WHY DO A BOOST LEAK TEST

Doing a simple boost leak test will give you that answer. A boost leak test will detect every single leak in your turbo engine! Fixing these leaks will let you spool your turbo with confidence knowing the engine is making the most power, fuel economy and extending the turbo's life dramatically!

Turbo Boost Leak Testers is your number one source for high quality, simple and effective boost leak testers since 2007! Always pro-active to help you troubleshoot your turbo engine issue and guide you through fixing your boost leaks. Feel free to reach out any time directly by cell or email.

The boost leak tester attaches to the turbo's compressor inlet, or in some cases, pre-turbo, and allows for a shop air compressor to pressurize the tester and all of the pressure holding components while the engine is off. This will let you easily check the system for any leaks. Every single boost leak tester includes a built-in boost gauge that allows you to monitor exactly how much air is in the system to avoid putting dangerous amounts of pressure into the system.

Boost leak testing will check all hoses, pipes, clamped connections, worm gear clamps, v-band clamps, diverter valves, blow off valves, EGR valves stuck open, one-way check valves, brake booster check valve, intercooler core and end tanks, charge air cooler / CAC, throttle body seals, intake manifold, manifold air connections, injector o-rings, PCV valves — all the components the turbo normally pressurizes every time it's spooling to make full boost.

Routine maintenance: Checking for boost leaks periodically is becoming more important now that tuning is widespread for almost every turbo car or truck out there. Everyone wants to go faster — but turning up the boost puts a significant load on the turbo. "With great power comes great responsibility."

Upgrading with a tune or hardware mods: A boost leak test should be performed when any modification is made to the air charge path. Upgrades like FMIC or charge pipe upgrades may never see their full potential if a boost leak goes undetected. If going in for a custom tune, any good tuner will require a leak check first — it's critical not to tune in a boost leak.

Replacing failed turbos: A boost leak test is required since the leak may have caused the failure to begin with.

Racing: Road race track days, street racing, drag racing — all put high demand on the motor and turbo, the last thing you want is added stress from a boost leak.

Out of warranty: Hoses, seals, gaskets, and vacuum lines all deteriorate with heat and age just like spark plugs or oil — air leaks deserve the same attention.

Yes, you can sometimes hear a boost leak while driving — but that's usually after it's already developed into a huge leak. Those get noticed and fixed quickly. The more damaging leaks are the ones you can't feel or hear, impossible to catch over the sound of the intake and exhaust.

A boost leak in any turbo motor can be just as detrimental as a worn or failed spark plug or injector. It overworks the turbo, putting stress on the entire system as it spins faster to make up for the loss of air. Depending on severity, the shaft bearings can be starved of lubrication, leading to shaft play and ultimately compressor and turbine wheel failure — broken shafts, chewed-up wheels dumping aluminum into the intake are worst-case scenarios.

The worst leaks are subtle and undetected by the driver, causing anomalies in target air/fuel ratios, higher ignition retard, and other tuning issues that get unfairly blamed on the tune itself.

Time after time we've seen stock and high-horsepower cars come through where the owner confidently says "I looked it all over, tightened all the clamps down, I don't have any leaks!" — only to find an overlooked vacuum line or connection was leaking. You can never be sure unless the system is pressurized. These later become the die-hard fans of boost leak testing.

A smoke test is a good option for finding low pressure and EVAP leaks, but it won't put the charge pipes to the test the way pressurized boost leak testing at 10, 15, or even higher PSI will. If your smoke tester can reach higher pressure levels, or you combine it with a boost leak tester, that works just as well.

The good news is any uncertainty can be avoided with a simple, cost-effective boost leak test — cheap insurance for your turbo engine, especially compared to the cost of a turbo replacement and the downtime that comes with it.