TIL a $15 coolant pressure tester saved my engine in Denver last week

My truck was running hot and I couldn't find the leak. Borrowed a tester from Autozone, found a pinhole in the radiator hose I'd have never spotted otherwise. Has anyone else caught a small leak this way or am I just unlucky with hoses?

2 comments

2 Comments

casey_torres6017d ago

Pressure testers are the way to go for sure. I had a similar thing happen with my old F150 last summer. It was overheating but I couldn't see any puddles or drips under the truck. Bought a cheap tester at Harbor Freight and the gauge dropped right away. Turned out to be a tiny crack in the plastic part of the radiator near the top. You would never find that just by looking. Saved me from replacing a bunch of parts that were fine. So no you are not unlucky, these small leaks are just super hard to spot without putting some pressure on the system.

charliew9917d ago

Gotta push back a little on that Harbor Freight tester though. Cheap ones can leak air themselves and mess with your readings. Spend the extra $20 at AutoZone for a solid one.