Anyone modified a leak down tester for diagnosing a cylinder on their diesel tractor?

[sd455dan]

I just finished checking the leakage on my Rhino 554 rockshaft after honing and replacing the seal. It got me thinking- that if if I just made an adapter, for this inexpensive leak down tester to replace the injector, I could trouble shoot my tractor diesels. Anyone already done this and if so how well did it work?

 

[Bob Rooks]

I would assume it would work very well because that's what is in my kit (for other engines). I have made an adapter from a glow plug and also taken firing pressures, however this is not for the novice.
What seal did you replace and hone? Curious.

 

[sd455dan]

I should have worded that -after honing the rockshaft cylinder, due to some small scoring and replacing the worn out and disintegrated hydraulic seal with a new one.
Sorry about the confusion, maybe someone knows of a good source of a reasonably priced adapter to replace the injector with?
Hope no one would actually hone a hydraulic seal...

 

[Bob Rooks]

I guess I should have been more clear also. Yes, you can make an adapter from an old injector, it's relatively simple, however, the injector won't be able to be used for fuel anymore. Disassemble and remove the pintle and seat assembly, put a bolt and copper sealing washer where the fuel leak off line attaches, then fit an air chuck nipple or other adapter that's compatible with your tester where the fuel line attaches. I don't know what type/make/size of engine you have, or the injector type, so those instructions are pretty generic.

 

[sd455dan]

Thanks Bob , I just installed a new injector on the Rhino-compared the spray pattern on new and old injector and they both atomized well and had a conical pattern.I had assumed the Rhinos injector had at least 2 spray nozzle holes like my Ford tractor and thought one was plugged. and so I ordered a new one. Well it runs the same, slight miss at idle and a little tinge of blue smoke. Anyway the 2 injectors are both good so I didn't want to use a good injector for a tester. I threw this together tonight, not very high tech but I will give it a try, The injector on the left is for the Rhino/Shanghai and the right one is for a Ford 3000 ,actually fairly similar...

 

[Bob Rooks]

Thanks Bob , I just installed a new injector on the Rhino-compared the spray pattern on new and old injector and they both atomized well and had a conical pattern.I had assumed the Rhinos injector had at least 2 spray nozzle holes like my Ford tractor and thought one was plugged. and so I ordered a new one. Well it runs the same, slight miss at idle and a little tinge of blue smoke. Anyway the 2 injectors are both good so I didn't want to use a good injector for a tester. I threw this together tonight, not very high tech but I will give it a try, View attachment 305233 The injector on the left is for the Rhino/Shanghai and the right one is for a Ford 3000 ,actually fairly similar...

Nice job, pretty clever. Looks like you used a tire chuck.

 

[sd455dan]

Thanks Bob, after looking at the similar thread under this one- Diesel Compression Tester for Yanmar 3TNE88, I had sticker shock , looked through some odds and ends in the garage, and when I saw that old tire chuck figured why not just cut off the non pipe thread end,run a die over it to give it some adjustability, and allow a 90 degree male quick connect to be twisted on the end before tightening the steel plate down, because its pretty tight up under the fuel tank. The part that took the most thought was the seal , which is an inverted grommet over a 3/8 " Quadrajet fuel line end pressed into the pipe fitting. The flare and seal are larger than the regular injector needle valve body so there shouldn't be any danger of losing it into the cylinder. I believe it should also work for the Ford 3000. Here's a shot of some of the original parts , If it works - great, if not its back to the drawing board

 

[Bob Rooks]

That should work great. I see no problems using it for leak-down testing. Compression testing is another story though. Nice work.