Honda and Acura Model Specific Forums

wildoutwhitegsr · 01-12-2006, 01:52 PM

What is a leakdown test? Well a leak down test determines exactly how much compression your losing and from which cylinder, as well as the cause of it. More on that later. This test along with a compression test will determine the health of your motor.

Tools Needed:
Compressor
5/8” Spark Plug Socket
10mm
19mm
Rachet
6” Extension
Leakdown Tester

1) First things first, find a place to work on your car.

2) Proceed to plug in your compressor and set it up with the hose attached and pressure regulated between 60psi and 100psi. I choose 100psi.

3) Plug the gauge half of the leakdown tester into the compressor and then turn the adjustment knob so that it reads 0Psi.

4) Remove the cover on the underhood fusebox. Should look like this.

5) Locate the 15A fuse in the upper lefthand corner and remove it. This prevents fuel from being squirted into the engine when manually cranking it over to TDC for each cylinder.

6) Proceed to the car and remove your valve cover.

Place all the bolts and valve cover gromets in a safe place. For me it's in the spark plug cover.

7) Then remove each spark plug like so.

Once all the spark plugs are removed, place them in a safe place.

This is also a good time to check them to see what condition there in.

8) Once each spark plug is removed, you then set cylinder 1 to TDC (Top Dead Center). You accomplish this by manually turning over the engine with the 19mm socket and extention on the rachet. Proceed to turn the engine counter-clockwise until your cam gears reach TDC for cylinder one.

9) Proceed to screw in the hose of the leakdown tester into cylinder 1

10) Attach the other half of the leakdown tester (gauge) to the hose in the spark plug hole, cylinder 1 and read the percentage of air that is leaking out of the cylinder.

1-10% leakage is normal. OEM Honda Specs. No engine is 100% leak free even when brand new. If the gauge reads above 10%. Listen to where the air is escaping from. The bigger the amount of leakage the harder it is to hear. Think of blowing thru a huge pipe with you mouth compared to a straw.

Air leakage Table:
Leaking out the exhaust = Exhaust Valve
Leaking into the intake/throttle plate = Intake Valve
Air bubbles in the top of the radiator(take off the rad cap) or into the adjacent cylinder = headgasket
Oil cap, Dipstick, Bottem end = Piston Rings

Remember that 1-10% is normal so you will still hear some air leaking out in general. Just more than 10% isn't normal or within Honda specs.

11) Repeat steps 8-10 for the remaining 3 cylinders and record them on a piece of paper.

12) Put everything back together. Install is the same as removal. Just follow the steps in reverse.

Good luck

Modified by wildoutwhitegsr at 9:45 AM 1/13/2006

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ohsnapzafingcu · 01-12-2006, 02:11 PM

sweet

nicely done

BrooX · 01-12-2006, 02:58 PM

Nice write up.

*saved to notepad*

LoseRPunKx182 · 01-12-2006, 03:20 PM

saved to my computer!

DC_RaceR · 01-12-2006, 03:32 PM

Very nice write.. But I can't seem to find the fuse on my block head?

DoctorGSR · 01-12-2006, 03:42 PM

whyd u even take the valve cover off?

RE- v8killa121 · 01-12-2006, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorGSR

whyd u even take the valve cover off?

That's what i was thinkin...

why?

ZipTieGUy · 01-12-2006, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RE- v8killa121

That's what i was thinkin...

why?

to make it look more cooler, duh

wildoutwhitegsr · 01-12-2006, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorGSR

whyd u even take the valve cover off?

I know you don't have to, but for me personally I feel more confident in making sure I'm at TDC when looking at the cam gears instead of taking off the distributor cap and looking at the rotor.

Just a personally preference for me.

CNSK · 01-12-2006, 06:40 PM

nice write up..

volcom40street · 01-12-2006, 09:34 PM

jonnybadboi9 · 07-28-2009, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildoutwhitegsr

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorGSR

whyd u even take the valve cover off?

I know you don't have to, but for me personally I feel more confident in making sure I'm at TDC when looking at the cam gears instead of taking off the distributor cap and looking at the rotor.

Just a personally preference for me.

Yup, im with this guy as well when it comes to the valve cover...
Its A LOT EASIER with the valve cover off so you can look at the markings on the cam gears to make sure you are at TDC.

You turn the crank pulley.. which turns the belt... which turns the gears and you match up the markings to be at TDC for EACH cylinder when doing the Leak Down test.

Good writeup btw

em1si · 07-29-2009, 05:55 AM

i must be the only one who just puts a long 3/8" extension in the spark plug hole and rotates the crank till it i watch it hit TDC....i've been doin that for years...easier than takin off a VC or even takin ur dizzy apart..just my .02

01-12-2006, 02:11 PM	#2
ohsnapzafingcu Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: OKC, OK, USA Posts: 2,690	Re: How To - Leakdown Test (wildoutwhitegsr) sweet nicely done __________________ 92 db1-205/135 99 ej8-daily grindin!AIM: ohsnapzafingcu Vouches: h22-hatch,Boostd92 16x7 te37's for sale! ---> http://www.hondamarketplace.com/show....php?t=2540920

01-12-2006, 02:58 PM	#3
BrooX Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Cen Cal..., USA Posts: 1,415	Re: How To - Leakdown Test (wildoutwhitegsr) Nice write up. saved to notepad __________________ 1992 (DA) Integra LS Stolen 07/08/06 Now if we don't go into the past and find out how we got this way, we will think that we were always this way. And if you think that you were always in the condition that you're in right now, it's impossible for you to have too much confidence in yourself, you become worthless, almost nothing-Malcolm X DA Squad Member #346 http://images.honda-tech.com/set1/smile/emwink.gif

01-12-2006, 03:20 PM	#4
LoseRPunKx182 Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: PA Posts: 3,385	Re: How To - Leakdown Test (DA9GUY-637) saved to my computer! __________________ ~92 DA semi-built b18c1-T~ sold ~08 Mazdaspeed3 2.3-T~

01-12-2006, 03:32 PM	#5
DC_RaceR Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hook em Posts: 589	Re: How To - Leakdown Test (LoseRPunKx182) Very nice write.. But I can't seem to find the fuse on my block head?

01-12-2006, 06:40 PM	#10
CNSK Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: nc Posts: 3,355	Re: How To - Leakdown Test (wildoutwhitegsr) nice write up.. __________________ Old Honda-Tech forum > New Honda-Tech

01-12-2006, 09:34 PM	#11
volcom40street Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Placentia, CA, US Posts: 823	Re: How To - Leakdown Test (CNSK)

07-29-2009, 05:55 AM	#13
em1si Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tampa, FL, USA Posts: 79	Re: How To - Leakdown Test i must be the only one who just puts a long 3/8" extension in the spark plug hole and rotates the crank till it i watch it hit TDC....i've been doin that for years...easier than takin off a VC or even takin ur dizzy apart..just my .02 __________________ got rid of the si and went old skool!

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