit veryyy snug and omitted the worm clamp. We'll see how it holds up. I also had a small leak from one of the vacuum lines that goes to the bottom of the TIP near the turbo inlet. I used a screw and clamp at the open end and the screw was too small so it was leaking out. Got a bigger nut, screwed it in and snugged the clamp down tight... voila, no more leaks!

FYI...the tiny worm clamps like to tear little hoses and stuff. For those, the one-use crimp ear clamps are much better. Alternatively, these are good clamps too (and are reusable)

http://www.mcmaster.com/#hose-and-tube-clamps/=dvag21

[erevlydeux]

FYI...the tiny worm clamps like to tear little hoses and stuff. For those, the one-use crimp ear clamps are much better. Alternatively, these are good clamps too (and are reusable)

http://www.mcmaster.com/#hose-and-tube-clamps/=dvag21

I have a lot of snap clamps.. just not ones that are the right size, unfortunately.

[grake05]

I know you posted this in 2000, however, it still very good. I have a basic question and I am knew to this forum and how to search thru it for the possible.

I rigged up a very good pressure adapter, complete with a shrader valve and gauge. However, without a picture or better description, I am having difficulty with " Clamp off the PCV line from the block/valve cover to the intake boot."

I have tried several hoses clamped, to no avail, as I keep the oil cap on but loose and it chatters from the pressure in the crankcase. I have just about given up but thought I would give this a try, asking the original person who wrote it up.

I have a 2002, 1.8l Turbo Jetta, GLS. Can you help or anyone else?

Thanks,

grake05

[groggory]

I know you posted this in 2000, however, it still very good. I have a basic question and I am knew to this forum and how to search thru it for the possible.

I rigged up a very good pressure adapter, complete with a shrader valve and gauge. However, without a picture or better description, I am having difficulty with " Clamp off the PCV line from the block/valve cover to the intake boot."

I have tried several hoses clamped, to no avail, as I keep the oil cap on but loose and it chatters from the pressure in the crankcase. I have just about given up but thought I would give this a try, asking the original person who wrote it up.

I have a 2002, 1.8l Turbo Jetta, GLS. Can you help or anyone else?

Thanks,

grake05

Use a pair of hose pliers right behind the prv ( hockey puck)

[Twopnt016v]

Here is the original write-up with pics....
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?2692757

[grake05]

Thank you, I give it a go.

[Arizman3]

I just made one of these pressure testers for my 2002 audi tt quattro. I found three leaks, cracked hoses all connected to the intake manifold which caused a check engine light, all small splits, Replaced the hoses, cleared the code, car runs great, no check engine light.

Thanks for this thread !

[Vegeta Gti]

this should be a sticky

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

[DMVDUB]

Decent little video by Eric the car guy on how to find a vac leak. I think many people could benefit from watching his videos, They cover many, many things we talk about here.

Here's the video

[groggory]

Nice boost leak tester

http://www.turboboostleaktesters.com...%22/Categories



Choose the appropriate size for your MAF

[All_Euro]

^^ nice tester - same price as the ones from frozenboost but has a gauge

I finally made time to pressure test my intake system today & didn't find any bad hoses or connections but I could hear a bubbling sound through the open oil cap… like when a kid blows through his chocolate milk straw.

Background: full EVAP delete with crankcase and valve covers VTA - no catch can at the moment as it was filling up faster than I burn through a tank of gas. Engine oil is the proper colour and I don't have to add any between changes…

Seems pretty weird, any ideas

[groggory]

Fyi.

People, use regulated pressure. Not bottle pressure

[All_Euro]

Fyi.

People, use regulated pressure. Not bottle pressure

My compressor has two regulators - one for the tank and one for the lines.

[groggory]

My compressor has two regulators - one for the tank and one for the lines.

Exactly.

One gauge will say let's say... 150 PSI. That's bottle/ tank pressure.

One gauge you will adjust to say... 10 PSI. That's regulated pressure.

[All_Euro]

Exactly.

One gauge will say let's say... 150 PSI. That's bottle/ tank pressure.

One gauge you will adjust to say... 10 PSI. That's regulated pressure.

Haha - I didn't mean to give the impression that I was using an unregulated air source… or that I didn't know which each regulator on the compressor was for… good review for anyone who's unsure though

Judging by how fast my CC was filling up - I'm thinking the bubbling sound may be from water in the side-mount IC… I'll head over to my friend's garage and see what I can find.


Edit: Well that was wishful thinking… got a little oil out of the side-mount but that's it. The search continues...