i did a leak test. did pretty good till 10 psi, then i feel some air hitting my hand, great, the tester is leaking. well, at least i got to ten psi. problem is, at about 8 psi, i smell some gas vapors. i can also hear air escaping through the top of the head. turned the car over, same deal but was able to build pressure a little quicker. i have a feeling that if there is a leak, it is not big enough to prevent me from boosting like it was. (at 4k i couldnt even get 1 or 2 psi in 1st gear) felt inside the turbo inlet, tried to move the shaft, it aint budgin. dont think you can do that wrong. i have a feeling that i am gonna change the plugs and wires and put my intake back on and i am still gonna have problems. any other suggestions to fix non boosting? im speculating that the plugs and wires are going to fix my idle surge problem. they havent been changed in over 13 years
#11406, "RE: the results are in!" In response to Reply # 0
Originally posted by Diceman19 i did a leak test. did pretty good till 10 psi, then i feel some air hitting my hand, great, the tester is leaking. well, at least i got to ten psi. problem is, at about 8 psi, i smell some gas vapors. i can also hear air escaping through the top of the head. turned the car over, same deal but was able to build pressure a little quicker. i have a feeling that if there is a leak, it is not big enough to prevent me from boosting like it was. (at 4k i couldnt even get 1 or 2 psi in 1st gear) felt inside the turbo inlet, tried to move the shaft, it aint budgin. dont think you can do that wrong. i have a feeling that i am gonna change the plugs and wires and put my intake back on and i am still gonna have problems. any other suggestions to fix non boosting? im speculating that the plugs and wires are going to fix my idle surge problem. they havent been changed in over 13 years
Fix the tester with some superglue or something. Air leaking out the head??? Fix the tester and try it again.
__________________________________________________________ -Tony <--- NOT asian. '06 Wicked White EVO IX
Originally posted by Avenger When I raise the BS flag ... it's a really big fucking flag and I raise it really fucking high too.
"Never whistle while your pissing." ~The illuminatus Trilogy
#11407, "RE: the results are in!" In response to Reply # 1 Mar-31-04 04:31 PM by Diceman19
does the car have to be at tdc to do a leak test, mine wasnt. its like valves are open and letting the air through hence the gas vapor smell and not getting past 10 psi. btw, how the heck to you get those freakin plug wires on. what goes through these idiot engineer minds when they decide to put something that you need to get to in a really hard to reach place. similiar story, it took my dad and a friend of his 3 hours to change 2 belts on a lexus. most of that was spent fighting with the stupid covers and crap that they use to cover the engine up. what is the point.....
EDIT: i also didnt believe the fact that the turbo had zero shaft play so i checked again, it had a little, but it didnt seem like enough to prevent boost and i dont have any screeching during any kind of spool i do get.
#11408, "RE: the results are in!" In response to Reply # 2
no a boost leak test has nothign to do with engine internals---the throttle plate is closed. IF its open, then you're wrong....
That beign said, change your plugs and wires if it really has been 13 years, then start pulling your hair out with these tests----I wish i had done that 3 months ago..
I bet the plugs and wires will fix more problems than you think, and there's no point in adjusting things until you have your car "tuned" anyway
Vandy
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Black 98 GST missing her owner and looking for a new one...Inquiries welcome
#11409, "RE: the results are in!" In response to Reply # 3
looks like a case of noob misinformation again then. someone told me that if you did a boost leak test and you heard air coming out the head, then your valves were open and to turn the car over a few times to close them. bah. stupid noobs.....
i would swear the air is coming out the top of the head. at 10 psi, it is leaking enough to match the 23 psi of air i was pushing through the system. granted, it also took me about 50 seconds to get up to 10 psi pushing about 23 psi through the compressor. maybe i do have a HUGE freakin leak that i dont know about, but since you say it has nothing to do with internals, then why is the air coming out of the top of my head...unless my throttle plate isnt closing all the way or something is preventing it from closing all the way. (IE. the sound i hear when i turn off the engine, sounds like something is flapping around in the top of the intake manifold near the throttle body....) i feel close....verrry close.....
#11412, "RE: the results are in!" In response to Reply # 5
Originally posted by eclipzGST well, if the throttle plate isn't closed all the way, than there is reason your idle surges...
i dont know wether the throttle plate is closed all the way. my idle is very distint. i can almost predict when it will drop so i dont think it is that, but it could very well be. i hear something inside the intake manifold near the throttle body flapping around right after i turn off the car, that makes me wonder if the throttle plate might be open a little bit. i may also be leaking air around the throttle body since that is a common place. we'll see in a few days, no later than sunday will i know if the plugs and wires fixed my idle issue, hopefully tomorrow.
#11413, "RE: the results are in!" In response to Reply # 4
Originally posted by Diceman19 looks like a case of noob misinformation again then. someone told me that if you did a boost leak test and you heard air coming out the head, then your valves were open and to turn the car over a few times to close them. bah. stupid noobs.....
hahahhahaa i love it...i think you'd be very hard pressed to find any position on the crank where all the valves are closed by turning the engine over a few times....
soapy water test is a great idea...also check teh vac hoses coming off the manifold and the wastegate from teh turbo. When you're done there, see if the air leaking from the "head" isn't actually a leak on the hose that goes from the UICP to the manifold...
