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- Included below are the general guidelines that are applicable to most vehicles. With any particular vehicle, there may be procedures, specifications, settings, tolerances, components, etc. that are specific to that vehicle. Always consult your vehicle's service manual when undertaking significant automotive repairs.
In addition to standard auto-mechanic's tools, some of the specialty tools that will be needed for this project include cooling-system pressure tester, replacement coolant and drain pan.
Visual Inspection of Cooling System:
- The initial phase of this project is a visual inspection under the hood. Look for any obvious leaks and check the condition of the drive belt and hoses. In our inspection, a leak was identified by coolant pooling on the garage floor. Also, hoses were found to be in worn condition, and one was almost completely collapsed.
- Visually inspect the radiator the heart of the cooling system that serves to dissipate the heat generated by the engine. Making certain that the engine is completely cool, remove the cap and check inside the neck of the radiator for the presence of rust and debris.
- In our demonstration, the radiator was found to be in poor condition, and rust was visible inside. Rather than attempt a radiator repair, it was deemed more practical to simply replace the radiator with a new one. The radiator cap will be replaced at the same time.
- Check the coolant recovery tank for leaks and for the condition of the coolant. Again, coolant that is brown or rusty looking indicates a cooling system in need of service.
- Our visual inspection also revealed a visible leak on a weep hole at the water pump. Weep holes are purposely built into the water pump as an alert to internal failure. This indicated that the water pump should be replaced also.
- The drive belt that runs the water pump was also inspected for tightness and condition.
- The visual inspection indicated that repair of this cooling system should include replacement of the radiator, water pump, hoses, radiator cap, belt and coolant.
Pressure Test:
- Before beginning the repairs, conduct a pressure test to ensure that there are no additional leaks that were overlooked in the visual inspection.
A pressure-tester can be purchased from an auto center for around $35.
- The pressure tester has an adapter on the end of the hose that connects to the radiator in the same place as the radiator cap. Install the cap and tighten it down securely.
- The pressure tester has a gauge with color bands indicating the pressure levels that are appropriate for specific vehicles and cooling systems. Your radiator cap should indicate the appropriate pressure for your system. You can also get this information from your vehicle's owners or service manual.
- Our project vehicle had a 13-pound system, indicated by the blue bar on the gauge.
- With the tester connected, increase the pressure to the cooling system using the hand pump until the needle on the gauge reaches the appropriate bar.
- Leave the tester on the system, and check it in about 5 minutes. If the system is sealed properly, it should hold pressure, and the needle will not drop significantly. If the system has a leak as ours did the needle will quickly drop down out of the acceptable range.
- With pressure applied using the pressure tester, an additional leak was identified in the area of the bypass hose that hooks to the water pump.
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