Chainsaw Repair

Chain - Grinders - Filing - Wood Milling - Tools - Welding - Machinist - Mowers - Tillers => Tool Shed => Topic started by: davbell22602 on August 17, 2013, 07:24:46 pm

Title: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: davbell22602 on August 17, 2013, 07:24:46 pm
Anybody of place to buy the chainsaw leakage pressure tester that used on chainsaws thats not expensive? I would like that has the rubber hose and hand pump for carbs too. 
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: Cut4fun . on August 17, 2013, 08:04:46 pm
http://macbobaust.com/pressure.html 

Quote from: Four Paws
  We all talk about vacuum testing crankcases to determine if a saw has an air leak.  Seems as if the "how do I vacuum test my saw" question gets asked quite often here, so I put together a step-by-step pictorial guide. 

The first thing you need is a vacuum bleeder.  Since we are doing this on the cheap, you probably don't want to fork out the money for a Mity-Vac, so this model from Harbor Freight works just fine, and is currently on sale for $17, normally $25.



Now, you will need to determine how you are going to hook the vacuum bleeder up to your saw.  I made this handy adapter to hook into my impulse hose on the saw I am working on.  Cost me $2.50 - $1.25 for each nipple, and I had the connector laying around in my box of parts.



Okay, now you need to block the intake and exhaust ports.  This step requires some disassembly of the saw, but I am assuming that if you are vacuum testing your crankcase, you feel comfortable taking your saw apart.  I used some rubber from a rim strip - covers the spoke nipples on the inside of a dirtbike wheel - you can also use an old bicycle inner-tube, gasket paper, etc.  Cut the pieces to length, use your exhaust and intake gaskets as a template to transfer the bolt holes to the rubber, and use a punch or leather working tool (like I used) to punch holes in the rubber. 



Now, this piece of rubber will be insterted, as a gasket would, on your intake/exhaust ports.  The only difference is the rubber covers the ports.  Now, install your muffler and intake boot and sandwich the rubber gasket between the ports and the muffler/intake boot.  You can see the rubber gaskets I made, installed as I described, in the pictures below.  If you have a spigot mount carb, you can use a piece of innertube and a hose clamp to seal the intake. 



Now, make sure your spark plug is installed and hook up your vacuum bleeder to the impulse hose. 


Looks like you are ready to go to work.  Pump the vacuum bleeder until you reach your desired vacuum. 


Go have a beer  ;D then come back in 5 minutes or so, and check to see if your vacuum gauge is reading the same as when you left it...hopefully it is.  Now, rotate the crank slowly by hand.  Do this 5 times or so...is your vacuum still holding?  If it is, GREAT!  Now, port that big bore kit you bought, get it installed, file your chain and go make some chips!


The above goes with the pics in link above it.

Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: 660magnum on August 17, 2013, 08:14:11 pm
I have the Mityvac 8500 which is pressure and vac. But they are around $67.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mityvac-8500-Silverline-Elite-Hand-Vacuum-PumpTest-Kit-MV8500-Mity-Vac-/231018477698?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item35c9c63882&vxp=mtr

I also have a Mityvac II which is plastic and like the one at Harbor Freight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/mityvac-vacuum-pump-39522.html $36.99

Study the pictures very carefully so you can see the differences in the gauge of the combination models with the little twist valve on the left side where you change it from vacuum to pressure. The cheap vacuum only one doesn't have a change-over valve and the gauge only reads vacuum. But there is a pressure port that sticks up out the top where you can plug a pressure line onto the vacuum only pump but you will need a gauge for it.

Most of these are intended for brake bleeding and the vacuum sensors on a automobile engine. You don't need all this for a chain saw. You may get by cheaper by buying just the pump itself.

Most people proclaim the HF one only does vacuum. I have played around with it and it'll do up to about 15 lbs pressure easy enough but you can not read the pressure. You will need a "TEE" fitting and a pressure gauge to make it work. The pressure gauge may set you back $15 at the hard ware? The tee fitting can be found at the auto parts but might be at the hardware too. Extra clear plastic line can be had at the hardware and they have black rubber hose at the auto parts.

When checking POP-OFF on carburetors don't bother with the actual pop-off pressure, just run 10 lbs in the fuel inlet and see if it holds for 10 seconds. Putting 30 lbs pressure in a carb inlet only serves to ruin the pump diaphragm.

On the crankcase you are using 1/2 atmosphere pressure and vacuum. That is +/- 50 kPa or 15 in vacuum or 7 lbs pressure. It is another 10 second test.

On the crankcase, the vacuum test is a pass-fail but with the pressure, you can soap the seals and other areas for leak location.
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: davbell22602 on August 17, 2013, 08:40:10 pm
I have the Mityvac 8500 which is pressure and vac. But they are around $67.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mityvac-8500-Silverline-Elite-Hand-Vacuum-PumpTest-Kit-MV8500-Mity-Vac-/231018477698?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item35c9c63882&vxp=mtr

I also have a Mityvac II which is plastic and like the one at Harbor Freight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/mityvac-vacuum-pump-39522.html $36.99

Study the pictures very carefully so you can see the differences in the gauge of the combination models with the little twist valve on the left side where you change it from vacuum to pressure. The cheap vacuum only one doesn't have a change-over valve and the gauge only reads vacuum. But there is a pressure port that sticks up out the top where you can plug a pressure line onto the vacuum only pump but you will need a gauge for it.

