yea this way will show a major leak but the valves should seal perfectly. I tip the head on its side and put brake cleaner (thinner than water so will will show a smaller leak) into the intake or exhaust port (which ever way the head is sitting) and look for seepage at the valve. I do this even after I get a head back from the machine shop to double check there work. I learned this lesson the hard way on a Honda pilot. It would run great off idle but missed at idle.
This master mechanic is the real deal. I don’t take advice from diy weekend mechanics. I have learned a lot watching him as a tech myself and used his techniques and advice at my job.
I use a cup plastic cup painted black on the inside, that I put a hole in the top of.Then I put a Cree XM-L 300 lumen led flashlight, in the hole in top of cup. then put the cup with flashlight over the valves and turn it on.If the light comes through the stem side, you have a Leakey valve or valves..it's like majic:) thanks for the great tip!!
Thanks! This is exactly what I need this morning. I had blown head gaskets on my 2000 Ford Windstar 3.8L. I had the heads resurfaced but want to make sure the valves are holding before reinstalling them. In my case compression nor leakdown test would have helped diagnosing leaky valves. I had very little compression. I need a job If you guys are close by and need a good apprentice.
I seen another trick where you use the spray bottle with soapy water. Spray all valves then using the blow gun on the air compressor, you give each port hole a blast inside for like a second or so each. You'll get bubbles.
Dodge Magnum heads are NOTORIOUS for cracks due to the thin deck thickness. Wouldn't be surprised if the machine shop finds cracks. My 5.9L suffered a similar fate. New cylinder head was required. Either way, great video!!
That’s a good way of doing it although I’ve always used kerosene. You can also fill the intake or exhaust ports and watch for leaking at the valves. If it’s still on the vehicle you could smoke each cylinder at TDC after failing a compression test and see where it’s leaking (I think you have a video on that!). Keep up the great videos!
just from my eyes you can see that valve has a different color as well, compared to the other tan color valves, and me just being me you can also use diesel or kerosen to do this test as well i will find finer cracks than water can, keep it up guys ive have learned alot from you two, oh and yeah whats up with the mail cars always in your shop lol
this is a awesome wondrful thing u r doing thanks to ur teachings im starting help others fix their vehicle problems...thank u ....keep up the good work. god bless
with it on the car/truck, if you can access the spark plugs easy, you could do a compression test, as well as a "leak" test, i recently learned i bent a valve on brand new ported heads, 0 miles, because a peice of aluminum got caught in the intake... compression test = 0... then i removed the schrader valve from the compression tester, hooked up my air compressor and fired a bit of pressure into the cylinder... 0 pressure build... = leaking head or valve damage...
mostl likely cracks on dodge 5.9 are center cylinders of each head especially driver side. center is because two exhaust valves are next to each other double heating. the driver side is because the water stagnates on that side due to water flow direction.
to check piston rings or valve leak easy, put little oil in the cylinder a test compression one more time, if the compression go up the problem is the ring, if the compression same to first time you check the problem is the valve.
@MrKalula He uses whatever cars are brought to his shop. I've seen some japanese cars as well. He appears to have a lot of customers that use trucks for their business.
I have a chevy 350 with a free set of vortec heads. If i pour water in the intake side,2 of the valves will SLOWLY (like 1 drip every 15 seconds) drip water.Is this bad enough to do a valve job on?
You could have put the cylinder with no compression to top dead center and then put compressed air in to the spark plug hole then hear and feel where the compressed air is coming from. You would have heard/felt it from the exhaust and would have known it was a bad exhaust valve.
He was referring to the valve seat was leaking (edge of the valve where it touches the cylinder head) since it's leaking machine shop will have to machine the valve seat, install new valves and valve seals, machine it so the head surface is flat and pressure test the cylinder head valves as it where installed in an engine. As to whether the whole head is done or only that cylinder depends on the customer, or machine shop doing the work. I've been to machine shops where you have to do the whole head. I don't mind this because it's just one less thing you have to worry about. I'm assuming since they took that particular cylinder head off that they had already did a cylinder leak down test after a compression test to verify the low pressure on that particular cylinder. Since it was leaking by the exhaust then they would have felt blow by in the exhaust pipe.
