leak down test
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Senior User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 110
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From: San Diego ca
leak down test
to whoever it concerns I figured out what a leak down test is. ford wanted to charge me about 400 dollars for basicaly nothing. all a leak down test is is to pull the spark plug out of the cylinder set the desired piston to TDC and then get a shop air hose and force air into the cylinder. wherever the air comes out determines where you are losing cylinder pressure. if it comes out of the intake its a messed up intake valve, if it comes out of the exhaust its a bad exhaust valve, out the coolant cap its a head or haead gasket which should burn coolant anyways, and if you hear it coming out of the oild dipstick its a bad cylinder wall or bad rings. I cant believe the stealership wanted to charge so much just for some compressed air and about an hour worth of labor. that is highway robery!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,899
Likes: 29
From: Raleigh USA
I normally dont reply to "stealership" comments but I'll bite on this. They pull the valve cover and the rockers on the affected cylinder to do the test. That eliminates any margin of error from valve overlap or pumped up lifters holding the valves open. Then you have the normal EEC diagnostic charge which helps recoup the cost of the IDS (Ford's scan tool) which can be anywhere from $2200-$3500, plus pays the tech for his time and knowledge, and pays all the other people who works there. Then you have insurance costs on the business and any rent or other charges the business encounters. Now if you think $400 is a lot of money then you buy all the tools necessary to properly diagnose and repair the problem, then attend an automotive school of some sort to get the required knowledge, then purchase or rent the facilities to work in and see how far the $400 gets you.
/rant off
/rant off
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Senior User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 110
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From: San Diego ca
that is fine that they have all those ovrhead costs. I think last time i checked that is what running a buisness is all about. I just did my own test with my shop compressor, and a 29 dollar tool i got from sears. I didn't have to pull the valve covers i just turned it over a few times with a socket and breaker bar and looked into the cylinder and found TDC and then put air in it and bubbles came out of the coolant tank so I did save myself quit a bit of money but if you like throwing money away it is fine with me i was jsut trying to help some people out that are in my same shoes.
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