Leakdown Test!!

[Hydrogasm]

I am trying to do a leakdown test using the "BALT" from Mike Balz and I am having a hard job holding the motor from turning over once the air pressure gets to about 50 psi. I tried using a 1/2" drive breaker bar and a socket on the flywheel nut. Is there another way of going this? I have lifting that I can screw on the flywheel and use a pipe through the ring. What is the best method?
Thanks
Gary

[Barefoot Bob]

I also have the lifting ring, but the best way is to a socket and breaker bar on the nut.

I am sure Balzy has his set up the same as my Snap-on. Do you have the gauge adjusted as instructed before hooking it to the cylinder? Mine pull's a bit, but not enough to throw my over the boat:D

[at100plus]

It's a little fugaizy but after getting TDC, I used two vise grips on the flywheel on each side of the starter. It works!

[Superdave]

That's the way I do it.
Dave

[gaineso]

I get the piston to TDC before I put the hose in the plug hole. Then hook everything uo and get my breaker bar and socket on. Get a good grip and start the pressure up. It doesn't put any load on the bar at all because it's pushing straight down. When I start to ease the piston around and down , THEN it gets a bit tough. I make sure the motor is swung all the way to the right before I start so that when I push the crank off Top Center the motor is already swung against the stop. It gets real hard to hold, but I generally can manage to let it down to exhaust and watch the gauge at the same time.

[Liqui-Fly]

I found a flywheel holder things for car motors on e-bay for around 10.00. Grabs the teeeth...works pretty good.

David

[Hydrogasm]

I used the 2 pair of visegrips method and it worked perfectly.
Thanks
Gary

[ken medendorp]

I bring piston up to tdc where the rod is straight up & down then hook up the air and take the reading.The motor dosen't move

[RichS]

80 psi, Loooonnnnggg breaker bar and a good grip;)

[ken medendorp]

Rich you only need 80psi ? Ibeen using 100psi

[gaineso]

I know that just before it gets to the exhaust port it gets really brutal. Question for Balzy if he's reading this.

How much of an effect on the results would using 50PSI once you start to push it over to check going down? In other words, check TDC at 100PSI, then back off to 50PSI to check all the way down to exhaust.

Last time I did mine, it scared the heck out of me that I wasn't gonna be able to hold it, nearly couldn't, and by the time this OLD man was done with all 6 I just about didn't have the strength left to go flop down on the couch

[Barefoot Bob]

If you take it up almost to top dead its not that hard to hang on to. If the cylinder is going to have any wear or scratches it will show up on top dead also. At least it always has on my motors.

[Balzy]

Just got back from vacation. All trhe comments here are good and correct. I never did the vise grip thing but I have set the socket on the flywheel nut at a spot where I could just let the breaker bar rest against my hood pin support bracket. That seems to work well for me. Usually I just start at TDC. Jay Smith's TDC Indicator works great for this. http://jaysmithracing.com/images/TDC%20Tool/TDC%201.JPG

Otherwise just put a few pounds on the tester and turn it over with your breaker bar. You will feel and see the compression on the gauges. When you get near TDC you feel it easing up. Slowley increase the pressure and hold your bar. If you are right at TDC the motor will stay there by itself. If you are off a small amount it will still be very easy to hold.

Gaines, Sure you coulg go down to 50 PSI but you will loose accuracy of the test. Besides, when ya get to the last couple cylinder, even 50 PSI feels like a lot. I guess we can all just do leakdown tests more often and save time by not doing excersizes.

[gaineso]

Do you think I can work off 30 lbs that way?

[Balzy]

LOL, Maybe I should advertise that these testers will make your boat faster !!!!!!!!!!! If ya check it often enough ya might just drop a few pounds. If not, ya will get big enough arms that nobody's gonna mess wit ya at the ramp anyways !!!!!!!!