Hey Dudes,

As one of the diagnostic steps to try to figure out a misfire problem, we did a leak down test and videoed the procedure.

So, here it is. Hope you like it.

I vote for more overdubbing on videos

Do you get sponsorships for tools now?

Maybe we could make a whole video with overdubbing. We could throw some Godzilla scenes into it for the full effect.

No sponsorships yet. I have used our channel as leverage when a tool broke and the company was going to charge me for a replacement because it was outside the warranty. OTC was one of the companies I called and I basically said something like this, "Here's the deal. We do a ton of free advertising for you guys via our YouTube channel. I normally don't ask for special treatment from companies but I know for a fact our videos have inspired a lot of sales for your tools. So, could you see your way to replacing the tool free for me?" And, they did replace the tool for free for me.

For the coming party, Sean and I thought it would be cool to get some tool donations from our favorite tool companies for the free raffle. We hit up Bosch who owns OTC, Apex Tool Group that owns Gear Wrench, Stanley Black & Decker that owns Dewalt, and Techtronic Industries that owns Milwaukee. So far, the only promising one has been Gear Wrench, but since I filled out the sponsorship form request, I haven't heard anything.

We are still small potatoes as YouTube channels go, but I know our channel is promoting sales for these companies. Maybe as we grow they will see us in another light and want to sponsor us.

You guys have nearly 15k sub's on Youtube and I know many other's on there with less sub's that have some sponsorships going for them. Don't sell yourself short. You seem like a pretty modest dude, but I bet if you pushed some of those companies a bit you could get some sort of sponsorship deal from them. Maybe that's not your thing, which is also good.

Hmmm, maybe I should push a little harder for some support from these companies. I don't mind promoting products that I personally use and like but I would want to avoid using tools they send me and want me to use in a video if I'm not hip on the particular tool. I also don't know if I'll get into doing tool reviews because that really isn't my thing. I'd rather help a company out by featuring their tool in a video and show people how functional it is.

I thought the idea Sean and I had of asking for tool donations for our free raffle would generate some interest from these companies. We told them we would list them as sponsors of the party and also acknowledge their donations in the party video we make because the raffle will be part of the video. I sent these companies links to the videos we feature their tools in and also showed them we provide links to their tools in the video descriptions. It seemed to me i was making a good case for them to sponsor us but I guess I need to do more.

I think I'll make some more phone calls and send out some more emails next week to see if I can successfully get these companies to sponsor us. It would be really cool to raffle off some tools because we're all about empowering people to handle their own automotive work and having the necessary tools is a big part of that. If we don't get anywhere, oh well, no biggie. The Timmy the Toolman train will still keep chugging along down the tracks.

Thanks Timmy ! I've been waiting to look into the leak down test and now somebody did it for me.
Maybe we can get you on the rowing team at USC and then your Youtube channel will take off.....that bimbo has 2 million subscribers.
What is wrong with people ?

Yeah, if I wanted to make it big on YouTube, I'd have to be a gamer or somehow morph into a teenage girl showing other girls how to put on make-up or some other stupid trendy thing.

There are some very successful automotive channels like Chris Fix, Eric the Car Guy, Scotty Kilmer, Engineering Explained and Ratchets and Wrenches to name a few. Where will we take this thing? Who knows. In order to grow much larger, we will have to venture out of our comfort zone and work on other Toyota models. I think if we expanded to working on different generation Tacomas, Tundras, FJ Cruisers and maybe even Sequoias, we would get a much bigger following. For now, I think most of our videos will be focused on working on 3rd Gen 4runners.

For a guy that doesn't do this for a living what you did in this video was very complete...I held my breath a few times thinking you were going off the deep end but you just did things a little different than I do...but that's ok...it's good to go over every step just so you know what you did was spot on...I do have one small thing I do once I get the gauge on pumping up the air on TDC is, put a large breaker bar, not ratchet, on the crank bolt and rock the engine back and forth a bit just to find the sweet spot on all the valves being closed...I've found a few psi on most engines and have found some valves not adjusted right too...intake valves are easy to hear through the intake,,,weird sound of hearing one valve close then the other a few degrees after...these cause crazy misfire codes that are very hard to find.
Which made me think the last time I had that was on a GDI engine with the massive charcoal chunk on the valve, made it act like it had a separate cam for that one valve...wonder if the one you have has a valve a little tight in #1...if I remember right the misfire happens 30 minutes of driving so it's pretty hot which is when a tight valve comes out the most...maybe a weak valve spring??...or sticking in the guide.

Thanks Rich. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. I think in the future instead of dialing up the pressure on the leak down tester first and then finally hooking up the line into the cylinder, I'll get the cylinder hose hooked up first and then slowly dial up the pressure. I think doing it this way might lessen the chances that the engine will turn over because the pressure gradually increases as opposed to a quick burst of 100 psi pressure into the cylinder.

We actually figured out Greg's issue today. He has crazy movement with his crankshaft. I just posted the video right now. With the gross movement from the crankshaft, I believe it's throwing off the reading the crankshaft position sensor is getting from the timing gear and thus creating the misfire. Greg has had a audible engine knock for 5 years now and it's gotten worse over time. Somebody mentioned the possibility of a bad thrust washer and I'm betting one thrust washer went bad when he first started getting a slight engine knock and then eventually the other one failed. Check out the video and you'll see the crazy play his crankshaft has.
YouTube

Wow!!!! That crank might be out of clearance a little/// I don't think I've seen one move so much and not pop out the front main seal...oh well..need some thrust bearings...if it's been like that for years I wonder if the crank damaged the block where the thrust bearings ride on...he's got some decisions to make on how much he's going to spend...when I rebuilt my motor it cost around 800, with reman heads, rings bearings and gaskets...I did no machine work to the block or crank though...didn't need it...our local you pull it salvage yard does specials on drivetrains monthly...50 for a motor and 50 for a trans...yeah that's nuts...anyhow I like the idea of adding pressure to the leakdown instead of doing it ahead of time...you do get some volume loss doing it first but not much...we both know if it's on the edge of being out more tests would be done.