Help & FAQs    Search BCF    Members    Groups    Events Calendar
Resend my activation email : Register : Log in 
BCF: Bike Chat Forums


leakdown tester recommendations

 Reply to topic
Bike Chat Forums Index -> General Bike Chat
View previous topic : View next topic  
Author Message

pompousporcup...
World Chat Champion



Joined: 15 Apr 2015
Karma :
PostPosted: 12:13 - 16 Oct 2017    Post subject: leakdown tester recommendations Reply with quote
Recommend me a decent leakdown tester please. Ebay has several for £30-£40 but i'm skeptical of the quality for this type of tool
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

arry
Super Spammer



Joined: 03 Jan 2009
Karma :
PostPosted: 13:12 - 16 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
The cheaper ones will 'do the job' - it depends on what the job you need doing is, though.

I had a Sealey one which registered something like 45% leakage on my old engine, which identified that it was the valves on cylinder 1 that were causing my starting issue - however, when checked by a garage the drop was around 30% and it wasn't as severe a problem as first envisaged. That said, engine still had to come out / apart, and I knew where the problem was going to be.

If you're using it to keep tabs on the ongoing health of an engine then I'd be wary of using a cheap tester but that type of usage would be a bit weird.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts
Beehive Bedlam This post is not being displayed because the poster has bad karma. Unhide this post / all posts.

pompousporcup...
World Chat Champion



Joined: 15 Apr 2015
Karma :
PostPosted: 14:16 - 16 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
I want to try and rule out a HG issue as i suspect i am losing coolant. I'm either losing it into the oil OR there was still air in the system and after a few runs out it has drawn some in from the expansion tank...

Weirdly the engine isn't overheating at all but i can sometimes hear water/air swapping places after a ride.. like the sound you get when water drains down the kitchen sink.. its difficult to explain lol

*edit: Gurgling. That's what it sounds like.



Just seen i can try and pressurise the cooling system and see if the pressure drops so might try doing that first as its much cheaper.

Last edited by pompousporcupine on 14:36 - 16 Oct 2017; edited 1 time in total
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

Polarbear
Super Spammer



Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Karma :
PostPosted: 14:22 - 16 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
It looks like the cheaper ones are all the same product, just rebranded.
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts
Beehive Bedlam This post is not being displayed because the poster has bad karma. Unhide this post / all posts.

pompousporcup...
World Chat Champion



Joined: 15 Apr 2015
Karma :
PostPosted: 14:43 - 16 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Fazer The Bastard wrote:
Buy a tester before you do anything else. It's a pivotal tool for suspected HG failure.


Thumbs Up No issues buying tools but this route will see me buying an air compressor as well which is quite an expense
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

Stalk
Brolly Dolly



Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Karma :
PostPosted: 21:52 - 16 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
pompousporcupine wrote:
I want to try and rule out a HG issue as i suspect i am losing coolant. I'm either losing it into the oil OR there was still air in the system and after a few runs out it has drawn some in from the expansion tank...

Weirdly the engine isn't overheating at all but i can sometimes hear water/air swapping places after a ride.. like the sound you get when water drains down the kitchen sink.. its difficult to explain lol

*edit: Gurgling. That's what it sounds like.



Just seen i can try and pressurise the cooling system and see if the pressure drops so might try doing that first as its much cheaper.


Sure its not just the sound of the oil draining back to the sump? Can hear it on my bike sometimes and its aircooled
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

MCN
Super Spammer



Joined: 22 Jul 2015
Karma :
PostPosted: 23:49 - 16 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Before you splash (no pun) on a tester you should do a levels test.
Set all levels to OEM spec. Engine cold, on the exact same place, pointed in the same direction.
Do this several times over a few days and prove you are losing fluid.

If water in oil you get mayonnaise. Water part of coolant may boil off in hot oil But glycol won't.
And oil in coolant is quite obvious.

Or have I missed something?
____________________
Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts

Shaft
World Chat Champion



Joined: 27 Dec 2010
Karma :
PostPosted: 23:59 - 16 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
pompousporcupine wrote:
I want to try and rule out a HG issue as i suspect i am losing coolant. I'm either losing it into the oil OR there was still air in the system and after a few runs out it has drawn some in from the expansion tank...

Weirdly the engine isn't overheating at all but i can sometimes hear water/air swapping places after a ride.. like the sound you get when water drains down the kitchen sink.. its difficult to explain lol

*edit: Gurgling. That's what it sounds like.



