Boost Pressure Tester Build Instructions
 

This is a very simple guide to build a cheap version of a boost pressure tester. You can make the pipe in any configuration you want. The only requirements are that you can seal it in the intake line and apply air pressure to it. Past that it's free for all. These are just parts I had layin around.

This is a list and photo of all the parts I used:

1. Threadable Replacement Valve Stem. I used a tractor stem but you can also use a high pressure truck tire stem the same way. You can also use a regular rubber one if you use JB Weld to hold it in place.

2. 3" 90 Degree Street Elbow.
3. 3" cap.
4. PVC Cement.
5. 9/16" O Ring Seals
Optional. I added this step so that I could hook the compressor up to the tester and set the regulator on the desired pressure and it maintains the pressure without me having to watch it and keep it pressurized. Makes it easier to do by yourself.
6. Brass Pipe Coupler 1/4"
7. 1/4" Male Air Chuck
8. 1/4" Female Air Chuck
9. JB Weld
Attachment 4407

Step 1, Drill holes in your cap to fit the valve stem and air chuck threaded portions. These need to fit tight so they seal good.

Step 2, The valve stem will have a rubber seal on the bottom side you just need to add an a 9/16" O ring washer to the top side of it. It's over kill but just to be sure it's sealed. OPTIONAL: Use the Male Air Chuck with a 5/8" O ring washer on top and bottom in the other hole. Place the female air chuck through the cap and hold it in place with the 1/4" brass coupler, O rings top and bottom.
Attachment 4408Attachment 4409Attachment 4410Attachment 4411

Step 3, Sand the inside of the cap and the outside of the noarrow portion of the 90 degree elbow. Just enough to rough it it up some and clean it good. Spread some glue around both the same places and twist the cap on the elbow. Be sure you have it the direction you want it to face as soon as it's on cause the glue is gonna grab it quick.

Step 4, If your using the optional air chuck fittings. Use some JB Weld to fill in the hose end of the female chuck. This will be used as a plug when your using the valve stem to pressurize the system.

Step 5, Your Done Building. Now the last photo shows where to hook it up on your truck to test your system.
Attachment 4412


Now pressurize your system, with the truck turned off. Personally I try it at 20psi first and if everything comes out good there then I move up to 35psi and check it again.

Use a spray bottle with water and a little bit of dish soap in it and spray everything in the sytem. All hoses, all fittings and even the intercooler itself. With pressure in it anyplace it is leaking the spray will make bubbles.

Feel free to ask questions or make comments.:U: :booo: :pca1:

Forgot to add the most important part of the project. Be sure to clean all the plastic shavings off the wifes ironing board you were usin as a workbench before she comes home from work.:ouch:

Most Excellent Dennis.

I built mine almost identical to this

on the last bomb party we leak tested 9 trucks and found leaks on every one of em .........encluding mine :ha:


Build yerself one of these they work great :deal:

BUT, did ya build yours on Mama's ironing board like Bubba did? He gets extra points for style and risk of personal injury there.

Leaked in particular spot, or all over the place?

boots boots boots .......they all leak every where.......OEM boots are crap

also found a bad gasket at grid heaters on one ride

No I didnt use MAMA's iorn board...............I am a man and have a work bench .....Dennis is a girlie man :w2:

Mama Nature took my workshop and my bench off to the land of Oz. Damn Toto's probably usin it as a piss post by now. This was one a those evening projects while I was watchin TV. I got 3 of these testers now. Didn't like the first, so I made another. Just put this one together cause so many guys on here need to test their system and nobody seemed to know what we are talkin about when we tell them to test their system. Put it together so I could take the pictures.

Wasn't even thinkin when I didn't get the scraps cleaned up in time. Took me 20 minutes to put this thing together and hours of catchin hell from Mama for doin it.

Make sure to put clean air in too,if you are squirting a bunch of watery/oily stuff that was in the bottom of the air compressor it will be bad:c:

So you pressurize it with compressed air? Or do you use a bike pump or what? I've never felt the need to test but now I'm wondering if I should...

