Shop Tips
Use Air Compressor to Find Leak in Vacuum-Clamp Bag
Sep 20, 2006
A leak in a vacuum-clamp bag can be difficult to pinpoint. Here is a method that has worked for me. Close the bag in the regular fashion, and then use spring clamps to reinforce the tubes that lock the ends of the bag. Inflate the bag using the cleaning gun of an air compressor, then close the bag’s input tube with plastic and masking tape. Give the bag a light squeeze. You should be able to hear and feel the escaping air and mark the holes for repair. A repair kit for patching holes is available from VacuPress.
Drawings by Jim Richey.
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Comments
On turbocharged engines we used to apply pressure to the outlet of the exhaust and spray soapy water on the intake manifold. That shows you even the smallest leaks. Of course, you'd have to clean off the soap to apply repair tape in this instance. Same idea though.
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