The fluid in the radiator should come to just below the cap, and the overflow reservoir will have a line indicating maximum fill.
#RADIATOR LEAK TESTER FULL#
Make sure the cooling system is full before testing. Wait till there is little to no pressure before opening the radiator cap. The harder it is to squeeze the hose, the more pressure the system is under. To see if the cooling system is currently under pressure, squeeze the upper radiator hose. If you open the radiator while the engine is hot, that liquid can spray out and cause burns. Remember, your coolant system is under pressure and contains liquid that is near boiling temperature. Allow plenty of time for the engine to cool. Never open your radiator cap when your engine is running, or has been running recently and is still hot. They will usually work with almost every make of automobile, are crafted from high-grade materials and will often have purge and refill systems included. Įxpensive: These kits are a substantial improvement in quality. Mid-range: Mid-range kits will include wider support for a range of autos, custom radiator caps and improved materials and construction. The radiator caps are often not customized for a particular make, but a type of generic, one-size-fits-most style. For example, they may work with US and Asian manufactured cars, but not European. Inexpensive: The cheapest kits will include support for a few makes or will focus on regional manufacturers. This is definitely a product category where you get what you pay for. Tester kits can vary quite a bit in quality and price.
This not only makes it easy to connect and disconnect the kit’s components, but also ensures you don’t accidentally lose pressure from a poor connection. Self-locking, quick-snap connectors are another convenient feature included with many tester kits. Kits that include this feature are a good value, as a separate radiator refill kit can cost $60 to $70 alone. Some tester kits come with a refill tool designed to help you replace lost coolant without trapping air bubbles in the coolant system. There are aftermarket radiator caps that increase that pressure even higher, although the added pressure may cause additional stress on other components that weren’t designed to handle the pressure, such as gaskets, hoses and clamps.īuy a testing kit that is rated for at least the same pressure as that listed on your radiator cap. Your typical cooling system is under 10 to 20 psi of pressure. Kits come with different pressure ratings. With a variety of options and price points, there’s a number of features you should look for when shopping for a tester kit.
Since many of them look virtually identical at first glance, this is an easy way to make sure you’re using the right one for the right vehicle. For example, some models include color coded radiator test caps, with each color corresponding to an automotive brand. Some of the manufacturers go above and beyond to make their kits as easy and accessible as possible.
#RADIATOR LEAK TESTER PROFESSIONAL#
Some kits are geared toward specific makes, while others include adapters for almost every major car brand on the market.Īnother factor to bear in mind is ease-of-use, especially if you’re not a professional mechanic. When buying a tester kit, one of the first questions you need to consider is whether you will be buying the kit for a single vehicle, or whether you plan on using it on several different makes and models. This allows your engine to run at the temperature it needs to in order to operate efficiently, without boiling the coolant. The coolant system is pressurized, which raises the boiling point of the coolant. The radiator acts as a heat exchanger, cooling the coolant as air flows over it before the coolant goes back through the engine to absorb more heat. To understand what to look for in a tester kit, it’s important to understand how your automobile’s cooling system works.Īs coolant makes its way through your engine, it absorbs heat the engine generates. Engine coolant is made from a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and distilled water.
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