Radiator pressure test

[Kristinsgrandpa]

6V-92 TA, operating press 9lb. what should I test it at?

TIA, Ed

[JohnEd]

Ed,

Happy new year, first off.

The only pressure test that i know of for a radiator is done with it removed from the vehicle and submerged.  Pressure up and look for bubbles after 5 min.

The have a valve and pump affair that they use to test radiator caps for their let off pressure.  You could use one of those and install a higher pressure cap, say 15 pounds, pump it up and look for coolant leak after a hour.  Might give you some confidence that the core isn't excessively soft and will tolerate the pressure.  I haver never done this but it seems a great way to find weeping connections and pinhole leak in the radiator.

Let me know how it works out.  A call to a rad repair shop would get you the psi that is max for a "good" rad test.  What do they use when they tank it.  If the shop says "well that all depends"....hang up and call another.

HTH,

John

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Ed,

We also tested my new rads at 15 psi.

Good Luck
Nick-

[HB of CJ]

We used to test automotive (cars) radiators at 15 psi, but I dunno if that is safe with a coach radiator.  A different animal.  Perhaps you can ask your local, friendly, inexpensive heavy truck radiator man.  Also you can get an inexpensive ($cheap$) test package that tests for combustion gases, fuel and motor oil in the coolant, along with pH and other stuff that I have forgotten right now.  Old age.  Would hate to pop some gasket inside your mill with tooss much test pressure on your coach radiator.   

[Hartley]

Is it leaking?

Only do a pressure test if you are ready to buy a new radiator core.

An Older radiator like that could rupture a core and that would mean that your budget just went way way south. And basically forget just patching up a
leaking core. Usually doesn't hold for long before more degradation.

I wouldn't test for the sake of testing unless I already had planned to replace it.

If you put a new one in ( fresh core ) then I would pressure test it.

Dave....

[Sammy]

I pressurize the cooling systems to 10psi. Some buses have a pressure relief valve located on the back of the radiator surge tank. If it blows off, just lower the pressure a bit and it will close. This is in addition to the manual pressure relief valve you commonly use, before you open the surge tank.
Good luck with your repair.