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Old 15-07-2016
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Default Cheap and easy way to pressure test your cooling system

I put this info up on my XJ thread, but it worked so well and was so cheap that I thought I would post it as a general Jeep Garage thing and share it. I had been thinking for a while about making a pressure tester and looked online about various ways of going about it. It clicked to me that the simplest method was to use my existing Stant Lev-r-vent radiator cap and just put a bicycle tube valve in the end of the overflow tube. Cost was zero and it worked perfectly.

How this works is that when you lift the Stant lever, it lets pressure into and out of the system. You normally use it to vent pressure off into your overflow bottle. I just went the opposite way. I used an old innertube valve and connected it to the end of the pressure bottle hose, and then used my old bike pump that has a gauge to pump the system up to 15 psi.



Instantly coolant came rushing out of one of my heater T's up near the cylinder head. This T is for the LPG system and it must of been weeping straight down onto a frame rail and then the coolant was working its way along to the bell housing. Took 5 minutes to make and solve a problem that was bugging me for weeks.



You can make this pressure testing system for about $10. I had the cap anyway, but you can get one at Rock Auto for $3.50 http://www.rockauto.com/en/partsearch/?partnum=10331 That ones for and XJ, but they are sold for all the various models.

A black light is great for spotting weeps. It makes your coolant glow and they are as cheap as chips on Ebay. About $3 delivered...http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mini-Alum...ebl8Qq4FWAQ0eQ

Cheers,
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Old 15-07-2016
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I've done it a similar way for a while. And did something a bit silly,

I just like to warn folks not to keep building up the pressure, especially don't use a compressor, thinking you'll find a leak or the weakest point before it goes ***KABOOM***.


I once thought I had a leak but didn't, kept putting in a bit of pressure while looking, got side tracked... before I knew it the pressure was far too much. Lucky nothing went bang

Just keep the pressure low, keep an eye on the gauge.
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Old 15-07-2016
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Excellent garage tip. Thanks for the share....

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