A stethoscope is not working. I have retracts that come down mid flight because of a leak. There must be a better way. Please
John

Take a long piece of air line or fuel tubing, put one end in your ear and the other end up to each junction. Works way better than a stethoscope because you can get into tighter spots and smaller spaces. Don't forget to check all over pistons, valves and even the tanks and filler valves.

Hi I using water with dish detergent and paper towers ,detect the smallest leaks 100% usually the seal inn retracts cylinders ,niple or cylinder threading.

if a stethoscope is not working then you might have a defect cylinder /damage o-ring.

Meaning that there is a leak between the two apartments and from there you loose pressure to the environment.

Take the pliers and pinch your retract lines one of the time.When you hear the leak to stop, remove and take apart the cylinder,your o-rings there might need replacement


my 2c

pliers is what i do

i use a pump style cyno activator bottle, wash it out and put washing up liquid and water in it give it a good shake and away you go works 100%

I have been busy with new year stuff, but there is much wisdom here, and thank you Sharing Persons, and the Forum.
Happy New Year, and great flying to all.
John

This thread and a couple other older ones cite the use of Tygon for use as a stethoscope. I have to say this is one of the BEST ideas I've ever seen presented on the forum. It really works! Which was very welcoming as air leaks can be tremendously frustrating.

Together with hemostats, with tips covered in old/nitro fuel tubing you can clamp off lines and systematically find the leaks.
Here's a tip, If you have a doctor friend you may be able to get small hemostats for free. Just sterilize them thoroughly before use of course, but they work perfect for this.

Remove them (if they are faulty you will have to remove them anyway to fix them), extend the
air lines & submerge them in a bucket of water. You will find EXACTLY where they are leaking.
As you work on them try them in the water until you are sure they are fixed.

Be sure to dry them off properly & spray them with WD40 or equivalent when finished. - John.

Start by clamping off a major section of air lines like all of the doors or all of the gear, the tanks, valves and filler valves. Its helpful to have a digital gauge or larger type analog type. After you find out what "is" holding you can zero in on what is not holding air and start soaping fittings. it is also possible there is a retrac or door cylinder leaking internally and the air will be bypassing and leaking at the valve. If you want to find a leak quickly you can invest in one of these units on the link I provided. A small air leak sounds like tornado in the ear phones.
Vin...

http://www.amazon.com/Amprobe-ULD-30...+leak+detector

Thanks guys. good approaches. I find lathering up dishwasher soap in a short bristle artists brush and putting on the connectors, cylinders is great for smaller annoying leaks. If it's leaking I get a ball of suds.
Vincent that's a seriously nice detector.

I do it the way Vincent does it with Sherlock T1-8S-24 Gas & Air Leak Detector
vinny