Unlike a compression test a leak down tester has two gauges and requires a compressed air source. If you stopped reading right now a novice might choose a compression tester.
How To Do A Compression And Leak Down Test On A High Mileage
Leak down tester vs compression tester. A leak down tester relies on an external supply of compressed air. One of the gauges on the tester shows the pressure at which the cylinder is being pressurized. A compression tester is a stand alone tool that relies on the engines compression to build pressure in the cylinder. Compression testerone that has the check valve at the tip of the testerany adapters that increase chamber volume will give an inaccurate reading. You cant use a leak down tester without an air compressor or nitrogen tank. The other shows the percentage of the pressure that is being lost through leakage.
With this compression leak down tester you can detect various engine problems including but not limited to worn piston rings worn valves cylinder head cracks and blown head gaskets. As with a compression test leak down variance should be minimal. The leakdown tester injects compressed air into the cylinder and then it reads how fast the cylinder loses pressure as a percentage of the flow. This high quality tu 21 leak detector comes in a double gauge system that measures compressed air in two pressure scale 0 100 psi 0 7 bar and at a rate of. That percentage tells you the condition of the cylinder. A compression test is subjective to cranking speed and temperature so its results just dont give a good enough picture of the combustion chamber condition to make an informed decision.
The compression tester inserts into the spark plug. For me the leak down test far outweighs the time savings of performing a compression test.
Gallery of Leak Down Tester Vs Compression Tester
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