Just seen i can try and pressurise the cooling system and see if the pressure drops so might try doing that first as its much cheaper.


Easy way to check if you're losing coolant into the oil, is check the oil level - if it's going up, while the coolant level is going down, then you have a problem.

The other symptoms of oil and water mixing are oil in the expansion tank, or a mayonnaise like substance on your oil cap/sight glass.

If you can't tick any of those boxes, bleed your cooling system.
____________________
Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts

sickpup
Old Timer



Joined: 21 Apr 2004
Karma :
PostPosted: 17:56 - 17 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Fazer The Bastard wrote:
Buy a tester before you do anything else. It's a pivotal tool for suspected HG failure.


No it really isn't and I do wonder why the OP wants one.

If the OP really suspects head gasket failure then a sniff test would tell him with more accuracy than a leak down tester and a kit cost £30-£40.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

MCN
Super Spammer



Joined: 22 Jul 2015
Karma :
PostPosted: 19:14 - 17 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
sickpup wrote:
Fazer The Bastard wrote:
Buy a tester before you do anything else. It's a pivotal tool for suspected HG failure.


No it really isn't and I do wonder why the OP wants one.

If the OP really suspects head gasket failure then a sniff test would tell him with more accuracy than a leak down tester and a kit cost £30-£40.


So OP needs to buy a Sniff tester as well then?
____________________
Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts

pompousporcup...
World Chat Champion



Joined: 15 Apr 2015
Karma :
PostPosted: 20:06 - 17 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Stalk wrote:
pompousporcupine wrote:
I want to try and rule out a HG issue as i suspect i am losing coolant. I'm either losing it into the oil OR there was still air in the system and after a few runs out it has drawn some in from the expansion tank...

Weirdly the engine isn't overheating at all but i can sometimes hear water/air swapping places after a ride.. like the sound you get when water drains down the kitchen sink.. its difficult to explain lol

*edit: Gurgling. That's what it sounds like.



Just seen i can try and pressurise the cooling system and see if the pressure drops so might try doing that first as its much cheaper.


Sure its not just the sound of the oil draining back to the sump? Can hear it on my bike sometimes and its aircooled


That..sounds feasible. The oil return pipes for the head are about where i hear the noise Thumbs Up More investigation needed but next time it happens i will listen to the return pipes as well
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

pompousporcup...
World Chat Champion



Joined: 15 Apr 2015
Karma :
PostPosted: 20:11 - 17 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Shaft wrote:
pompousporcupine wrote:
I want to try and rule out a HG issue as i suspect i am losing coolant. I'm either losing it into the oil OR there was still air in the system and after a few runs out it has drawn some in from the expansion tank...

Weirdly the engine isn't overheating at all but i can sometimes hear water/air swapping places after a ride.. like the sound you get when water drains down the kitchen sink.. its difficult to explain lol

*edit: Gurgling. That's what it sounds like.



Just seen i can try and pressurise the cooling system and see if the pressure drops so might try doing that first as its much cheaper.


Easy way to check if you're losing coolant into the oil, is check the oil level - if it's going up, while the coolant level is going down, then you have a problem.

The other symptoms of oil and water mixing are oil in the expansion tank, or a mayonnaise like substance on your oil cap/sight glass.

If you can't tick any of those boxes, bleed your cooling system.


I'm going to have another go at bleeding the system. I just found a bleed nipple by the thermostat housing. Oil actually looks fine and i got some out using some clear tubing and compared fresh oil to the stuff from the sump in two Chinese tubs. Once cooled the texture and viscosity was fine... the level in the reservoir/expansion tank has dropped but not since leaving the bike over night

also, oil level check on this bike is right pita. the level is to be checked 'a few' minutes after turning the bike off.. so i either have to time it, or just guess how long after turning it off Rolling Eyes I leave it 3 mins and check the glass. General consensus is if you see oil after 3 mins, its fine
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

pompousporcup...
World Chat Champion



Joined: 15 Apr 2015
Karma :
PostPosted: 20:16 - 17 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
sickpup wrote:
Fazer The Bastard wrote:
Buy a tester before you do anything else. It's a pivotal tool for suspected HG failure.


No it really isn't and I do wonder why the OP wants one.

If the OP really suspects head gasket failure then a sniff test would tell him with more accuracy than a leak down tester and a kit cost £30-£40.


