I am having a PPI done on an 04 Gallardo with 17,000 miles this afternoon. A leak down test is not part of the standard PPI and gets into another 5 hours in labor. Is it worth the expense or is it something I should not worry about with a car with mileage that low? Thanks.

I myself would perform it on older cars, Diablos, Ct etc...but not on a nwere cars with lower miles, UNLESS the mech see something, ie smoke water in oild etc that would cause consern... IMO

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Thanks for the info. I will roll with that, unless someone feels strongly otherwise.

5 hours for a leakdown? Leakdowns take a couple of hours max.

What's the difference between a compression test and a leak down test ?

leak down tests require applying air pressure from the plug hole with the valves closed to ensure the vales are properly seated, and that the exhaust valves are not burned. also head gaskets that are bad can on rare occasions cause bubbles to appear in the expansion tank ( you have the cap off). the engine should "hold" the air pressure you are putting in, and you are using a calibrated gage to see whats going on.

compression tests are done on a warm engine, with a good coat of oil on the internal parts. all of the plugs must be out on both banks, and the throttles must be held wide open. more than a 10-15% difference in the numbers may indicate a problem.

My mechanic insisted on doing it saying it tells more about an engine than anything else (his opinion). It took him about half an hour so I would say someone is trying to gouge you possibly.

I would always opt for a leakdown and compression test on any lambo. Why? Because it can tell you if something is not right with the internals of the engine. $500 gets you great peace of mind. If something is wrong, it could easily cost you $20k+ to fix. Seems like a no-brainer to me, especially on a car with no warranty.

I agree about newer cars. With less than 20-30K miles and unless you have check engine lights etc you may do more harm than good taking out plugs/boots etc. Cound not be done properly in less than say 2 hours.