Pressure Testing Cooler Pipes

[CEF33Y]

Just a bit of an FYI for people thinking of doing the same.

Do it!

In preparation for getting a tune, thought I'd pressure test the cooler pipes, checking for any leaks.

Car has been running fine (stock RB20, return flow cooler, 3 inch exhaust, 25 turbo).

Always seemed a bit lazy coming onto boost, but hey, its a RB20.

Never stalled, miss fired, or showed any signs of issues, so was reasonably confident I would find anything.

Boy was I wrong, 2 of the joiners were leaking badly enough to blow away the leak detector, another 2 were bubbling, and one nipple below the throttle body wasn't even connected! Easily fixed by just repositioning clamps and making sure they were tight.

This was on 14psi reg pressure, after fixing went to about 25psi on reg, all good.

Kinda embarrasing really.

Anyway, for anyone thinking of checking for leaks, do it.

Wishing i'd have done it before I had the turbo highflowed, so I could see if fixing the leaks made any difference.

Peace.

[Blackkers]

I have to agree with this. First time I went for a tune I didn't check and the following week I found a split joiner and leaking AAC hose.

If you haven't ever done it, just do it. A decent leak will overspin your turbo trying to make up for the lost boost. It will also run super rich on boost (not for the guys running MAP). not only that but the wastegate will stay shut for longer and create more backpressure in the exhaust manifold under high boost which can cause det if you're tuned right on the edge.

whatever just do it

[KiwiRS4T]

Yep took my car for a tune (never though I had a boost leak)and the tuner put his rig on the pipes and at just 10 - 12 psi there was a leak from the HKS bov. It has the round mount held by a circlip and was lifting so packed it out replaced the circlip and tested ok at 30psi.

[R.3.2.G.T.R]

was smoke used for the leak test, i have had few done at the tuner but i doubt it ever was at 10-15psi, something with machine building pressure but open system etc etc, anyways one loose clamp detected first time and other times nothing

[Blackkers]

Sounds fine to me then mate

[sleptema]

I may do this to mine. It idles high (~900-1000) even with the AACV cleaned and screwed in. No loss of boost, but sometimes it will hunt on idle. Checking the TPS voltage and AFM with a scan tool to check if they are ok, but after that I am out of ideas.