Cost of a leakdown test

[Bhom]

Looking at buying a friend's 1988 carrera cabrio, and with 172k on the engine and no rebuild history, my main concern is the condition of the engine (which seems to run and drive pretty well, no smoke on cold starts, just passed smog).

I can easily do a compression test myself, but I'm not equipped to do a leakdown, so, I've been calling around LA to find someone willing to do a full compression and leakdown test for me and have had pretty interesting results.

The lowest quote I've gotten: $380 (Scientific Automotive in Pasadena)
Highest: $1800 (Monaco Motors in Canoga Park)

Called over 10 Porsche specialty shops and have gotten a full spectrum of quotes between the two numbers. I have a hard time believing that such a huge spread just comes down to hourly rates. Talking to some places, they made it sound like leakdown is an engine out job because there's no other way to turn the crank to get TDC on each cyl. But obviously the places quoting me <$1000 aren't dropping the engine, so, surely that's not correct?

My question is: are the places with crazy high quotes merited in terms of what doing a full leakdown test on one of these cars actually entails if you want to do it "properly"? Are the reputable shops that are giving me low quotes going to do it "the wrong way"? Scientific Automotive seem to know what they're doing, and I got several quotes from other reputable seeming shops that was close to theirs, so absent more information it feels like letting Scientific do it is the right move?

I work on all my cars myself and that will continue if I buy the 911, but I'm completely new to Porsches, so really interested to hear thoughts!

[fallingat120mph]

From a Frannie video, years ago:




I actually bought the same tester from their Amazon link which is in their description:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030EVL60/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=heidiandfrann-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B0030EVL60&linkId=6408e19adade451a4e39a0ff39785286&th=1

I also do most of my own work. I checked my 200,000 mile engine with this unit and everything checked out compared to a shop that snuck me in so I could compare.


I understand you are buying and want a shop to do both checks, but for the future this might be something you would want.




EDIT: Oh and I did mine with the engine in...


Good luck in the purchase and hopefully you get some good responses.


Erik

[Bhom]

Thanks! Yeah, I do think that it wouldn't be that hard to get the equipment I'd need to do it, but when I was trying to figure out if it's possible to do it engine in I couldn't find a straight answer. Only video I found was that one, which is engine out.

Glad to hear it's do-able engine in!

[fallingat120mph]

Originally Posted by Bhom

Thanks! Yeah, I do think that it wouldn't be that hard to get the equipment I'd need to do it, but when I was trying to figure out if it's possible to do it engine in I couldn't find a straight answer. Only video I found was that one, which is engine out.

Glad to hear it's do-able engine in!

...and if you watch the Frannie video it pretty much explains everything. I did it on a whim in the Texas summer as it was too hot to drive that week/month and I had never done it before...I was just curious.

Warmed up the car, made some coffee and got to work.

As stated I hope others chime in and maybe someone locally can loan you one, or just help you before the purchase.

Also, research head studs. Not a deal breaker for me as my 210,000 mile engine has one (and I have a spare engine being rebuilt), but if you are a new buyer, this is a good thing to check/have knowledge about before purchase...

Erik

[john walker's workshop]

Engine in for sure. $380 must be 2 hours @ $190hr, which seems ball park for a pretty simple job. You turn the engine by a socket and ratchet on the alternator pulley while pressing in on the right side of the belt. Any porsche guy should know that.

[fallingat120mph]

Originally Posted by Bhom

Thanks! Yeah, I do think that it wouldn't be that hard to get the equipment I'd need to do it, but when I was trying to figure out if it's possible to do it engine in I couldn't find a straight answer. Only video I found was that one, which is engine out.

Glad to hear it's do-able engine in!

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

Engine in for sure. $380 must be 2 hours @ $190hr, which seems ball park for a pretty simple job. You turn the engine by a socket and ratchet on the alternator pulley while pressing in on the right side of the belt. Any porsche guy should know that.

Talked with my mechanic here in KC about what he charges and he said an hour for compression and leak down...he said two hours is reasonable - any more than that and "keep looking".




Erik

[mepstein]

We’ve probably done a hundred leak down tests in the last couple years. Takes about an hour to get the car on the lift, do the leak down, drop the car off the lift. Probably a half hour, at most, engine out of the car.
Any more than a couple hundred and you’re being scammed.
Watching a video on how to do one will give you a good idea about how much work goes into doing the test. It’s not complicated or strenuous.

[pmax]

Originally Posted by Bhom

Looking at buying a friend's 1988 carrera cabrio, and with 172k on the engine and no rebuild history, my main concern is the condition of the engine (which seems to run and drive pretty well, no smoke on cold starts, just passed smog).

I can easily do a compression test myself, but I'm not equipped to do a leakdown, so, I've been calling around LA to find someone willing to do a full compression and leakdown test for me and have had pretty interesting results.

The lowest quote I've gotten: $380 (Scientific Automotive in Pasadena)
Highest: $1800 (Monaco Motors in Canoga Park)

Called over 10 Porsche specialty shops and have gotten a full spectrum of quotes between the two numbers. I have a hard time believing that such a huge spread just comes down to hourly rates. Talking to some places, they made it sound like leakdown is an engine out job because there's no other way to turn the crank to get TDC on each cyl. But obviously the places quoting me <$1000 aren't dropping the engine, so, surely that's not correct?

My question is: are the places with crazy high quotes merited in terms of what doing a full leakdown test on one of these cars actually entails if you want to do it "properly"? Are the reputable shops that are giving me low quotes going to do it "the wrong way"? Scientific Automotive seem to know what they're doing, and I got several quotes from other reputable seeming shops that was close to theirs, so absent more information it feels like letting Scientific do it is the right move?

I work on all my cars myself and that will continue if I buy the 911, but I'm completely new to Porsches, so really interested to hear thoughts!

This step alone is probably $500 of the quote.

[DWeg1998]

I just paid $450 for leakdown and compression for what that’s worth

[fallingat120mph]

Originally Posted by pmax

This step alone is probably $500 of the quote.

Nice!


Erik

[Bhom]

Thanks all! This is all in line with what I expected -- no way the cheap places would be charging that low if it was actually difficult to do.

Some of the high $1000+ quotes did comes from some of the better regarded shops (Callas, for example)

[mepstein]

My buddy got charged $1485 for an oil change at the local Porsche dealer. So there are places getting away with crazy pricing.
We charge $1450 (labor) for a transmission rebuild so obviously there’s a large disparity between shops. I’d rather do an oil change for that $1450 but I’d have trouble keeping a straight face in front of the customer.