A threaded coupling is screwed into a spark plug hole. The process is simple enough pump a measured amount of air pressure.

Longacre Digital Engine Leak Down Tester
How to use a leak down tester. To use the leakdown tester youll need an air compressor with an air tank. Remove the spark plugs and rotate the engine to put the cylinder to be tested at tdc. The crankshaft is then turned so that each piston is at top dead centre. Plug the air line into the tester then use the yellow adjustment knob to change the airflow till the needle on the left gauge is on 100. Place the car into gear if you can but also engage the parking brake so it wont roll. When the leak down test tool is attached to the cylinder the next task is to attach the tool itself to the air compressor.
If the compression is low in a cylinder its time to find out why. Today its common practice to use a cylinder leakdown gauge to evaluate how well each cylinder performs in retaining pressure. How to perform a leak down test. Chocks behind the wheels can also be useful. Put the vehicle in gear and. I wasnt able to get the tester to work correctly using the instructions provided with the tester so i made one.
A cylinder leak down test requires the removal of all the spark plugs. Figure out which spark plug adapter works best and connect the gauge into the hole. Use the leak down test to know if you should be changing head gaskets valves piston rings or looking for a crack. Step 1. Compressed air 80 to 90 psi is then fed into the cylinder. Remove the screwdriver and hook the leak down test tool into the spark plug hole.
Record leakage percentage for the cylinder. Online auto parts 6637 views. How to use a leak down tester tool cylinder head leakage detector duration. This video is about how to use a harbor freight leak down tester on a small engine.