A good reading for a cylinder leakage test would show?

For a cylinder leakage test, the goal is to assess the health of an engine’s cylinders and identify any potential issues such as worn piston rings, valve leaks, or head gasket failures. A reading indicating that all cylinders are below 20% leakage is generally considered an acceptable standard in many engine performance scenarios.

When the leakage percentage falls below this threshold, it typically indicates that the engine is maintaining good compression and that the sealing surfaces of the valves and piston rings are in reasonable condition. A leakage rate higher than 20% may start to suggest that the engine may face operational problems, impact performance, or exhibit increase oil consumption.

While lower percentages like those in the other options could indicate even better engine health, a threshold of 20% is often viewed as a functional benchmark, tolerable for operation while still allowing for periodic assessments or eventual repairs. Hence, readings under this specific percentage provide useful insight into overall cylinder integrity and engine reliability.