Reading a bit more about it i probably should be doing a sniff test rather than spending out on a leak down tester Thumbs Up
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

Shaft
World Chat Champion



Joined: 27 Dec 2010
Karma :
PostPosted: 23:31 - 17 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
pompousporcupine wrote:
sickpup wrote:


If the OP really suspects head gasket failure then a sniff test would tell him with more accuracy than a leak down tester and a kit cost £30-£40.


Reading a bit more about it i probably should be doing a sniff test rather than spending out on a leak down tester Thumbs Up



****Sweeping generalisation - engines do vary****

Unless they've recently been put together badly, or it's a very old and/or poorly maintained motor (insufficient coolant strength) head gaskets rarely fail first between oil and water galleries.

More often than not, the combustion process finds a weakness somewhere around the bore and starts to erode the HG. Since waterways are normally substantially larger and closer to the bore than oil galleries, the first place this erosion is likely to break through is into a waterway, hence why often one of the first indicators of HG failure is unexplained coolant loss, as it leaks back into the cylinder and gets burnt off.

In the absence of any of the symptoms I mentioned previously, a sniff test (measuring the amount of combustion gas in the coolant) is a pretty reliable way of testing for HG failure - the faster the test liquid changes colour, the quicker the gas is escaping into the coolant and the more serious the HG failure is.

I would actually do a sniff test first anyway, because the aforementioned symptoms aren't always reliable indicators.
____________________
Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts

MCN
Super Spammer



Joined: 22 Jul 2015
Karma :
PostPosted: 08:01 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
pompousporcupine wrote:


also, oil level check on this bike is right pita. the level is to be checked 'a few' minutes after turning the bike off.. so i either have to time it, or just guess how long after turning it off Rolling Eyes I leave it 3 mins and check the glass. General consensus is if you see oil after 3 mins, its fine


Therefore..... You park on same spot, in same direction and wait 3 minutes after shut down 'every time' you do the levels check. 😊

My K1300 has the most mental procedure for engime oil level check of any engine I have every checked oil level in.
The engine is the old fashioned style that uses a remote oil reservoir to hold oil. The pump circulates the oil around and through the tank.
Old British bikes use a check valve to keep the oil tank full when the engine is off. (The check valves leak and all The oil drains back to the tiny sump in the crank case and has to be drained before starting. PITA.)
Run the bike until the Cooling fan comes on. (Engine at 'Normal Running' temperature).
Park on level ground on centre stand.
Lift off both seats.
Un-screw dip stick (oil gauge) in oil tank found under seats.
Wipe off any oil and return dip stick to tank but do not screw in.
Remove dip stick and check level is between both marks.
It normally requires a top up as those BMW engine burn a ton of oil which The Scientists (whankers) at BMW mission control say is Normal. Shocked

There is also a little clear-ish corrugated plastic tube on the side that shows the level for safe starting. The idiots must have considered that after the clashed the engine together.
____________________
Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts

Roidrage
L Plate Warrior



Joined: 18 Oct 2017
Karma :
PostPosted: 10:15 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
I ordered the cheapest 18 quid leak down off ebay. I'll test it at the weekend and see if it works at all.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

pompousporcup...
World Chat Champion



Joined: 15 Apr 2015
Karma :
PostPosted: 10:39 - 18 Oct 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
MCN: that sounds like a right faff! i would have expected better from BMW.. for some unknown reason.

Shaft: the engine sat for the best part of 13 years going from the MOT and mileage history which match. I had an engine with a bent rod so while i rebuild that i put in this older engine and got it running..
Compression test before fitting showed 0 on the gauge for one cylinder but the 3 others were within spec so i suspected some sticky rings. It did go up after repeated turning over with WD-40/oil/penetrating oil mix

Running the engine now, it sounds great. Doesn't misfire, cylinder temps are all the same and it has great power. Its an '87 engine so its 29-30 years old.. it does bloody well for something that's as old as i am. Genuinely impressed with it.

That said, that initial compression test result is always at the front of my mind when dealing with this sort of issue hence initially wanting a leak tester Thumbs Up
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts
Old Thread Alert!

The last post was made 6 years, 184 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful?
  Display posts from previous:   
This page may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set.

Post new topic   Reply to topic    Bike Chat Forums Index -> General Bike Chat All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1

 
 You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum

Read the Terms of Use! - Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group
 
Debug Mode: ON - Server: birks (www) - Page Generation Time: 0.11 Sec - Server Load: 0.51 - MySQL Queries: 17 - Page Size: 114.26 Kb