Most of these are intended for brake bleeding and the vacuum sensors on a automobile engine. You don't need all this for a chain saw. You may get by cheaper by buying just the pump itself.

Most people proclaim the HF one only does vacuum. I have played around with it and it'll do up to about 15 lbs pressure easy enough but you can not read the pressure. You will need a "TEE" fitting and a pressure gauge to make it work. The pressure gauge may set you back $15 at the hard ware? The tee fitting can be found at the auto parts but might be at the hardware too. Extra clear plastic line can be had at the hardware and they have black rubber hose at the auto parts.

When checking POP-OFF on carburetors don't bother with the actual pop-off pressure, just run 10 lbs in the fuel inlet and see if it holds for 10 seconds. Putting 30 lbs pressure in a carb inlet only serves to ruin the pump diaphragm.

On the crankcase you are using 1/2 atmosphere pressure and vacuum. That is +/- 50 kPa or 15 in vacuum or 7 lbs pressure. It is another 10 second test.

On the crankcase, the vacuum test is a pass-fail but with the pressure, you can soap the seals and other areas for leak location.

So do I need 2 or can I just get by with the one on ebay?
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: 660magnum on August 17, 2013, 08:57:22 pm
All you need is one, and a hose and adaptor to connect to the impulse line. You can make a spark plug adaptor by busting the ceramic out of a old spark plug and epoxying a brass tube in the hole. Use the spark plug adaptor on saws that have a internal impulse line.

The pressure is a more useful carburetor test for you use 10# pressure on the fuel inlet when checking the needle and seat of the metering valve. Any more pressure than necessary may damage the pump diaphragm. Actual pop-off pressures are sometimes over 20#.

You use 7# pressure on a chainsaw. (Any more pressure and you may damage the seals) The pressure is more useful as you can go around and soap the seals and joints to find where the leak is.

The vacuum test on the crankcase is - it either holds or it doesn't. It is harder to find where the leak is with vacuum.
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: 660magnum on August 17, 2013, 09:03:03 pm
May I add here that many people use their air compressor and a regulator for these tests. It all depends on what you have on hand?

They may never do a vacuum test on the crankcase? Kind'a good to know how the crankcase does on the vacuum though?  When running, a chainsaw crankcase has both vacuum and pressure in it alternating back and forth.
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: 660magnum on August 17, 2013, 09:06:57 pm
If using a vacuum test on a crankcase and it doesn't hold a vacuum, you can use some oil on the seals and gaskets to see if it slows the vacuum loss situation any?
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: 660magnum on August 17, 2013, 09:11:38 pm
I have used a fuel line stuck in my ear and go around over the likely places in a quiet room and hear the air escaping in or out of the crankcase.

Use common sense here and don't damage your ear?

Sort of like listening to reed valves for leaks?
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: Al Smith on August 22, 2013, 09:34:54 pm
If you stalk flea bay you can often find an old blood pressure cuff on the cheap .I think I might have 12 bucks in mine .You use the squeeze bulb and it has a guage and valve built into it .Funny I have one but so far I've never used it .
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: 660magnum on August 22, 2013, 10:31:29 pm
+1 on the blood pressure squeeze bulb
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: Al Smith on August 23, 2013, 08:29:00 pm
A little tid bit of info on this leaking seal business .Usually you can tell after a short run and the saw runs out lean if you have a bad seal .On something like Stihl if you take the clutch off because of the fact that side is prone to oil slinging it will have an oily film under the clutch .If you have a blowing seal you can usually see the blow pattern in the oil residue .Also more times than not a bad seal will be on the clutch side verses the flywheel side .
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: fisaw on November 08, 2013, 04:24:27 pm
Any info who makes the stihl oem pump ? 
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: jmester on November 10, 2013, 12:20:21 pm
I don't know who makes it but echo uses the same one in there tools catalogue.i would think it is cheaper from echo then stihl. Mine does not have any markings on it.
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: fisaw on December 25, 2013, 10:01:55 am
The "Stihl" pump looks like this.

http://www.google.com/patents/USD495029

http://coolervalue.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=96_97&product_id=138
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: KilliansRedLeo on December 25, 2013, 11:02:11 am
Stihl pump sure looks like this one from .Harbor Freight!

http://www.harborfreight.com/brake-bleeder-and-vacuum-pump-kit-69328.html

And 26$
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: jmester on December 25, 2013, 02:03:16 pm
Fisaw, that is what mine looks like. I have had mine for a couple of years now with no problems. For that price I would check around with stihl or echo and make sure the price is right. Slide the sleeve on the front by the nipple one way for pressure one way for vaccum.
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: fisaw on December 25, 2013, 04:21:46 pm
" I have had mine for a couple of years now with no problems "       

Stihl dealer recommended it to me also  ;D 

I guess OEM  http://www.druck-temperatur.de/dt/hv90_e.htm
robust high-quality full metal pump
Made in Germany


Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: jmester on December 25, 2013, 10:04:53 pm
Looks right on to me. I wonder if you can buy straight from them?
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: davbell22602 on January 08, 2014, 01:06:34 pm
So on leakdown tester that uses the spark plug hole. Whats the max PSI should I use on chainsaws or other cube carb equipment?
Title: Re: Chainsaw Leakage Pressure Tester
Post by: 660magnum on January 08, 2014, 03:28:06 pm
The pressure or vacuum used for pressure testing a crankcase is typically one half atmosphere.

That is 7 lbs of pressure or 15" of vacuum

In metric areas it is 50 KPa