Then why pull the head off, that's a lot of work to fill up the head with water. What about a compression check, $25 tool. Would a compression check diagnose this problem also? I have checked mine, and compression checks 180, 165 165, 180 but I still think i have a leaking valve or not seating well.
The compression check will tell you if your cylinder is losing compression, sure. But it won't tell you if it's the piston rings, valves, or head gasket.
yea this way will show a major leak but the valves should seal perfectly. I tip the head on its side and put brake cleaner (thinner than water so will will show a smaller leak) into the intake or exhaust port (which ever way the head is sitting) and look for seepage at the valve. I do this even after I get a head back from the machine shop to double check there work. I learned this lesson the hard way on a Honda pilot. It would run great off idle but missed at idle.
This master mechanic is the real deal. I don’t take advice from diy weekend mechanics. I have learned a lot watching him as a tech myself and used his techniques and advice at my job.
Thanks cor your comments, I appreciate you taking the time to add them
I use a cup plastic cup painted black on the inside, that I put a hole in the top of.Then I put a Cree XM-L 300 lumen led flashlight, in the hole in top of cup. then put the cup with flashlight over the valves and turn it on.If the light comes through the stem side, you have a Leakey valve or valves..it's like majic:)
thanks for the great tip!!
That’s gold ! Thx
Petrol ⛽️ or kerosene also is a good leak check as it dissolves any carbon to find the smallest holes
Thanks for sharing 👍
Thanks! This is exactly what I need this morning. I had blown head gaskets on my 2000 Ford Windstar 3.8L. I had the heads resurfaced but want to make sure the valves are holding before reinstalling them. In my case compression nor leakdown test would have helped diagnosing leaky valves. I had very little compression.
I need a job If you guys are close by and need a good apprentice.
I seen another trick where you use the spray bottle with soapy water. Spray all valves then using the blow gun on the air compressor, you give each port hole a blast inside for like a second or so each. You'll get bubbles.
Dodge Magnum heads are NOTORIOUS for cracks due to the thin deck thickness. Wouldn't be surprised if the machine shop finds cracks. My 5.9L suffered a similar fate. New cylinder head was required. Either way, great video!!
i head to pull 4 heads at the junkyard to find one uncracked one.
That’s a good way of doing it although I’ve always used kerosene. You can also fill the intake or exhaust ports and watch for leaking at the valves. If it’s still on the vehicle you could smoke each cylinder at TDC after failing a compression test and see where it’s leaking (I think you have a video on that!). Keep up the great videos!
just from my eyes you can see that valve has a different color as well, compared to the other tan color valves, and me just being me you can also use diesel or kerosen to do this test as well i will find finer cracks than water can, keep it up guys ive have learned alot from you two, oh and yeah whats up with the mail cars always in your shop lol
Great tip! I learned this originally from Edd China on Wheeler Dealers
this is a awesome wondrful thing u r doing thanks to ur teachings im starting help others fix their vehicle problems...thank u ....keep up the good work. god bless
Cylinder #4 is like Ralph on the Simpsons. "I peed a little!"
Absolutely brill sir
I usually pour the water in the ports
I pour gas in the ports
with it on the car/truck, if you can access the spark plugs easy, you could do a compression test, as well as a "leak" test, i recently learned i bent a valve on brand new ported heads, 0 miles, because a peice of aluminum got caught in the intake... compression test = 0... then i removed the schrader valve from the compression tester, hooked up my air compressor and fired a bit of pressure into the cylinder... 0 pressure build... = leaking head or valve damage...
mostl likely cracks on dodge 5.9 are center cylinders of each head especially driver side. center is because two exhaust valves are next to each other double heating. the driver side is because the water stagnates on that side due to water flow direction.
to check piston rings or valve leak easy, put little oil in the cylinder a test compression one more time, if the compression go up the problem is the ring, if the compression same to first time you check the problem is the valve.
