My bleed down tester

[dirtydeezl]

Built my own version of bleed down tester. Waiting for my cylinder to come back from the machine shop so I can assemble the mill and try out my tester.
Parts list:
*1/4" air pressure gauge 0-60 psi (courtesy of work)
* 1/4" brass female T
* 1/4" x 1" long brass nipple
* 1/4" brass ball valve
* 3pcs- 1/4" mpt x1/4" barbs
* 1/4" fpt x 3/4" mpt brass adapter
* 3/4" fpt x 1" mpt steel adapter
* 1" pvc 90° threaded x slip
* 6" long piece of 1" pvc pipe
* 1/4" ID hose
* hose clamps
* blow gun

A little on the pricey to build , but very flexible and will be easy to use in frame or on bench.

 

[Awk08]

are going to regulate your compressor to 7psi. ?
any more than that and you'll blow out crank seals

 

[MR_Effing_Rose]

Great effort - glad to see you're using the right parts... brass is always good!

Just a caution: be very careful when using a gauge with such a big range compared to what you need; typical practice is to use a gauge with 2X the intended operating range (so 15PSI or 100kPa here), as mechanical gauges often have significant hysteresis near the lower range of their scale (IE - the needle might only start moving at 5psi). Additionally the error of a gauge is usually assumed to be about 1 division (sometimes 2 for cheapies), so you could be up to 6psi before you can say "Oh ffffudge...".

As a quick check, just block off the PVC pipe and try blowing in with your mouth... if the needle on the gauge doesn't move, you probably need a gauge with a smaller range. You should be able to get around 2PSI this way. If you're a politician you may get the full 7... results may vary.

It's easy to overshoot the value using a HAND PUMP, so I wouldn't count on a mechanical regulator or ball valve on a compressor to be able to regulate the pressure anywhere near well enough. If you're willing to spend some cash, get a hand pump (instead of blow gun), and a non-return valve instead of a ball valve. This will make pressure testing a breeze... or hopefully, a lack of a breeze

 

[Markblaster]

Nice work on the tester build.

Here is the one I made. gauges are cheap on eBay. I brought a couple of them. PSI on photo was to test the tester for leaks.

 

[dirtydeezl]

Good ideas, I thank you for the input. Any learning is a good lesson. I am certainly gaining a real appreciation for the general knowledge level and helpfulness of the folks here.

 

[dirtydeezl]

In my excitement I neglected to get a pic, but the gauge registered 7psi (not that I'm a politician,lol)
And after putting the top end together, I did my leak test. She held dead steady pressure for 20 minutes.
Appears she's tight as a crabs booty.
Got the engine installed and test fired last night in the pouring rain, good times when you have a steady river running down your butt crack.
I dont have a thermometer, like Ken suggests in his break in video, so I let it run for about 10 minutes, varying the revvs a little. Then let it cool completely (it's cold out.....) Then did it a second time, on the third time I went inside to grab a cigarette and it started taching pretty high so I had to run out quick but it stopped running. Thought it blew up..... But it started again and promptly ran out gas.
I guess I'll torque the base and exhaust bolts , and go get some fuel to gently burn.
Do I have anything to worry about with that revving fit it had?