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Black 98 GST missing her owner and looking for a new one...Inquiries welcome
#11414, "RE: the results are in!" In response to Reply # 8
pulled out the plugs this morning. my socket had somehow grew some legs and walked away so i was postponed. the plugs were not white or black, but old. i checked the gap. cyl 4 and 3=.46 cyl 2=.47 cyl 1=.49. i am wondering if cyl 1 was the reason my idle was a little crazy. dont think that would explain why it isnt boosting though. just thought i would share my revelations as i find them.
#11415, "RE: the results are in!" In response to Reply # 9 Apr-03-04 03:10 AM by Diceman19
i hate my car, here is what i did:
changed spark plugs changed plug wires bcs restrictor mod change air filter removed air can removed star silencer
the car runs worse than it did. it has a really bad idle and it is fluctuating real bad. i could smell gas too while it was running. everything is tight and all connections are plugged in. i hate this freakin car. as soon as it runs ok, something else goes wrong. i cant even get a cel to throw me a bone. needless to say, im done for the day.
btw, how do you get cyl 4 plug wire on the coil pack. i fought with that for 30 minutes and the skin from my thumb was pulling away from my thumbnail because i was pushing on it so hard. i think i finally got it on but probly not knowing my luck. screw that car!
EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT: i just had a crazy thought. the battery had died during its sitting time, do you suppose that maybe the ecu got reset and it needs to run for a few hours to relearn the curves for fuel and everything? just wondering and hoping that is all it needs. well, that and to learn how to deal with the extra air i am getting to it.
#11416, "YAY for more results. :-)" In response to Reply # 10
well, pulled the wires off and put them back on. turned on the car. still idled like crap. decided to test my theory about the ecu being reset. the idle did get better, but it still wanted to die. took it for a drive and great news. the car does spool quicker now. that means the turbo is not blown. it is reacting to the extra air i am getting to it. bad news is, i still have a huge boost leak somewhere. at about 6.5 psi, it sounds like i have an external WG. ouch. i am assuming it is because the air filter is now uncovered and i can hear more. i could also hear the blow off valve smokin. dont know where the leak is, but i am bound to find it as it is such a little problem and i dont have to spend hardly any money to fix it.
#11417, "RE: YAY for more results. :-)" In response to Reply # 11
yeah I get horrible idle after I disconnect the battery. Its been explained on this board like 918724973 times and for some reason I think the ECU getting reset is wrong, but thats what I always equate it to and regardless, it goes away after some driving, a complete shut off, and some more driving.
I know how aggrivating finding a boost leak is, so I feel for you. How are you testing? I *HIGHLY* recommend springing the 15 bucks for the walmart compressed air tank if you're using a bycicle pump as a tester, as its quicker/quieter, but if its working for you as is, stick with it...
Did you use a little RTV with your BOV? And yes with an open element filter you will hear more noise from the turbo, that's normal.
Vandy
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Black 98 GST missing her owner and looking for a new one...Inquiries welcome
#11418, "RE: YAY for more results. :-)" In response to Reply # 12
i went out and bought a $300 compressor to test with. i am probly gonna pull of the upper IC pipe to make sure there is nothing flopping around near the throttle body because i can still hear that noise. will probly clean the TB while im there. after that back to testing for leaks with my wonderful new compressor.
#11421, "RE: YAY for more results. :-)" In response to Reply # 15
not really sure, so start low...you wanna aim for about 15-20 psi in the boost leak test with your set up--my compressed air tank is at 80psi right now and it still takes me a bit to get the system up to 20psi in the car....
Vandy
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Black 98 GST missing her owner and looking for a new one...Inquiries welcome
#11422, "RE: YAY for more results. :-)" In response to Reply # 16
dang man, it takes me about 30 seconds to get to 10, at my psi is at like 15 or so. i was trying to be careful but i am going to jump it up considerably so that i can look for leaks instead of having it fly out as it goes in.
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i have a feeling that i am gonna change the plugs and wires and put my intake back on and i am still gonna have problems. any other suggestions to fix non boosting? im speculating that the plugs and wires are going to fix my idle surge problem. they havent been changed in over 13 years 
granted, it also took me about 50 seconds to get up to 10 psi pushing about 23 psi through the compressor. maybe i do have a HUGE freakin leak that i dont know about, but since you say it has nothing to do with internals, then why is the air coming out of the top of my head...unless my throttle plate isnt closing all the way or something is preventing it from closing all the way. (IE. the sound i hear when i turn off the engine, sounds like something is flapping around in the top of the intake manifold near the throttle body....) i feel close....verrry close.....
dont know where the leak is, but i am bound to find it as it is such a little problem and i dont have to spend hardly any money to fix it. 
i am probly gonna pull of the upper IC pipe to make sure there is nothing flopping around near the throttle body because i can still hear that noise. will probly clean the TB while im there. after that back to testing for leaks with my wonderful new compressor.