Melbourne - smoke test (boost leak) - recommendations?

[leighaus]

Hey guys,

Anyone know a workshop (preferably VW savvy) that does smoke tests for boost leaks? Im out eltham/ringwood way, dont mind a half hour commute, but closer is always better!


thanks for any help

[lankfert]

I'm looking for the same thing. I was about to try RoadTrackRally. I know they are in dandenong but reckon it would be worth the trip.
I have a lot of faith in those guys.

[h100vw]

Hey guys,

Anyone know a workshop (preferably VW savvy) that does smoke tests for boost leaks? Im out eltham/ringwood way, dont mind a half hour commute, but closer is always better!


thanks for any help

Are you suspicious that you haven't got full boost? Not too many places it could be going.

Vacuum pipes, the skinny ones. Diverter valve if still using a VW one. All the joints on the system. Physical check of the pipes. I know you could get the smoke test done but a quick eyeball might reveal the culprit.

Gavin

[leighaus]

have looked all over. gauge hits 12psi max, i should peak at around 20psi with my tune. Car definitely feels underpowered.

I have an N75J installed (tried going back to stock N75, all that did was slow down peak boost a tad), and the DV is the uprated AUDI DV. Have looked over the vacuum pipes and cant see anything, but the problem is its quite hard to see a split, especially ones that open up under pressure. I tightened up anything on in the system i could. Have had a good look and came up with nada.

[h100vw]

You cannot assume anything is serviceable mate. I have fitted brand new Avioincs boxes that don't work. It screws with your head, eventually when you go back and start the troubleshooting over, you go straight to it.

You have to check that DV, physically, off the car. Then move on.

What gear are you checking the boost in? This needs to be done in 3rd or 4th gear, up a hill is better. The engine needs to be under load. In the lower gears the engine eats the boost, before the turbo can get into it's stride.

I would just replace the VAc pipes, any of the standard VW stuff is likely to snap off at any moment.

After I split a 3 month old silicon pipe last week at happy laps, I would probably make a list of each joint and pipe, then inspect each one individually, tick them off as you go.

This is what I did and luckily it was the first one, even though the clips were tight, I missed the 3 inch split the first time round as it was on the side facing the firewall which I couldn't see.

Gavin

have looked all over. gauge hits 12psi max, i should peak at around 20psi with my tune. Car definitely feels underpowered.

I have an N75J installed (tried going back to stock N75, all that did was slow down peak boost a tad), and the DV is the uprated AUDI DV. Have looked over the vacuum pipes and cant see anything, but the problem is its quite hard to see a split, especially ones that open up under pressure. I tightened up anything on in the system i could. Have had a good look and came up with nada.

[Lito]

there's a pipe that connects at the bottom of the intake manifold for the pcv system that gave me all sorts of issues.

[h100vw]

Also available in silicon I reckon.

Would be found by the smoke but a physical would catch it too.

there's a pipe that connects at the bottom of the intake manifold for the pcv system that gave me all sorts of issues.

[Ryan_R]

I can beat that





If there was an upside it sounded like I had the intake mod installed with all the wooshing sounds

[h100vw]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e203/h100vw/Audi%20S3/IMAG0799.jpg

And I'll raise you

[Ryan_R]

Well played, sir

[leighaus]

righto, im on it! im on it!

[leighaus]

tested DV, holding fine. Checked as many of the boost lines as possible. i need to do the hot and cold side of the I/C when i have more time, but couldnt find anything else.

and yea gav, 3rd gear up hills is where im checking boost levels.

[h100vw]

tested DV, holding fine. Checked as many of the boost lines as possible. i need to do the hot and cold side of the I/C when i have more time, but couldnt find anything else.

and yea gav, 3rd gear up hills is where im checking boost levels.

Ok mate, I am willing to accept it has a leak now

[leighaus]

went over the rest of the car (3 hours later) and couldnt find anything.. definitely needs some computers and pressurised test systems invloved.

ill get in touch with RoadTrackRally in dandy and see what they have to say, already spoke to Boris at volkscare and hes happy to go over the car, but seemed to have no idea what a smoke test was in relation to boost leaks.