@MrKalula He uses whatever cars are brought to his shop. I've seen some japanese cars as well. He appears to have a lot of customers that use trucks for their business.
@CatfishingChris yup that water has no pressure behind it just think of what 150psi would do to that leak.
They make a vacuum gun for that. It pulls a vacuum on the intake and exhaust valves. It should pull about 18 inch's of vacuum.
more great tips from DUANE !!! when can i get a job over there duane ?
Neve use water. It might be the old school thing to do but it’s also the old fool thing to use, use gas or kerosene
5.9 that is a big motor. gas must be cheap over there. its 1euro and 60 cent here in ireland about2 dollars per litre
great video
what a great tip, thank you
I have a chevy 350 with a free set of vortec heads. If i pour water in the intake side,2 of the valves will SLOWLY (like 1 drip every 15 seconds) drip water.Is this bad enough to do a valve job on?
Quite true. I can't believe I forgot that, lol.
You could have put the cylinder with no compression to top dead center and then put compressed air in to the spark plug hole then hear and feel where the compressed air is coming from. You would have heard/felt it from the exhaust and would have known it was a bad exhaust valve.
Great tip but that sounds expensive to repair.
So does the valve seal need to be replaced or the valve or both?
He was referring to the valve seat was leaking (edge of the valve where it touches the cylinder head) since it's leaking machine shop will have to machine the valve seat, install new valves and valve seals, machine it so the head surface is flat and pressure test the cylinder head valves as it where installed in an engine. As to whether the whole head is done or only that cylinder depends on the customer, or machine shop doing the work. I've been to machine shops where you have to do the whole head. I don't mind this because it's just one less thing you have to worry about. I'm assuming since they took that particular cylinder head off that they had already did a cylinder leak down test after a compression test to verify the low pressure on that particular cylinder. Since it was leaking by the exhaust then they would have felt blow by in the exhaust pipe.
That's what u call a leak down test. lol
I dunno if I like the idea of using water for the test. Brake-clean maybe?
thanks....may friends.....good...good....
Do a leak down test and you will find out if your valves are leaking.
Cool Deal!!
A little toothpaste and a cordless drill hand lap, and shes good as new. While theyre out put valve seals in.
Cool
I normally use brake clean for that, just because the brake clean is closer lol
@MrKalula cause we still have to find a broken one!!!looooll!!!
Then why pull the head off, that's a lot of work to fill up the head with water.
What about a compression check, $25 tool. Would a compression check diagnose this problem also? I have checked mine, and compression checks 180, 165 165, 180 but I still think i have a leaking valve or not seating well.
@gokblok
Because not everybody has the tools for that, and water works just as well.
I use soapy water and shop air fwtw
Is there a tip with head still on the engine, please?
"Then why pull the head off, that's a lot of work to fill up the head with water."
I'm sure he already diagnosed it before he pulled the head.
The compression check will tell you if your cylinder is losing compression, sure. But it won't tell you if it's the piston rings, valves, or head gasket.
Jerkwad152 no, but antifreeze and oil will tell you the problem.
if after oil put in and comp go up rings and valve ok , if it stays the same valves are at fault
if the comp goes up,that is the bad ring,that oil helped to bring it up
NIce!!
@alundrasrt Open the engine.
What were the symptoms?
I did a lapping Job on my valve like about 5 to 6 time and it still leak any advise?
How long do you think it should hold if it is on the intake side of the valve
no specific time, but it should hold several minutes
Hopefully this isn't a common problem on the 5.9.
Why not do a leak-down test with air instead of pulling the head and using the water?
water doestn work well in this case. diesel is much better couse its more snoopy and using diesel or petrol is more precisely.
you know, here in America an engine as big as a car compare to Europe.
Cant you just do a compression test and put a cap full of oil in the cyl first. ?
@jorge10928 Thanks
PLEASE don't endorse McDonald's any more than they need to be. Other than that thanks for a great video!!
My god 2 valve per cylinder how old this car
Says 97 mopar 5.9 in the beginning of the video
1st
Sir Why dont u use Toyota cars (japanese) ones as a teaching mode
Goofing