Extremely Simple Intake Pressure Test

cbatters · Mar 3, 2004

Was starting down the path to build Jeff's intake pressure tester tonight when I stumbled on a very simple way to do the same test.

REQUIREMENTS
1. Aftermarket boost gage (I have a 0-2.5 BAR MAP sensor hooked up to my MMCd data logger)

2. Air compressor with pressure regulator

3. Heavy duty lawn / leaf plastic bag (leave it folded up)

DIRECTIONS
1. Remove MAS from intake

2. Cover MAS with plastic bag (8 layers of plastic thick)

3. Reinstert MAS into intake

4. Tighten intake clamp

5. Pressurize intake to 20 PSI using fitting on plenum

Clint

turbojj · Mar 3, 2004

cbatters said:
Was starting down the path to build Jeff's intake pressure tester tonight when I stumbled on a very simple way to do the same test.

REQUIREMENTS
1. Aftermarket boost gage (I have a 0-2.5 BAR MAP sensor hooked up to my MMCd data logger)

2. Air compressor with presure regulator

3. heavy duty lawn / leaf plastic bag (leave it folded up)

DIRECTIONS
1. Remove MAS from intake

2. Cover MAS with plastic bag (8 layers of plastic thick)

3. Reinstert MAS into intake

4. Tighten intake clamp

5. Pressurize intake to 20 PSI using fitting on plenum

QED

Only leak I found was from the stock BOV.

Clint

crude...but effective. I LIKE THAT...I guess its really no more crude than PVC glued and screwed though. It really all boils down to necessity being the mother of invention once again. Good idea.
turbojj

jeff97vr4 · Mar 3, 2004

Kudos. Very clever and elegant. :bigthumb: :bigthumb: :bigthumb:

Jeff

DaveRous · Mar 3, 2004

Cool.

widow maker · Mar 3, 2004

perhaps an embarrassing question, but what "fitting on plenum"are you referring to?
Thanks, and very cool
-Widow

cbatters · Mar 3, 2004

widow maker said:
perhaps an embarrassing question, but what "fitting on plenum"are you referring to?
Thanks, and very cool
-Widow

On the plenum near the throttle body there is a nipple with a 4-5" piece of tubing that connects to some hard lines. Common tap point for boost gage - good place to pressurize intake.

Clint

jeremyk · Mar 11, 2004

Good idea...pressurizing through the intake plenum instead of fabbing up a giant cork to go in place of the MAS.

cbatters · Mar 11, 2004

jeremyk said:
Good idea...pressurizing through the intake plenum instead of fabbing up a giant cork to go in place of the MAS.

Wasn't trying to develop a new pressure tester - I was just having a tough time getting the round PVC fitting into the the oval gasket when I got the idea of inserting a plastic membrane and using the existing MAS/clamp to secure it.

Planning to use the same technique to block off the two turbo connections to the Y pipe to test the BOV. Current pressure tester installed @ MAS does not test proper closed loop BOV operation.

Adversity the mother of invention...

Clint

tonygold · Mar 11, 2004

that sounds a hell of alot easier

Mad Hatter · Mar 11, 2004

Hey, if it works it works

AdamVR4 · Mar 11, 2004

can't believe I never thought of that. I'll definately be doing this when my car is ready to go in the next couple weeks.

Nice work!

Storm Strike · Mar 12, 2004

Kewl as hell, cbatters. I'll try something along these lines to test my intake system when it's all done. Little harder, as I went to a blow thru setup. Have to take each airfilter off and put the membranes over the end of the metal pipe it's clamped too, then reattach the airfilter.

cbatters · Mar 12, 2004

Storm Strike said:
Kewl as hell, cbatters. I'll try something along these lines to test my intake system when it's all done. Little harder, as I went to a blow thru setup. Have to take each airfilter off and put the membranes over the end of the metal pipe it's clamped too, then reattach the airfilter.

Picture is worth 1000 words....