Air compressor, you will even run a 10 gallon air tank dry before you come close to testin it all. You will be amazed at how much air will take to get it up to pressure.

This is appropriate for right about now (see my recent thread)... maybe I can do this. But we'll see. It wouldnt surprise me if I just replace the boots without checking anything. see if it fixes stuff... thanks for all the info on here. Its helped tremendously...:rocking:

Your other thread was one of the many I saw that made me think of doin this. Be sure to test it first. This tester is under $10 to make. A good set of boots is not cheap and you may be surprised at some of the places you will find leaks if you've never tested your truck before.

There is a post in this thread with the info on the boots I just put on my truck. Not that there aren't many good sources, this was just the best deal I found at the time I was buying. https://www.dieselbombers.com/5-9l-2...l-springs.html

If ya replace the boots dont but the OEM ones they are junk

And usually more expensive than the good ones

Alright I must be missing something here.

This is what I think you do - please explain if it is wrong.

1. Build the gizmo
2. Install as per photo
3. Prime with compressed air (what amount of charge do you run with the compressor - 30, 60, 90 or 120 PSI?)
4. The air goes through the system and if it doesn't hold 20 psi you know there is a problem somewhere.
5. How do you identify the problem? Soap on the boots? Watch for bubbles?
6. How do you set the system to 20, 25 30 and 35 psi for testing? Sorry, I'm a little slow this morning.

thanks:pca1:

you can read yer boost gauge in the cab for what ya got on the system

listen for the leak .....its easy when the engine in off

Ok, makes sense. What pressure do you set your compressor to to prime this gizmo?

I just use my shop compressor and give it a shot just like fillin up a tire

You can fill it up just like a tire with the valve stemm and use either the boost guage or a tire guage to keep the pressure up, or you can use the air chuck and just attach the hose to the tester and set your compressor regulator to whatever poundage you want to check it at.

Keeping in mind that if your using the valve stem you will probably need a second person to help. Even with no leaks your system will not maintain pressure very long and if you want to check it to certain levels one of you will constantly be maintaining the pressure while the other one checks for leaks. This is why I had to find a way of doing by myself and came up with the air chuck. It's my own invention, never seen anybody else use it.

Nice job Bubba...

Person could use this to check for leaking valve seats and cylinders. Course you have to remove all the rockers, but it will save a buck or two!:humm:

you fella's are pretty darn clever..... I cant tell ya how many pages of great info from you all that i have printed and re-read and filed for ref. Thank you all for sharing all the great info.................

I have been doing this for years. A rubber or plastic cap over the turbo inlet Clamp it down tight then remove any pipe plug in the intake and run regulated shop air at 5-10 psi.Sometimes you have to roll engine over with a bar to keep some of the air from going out the exhaust. Soap bottle works great for finding boost leaks just watch the inlet cap sometimes she blows off with a bang.

If you got air going out the exhaust, you either got leaking intake/exhaust valves or guides.

Valve overlap

This is the only thing I could make work for my 06. Everything was too friggin odd sized.

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/b...DSC00266-5.jpg

If you want to build one:

1x 3" 90* elbow
1x 3" 90* street L
1x 3" cap
1' of 3" PVC pipe
What you think will work for an air supply

BTW, all the fittings/pipe has to be heavy walled. Otherwise, nothing fits right.

Even for the one I made the normal pipe wasn't big enough, you had to use a fitting end to fit in the rubber hose.

i built mine just like this but what i found was that my bd boost elbow would leek off all the compressed air through a small machined hole in the side of it!! even with the set screw in which would "plug the wastegate" it still bleeds off air. is it spose to do this cus this might be my boost leak i have been lookin for

yes the adjustible elbow is to slow the opening of the wastegate but not disable it all together. If you want to disable it take the elbow off and put a 1/4" pipe plug in its place just watch the boost and keep under 45 or so with a stock HG.