Cooling System Pressure Tester $$ ?

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
I know a fellow csn borrow a tester from local autobparts stores, but it sure would be handy having one of my own.

How much does a decent one cost? What brand would you recommend for a shadetree mechanic working on older csrs & trucks? Does Harbor Freight have a decent one?

Thank you,
Glenn F.
 
It's not that they are so expensive... But the days of universal radiator caps are long gone! You would have to have soooo many adapters, and still not have the one you need!

I've been getting by just finding a way to pressure up the system with compressed air, usually with a regulator back feeding through the overflow tube. Just keep the regulator set no higher than 15 PSI and it's as safe as a hand pump.
 
I hear ya. Newest vehicle would be pre 2000 domestic cars/light trucks. Were theybmore universal?

Glenn F.
 
I have a Stant payed $75 for it a few years ago. It came with adapters and a hard case. It works good and I live too far from the nearest town to go barrow one and have to return it.
 
Shadetree or not, you need one that will work for years. I'll second the Stant one. They make a very good quality pressure tester.
 
Do you have the Stant 12270? If so, how versatile is it, (Steve's concens)? I don't see any/many adapters in the description.

At this point the newest vehicle being tested would be a 2004 model. I expect such a tester will become less useful in time, but I eill always be working on older stuff, (my '68 Camaro, etc.).

Glenn F.
 
Yes that is the same as I have but my case is different and has one adepter that I have never used. I mostly work on cars from the 60-90 not real new stuff. If you look up Stant adapters you will see there are many that you can buy.
 
The Stant is what I have in my toolbox as a licensed mechanic. It comes with a generic twist-on adapter but there are many different style adapters available to use depending on what you need it to fit. Shy away from the universal adapter that looks like a cone made from rubber,it's a PITA to get to seal. I have several adapters to fit mine. The last one I got was the thread on style to fit my wife's Olds Alero.
 
This is the neatest set I have BUT its mostly for Euro... I run from those P.O.S. Euro cars so it does not get used much... The price was right at $100 tho.... It comes with a couple universal adapters but as said they don't work well... If they would come out with a domestic kit I would buy it in a heartbeat...

http://www.powerbuilt.com.tw/en/product.php?no=691&parent=

The handiest tester I have is a NAPA 3582 BUT the adapter is plastic and EZ to break... It has sealed every thing I have used it on...

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/C...ystem-Pressure-Testers/_/R-SER3582_0006544559

A Slant tester is a tool that will pertneer last you a life time ( I have had to replace the cup in mine one time and the hose a couple times) the issue is adapters are costly.... I spec like me folks that work on most anything growl at all those different radiator cap configurations that turn a simple test into a test to see what you can conger up ... Theirs still a out you can pressure the system thru the overflow tube at the rad neck if you have a good rad cap....
 
Not to steal the thread, but what may be wrong with my Stant that it does not hold pressure. Not leaking at the cap either.
Thanks, Mark
 
(quoted from post at 02:43:50 03/17/14) Not to steal the thread, but what may be wrong with my Stant that it does not hold pressure. Not leaking at the cap either.
Thanks, Mark

It has a cup/check valve open it up for a look C....
 

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