Clint

Turbo Powered · Mar 12, 2004

nice work

"Technical skill is mastery of complexity while creativity is mastery of
simplicity."
- E. Christopher Zeeman (1925- ); Catastrophe Theory, 1977

henryC · Mar 12, 2004

I still prefer looking for coolant leaks. All you do is is set the Air to 20psi at the regulator, stick a blowgun into the coolant pickup in the reservoir, and go at it.

-- Henry

erikgross · Mar 12, 2004

Yet another design...

Here's my design for a pressure tester. It also allows you to test the functionality of the bypass valve - meaning the operation of the valve, not just that the hose clamps are tight.

Costs under $15 and can be made in 20 minutes.

http://www.team3s.com/~egross/3S/Maint/TT/IntPresTest/index.html

--Erik

Erv · Dec 2, 2004

does this pressurize the whole system, even the intercoolers and shat as well? i mean i am a newb i guess but the throttle plate is there and then it just goes into the plenum right?

call me a tard, but will this nipple let u test all the same stuff that the link below does?

http://www.team3s.com/~egross/3S/Ma...Test/index.html

cbatters · Dec 2, 2004

Erv said:
does this pressurize the whole system, even the intercoolers and shat as well? i mean i am a newb i guess but the throttle plate is there and then it just goes into the plenum right?

call me a tard, but will this nipple let u test all the same stuff that the link below does?

http://www.team3s.com/~egross/3S/Ma...Test/index.html

All of the testers pressurize the entire intake track including plenum / intercooler / turbos etc etc.

The difference is that Eric's tester also tests the blow-off valve for leaks by removing the stock intake whereas the other testers including Jeff's and the "No Excuse Not to Test - Glad Bag" tester do not.

Clint

RobBeck · Dec 2, 2004

Nah any of them can test the bov if you do it like I recommend in my intake pressure tester thread. Just remove the bov from the return and plug the hole with a D cell battery... done.

Rob

cbatters said:
All of the testers pressurize the entire intake track including plenum / intercooler / turbos etc etc.

The difference is that Eric's tester also tests the blow-off valve for leaks by removing the stock intake whereas the other testers including Jeff's and the "No Excuse Not to Test - Glad Bag" tester do not.

Clint

cbatters · Dec 2, 2004

RobBeck said:
Nah any of them can test the bov if you do it like I recommend in my intake pressure tester thread. Just remove the bov from the return and plug the hole with a D cell battery... done.

Rob

I'll have to add this to the list of material...

1 - Glad lawn/leaf bag
1 - D Size Battery

RobBeck · Dec 2, 2004

Lol cute picture!

cbatters · Dec 3, 2004

RobBeck said:
Lol cute picture!

If you give me a link to your directions I'll add it to the front of the post (along with the cute pic of the battery!)

Clint

RobBeck · Dec 3, 2004

Its kinda long winded (I get that way sometimes) and some of it applies only to my tool but it should contain enough universal info for people to check it out and perhaps learn something.

http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=206269

Rob

VRFury · Dec 4, 2004

I'm just a little confused.(I know, sighs everywhere) Does this check everything for leaks? i.e. checking for a boost leak?
And I'm guessing you would just listen for a hissing then?

J-Ville VR-4 · Dec 4, 2004

henryC said:
I still prefer looking for coolant leaks. All you do is is set the Air to 20psi at the regulator, stick a blowgun into the coolant pickup in the reservoir, and go at it.

-- Henry

Wouldnt that be pressurizing the wrong side of the filler neck cap? I dont see how pressure could go from the reservoir back into the coolant system...Now that I think about it, I dont understand how coolant goes back into the system once the pressure in the cooling system goes back down. By looking at the cap, I'd think once the coolant gets too pressurized and forces the cap open and goes into the reservoir, its there for good. The cap (upon my inspection) looks to essentially be a one-way valve. I know I'm wrong somehow, so does anyone care to explain how the coolant gets back into the system?

cbatters · Dec 4, 2004

VRFury said:
I'm just a little confused.(I know, sighs everywhere) Does this check everything for leaks? i.e. checking for a boost leak?
And I'm guessing you would just listen for a hissing then?

Correct - This pressurizes the entire intake track so you can lissen for hissing and/or use soapy water to locate small leaks.

Clint

Extremely Simple Intake Pressure Test

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