Pressure Testing Block & Heads @ Home
Pressure Testing Block & Heads @ Home Hi all. Bought a marine (Ilmor) LSX 454 that is factory brand new but failed their end of line test due to mixing water with the oil. Best home brew method to find the leak if nothing found on visual inspection? Favorite I've seen so far is to take it apart, remove the rotating assy, then put the heads back on sealed correctly, stand the long block on end with the water pump side facing up, fill the cooling passages with water, pressurize the cooling system to 15psi or so (water pump on and fittings or no water pump and use plates with threaded holes), and look up inside the bottom of the block and each cylinder (no oil pan on).
Also if anybody has leak knowledge / experience on LSX454, I'm all ears....
Thanks.
Also if anybody has leak knowledge / experience on LSX454, I'm all ears....
Thanks.
Someone on here has a long thread about a RHS aluminum block that would only leak when warm. He ended up using hot water and pressure testing it that way and was able to find the porosity in the block. If I was going through the trouble to test it, I would do it that way just to be certain.
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You should package that and sell it. These days, it's a necessary thing considering the $$$ involved in a build. BTW, how is your new build coming along? Did ER get his **** together and get started?
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Verdad Gallardo Hi all. Bought a marine (Ilmor) LSX 454 that is factory brand new but failed their end of line test due to mixing water with the oil. Best home brew method to find the leak if nothing found on visual inspection? Favorite I've seen so far is to take it apart, remove the rotating assy, then put the heads back on sealed correctly, stand the long block on end with the water pump side facing up, fill the cooling passages with water, pressurize the cooling system to 15psi or so (water pump on and fittings or no water pump and use plates with threaded holes), and look up inside the bottom of the block and each cylinder (no oil pan on).
Also if anybody has leak knowledge / experience on LSX454, I'm all ears....
Thanks.
Also if anybody has leak knowledge / experience on LSX454, I'm all ears....
Thanks.
Officially.yes, he s still working on it. Shortblock is built. He just finished up porting the Mast motorsport 285cc ls7 heads. We have some nice before and after flow numbers. I believe next up is the intake mani. Im awaiting the dyno results etc and alil more progress on my chevelle by me this winter, than i ll be starting a new build thread with all of it and lots of pics. So its not as long and drawn out as my other roller coaster of a build.
Interesting, thanks. I do have a tankless water heater with the 210F commercial upgrade chip in it, so I could do the same if need be. Don’t run it that high normally.
Key point so far seems same though. Seal heads to block with rotating out, then pressurize, look up from under. I was surprised you went as high as 70psi? I’ll just do 15psi or less.
LSX block is iron, and this engine should have no internal mechanical damage as it is all brand new. Could it be as simple as a head gasket? We’ll see. Local machine shop says he does use copper spray on them as the MLS gaskets can drool until a few heat cycles have passed.
I will pipe it into my water heater if nothing shows up cold. Good idea. Thanks.
Key point so far seems same though. Seal heads to block with rotating out, then pressurize, look up from under. I was surprised you went as high as 70psi? I’ll just do 15psi or less.
LSX block is iron, and this engine should have no internal mechanical damage as it is all brand new. Could it be as simple as a head gasket? We’ll see. Local machine shop says he does use copper spray on them as the MLS gaskets can drool until a few heat cycles have passed.
I will pipe it into my water heater if nothing shows up cold. Good idea. Thanks.
We tried higher psi before the water boiler testing. The engine builder did that on his own prior to my way with the boiler. I dont think it ever got over 20psi with hot water in it. We were just running down our list outloud