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Radiator Pressure Tester for '69 Sprite

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SaxMan

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I purchased the Pittsburgh Automotive Radiator Pressure Test kit from Harbor Freight. It's the one that comes will all the attachments to fit various radiators, 14 of them to be exact. Not one of them will fit the radiator cap or even the brass plug on my '69 Sprite (Cross Flow Radiator). The best I could do was take one of the ones that looks like an intake/exhaust valve, wrap it in electrical tape to make it a bit bigger and wedge it in.

The problem is only after 5 psi, it pops right back out. Anyone know where I can find a proper cap and/or adapter to do a pressure test on the car? I'm thinking that BMC had to have made something like this for their dealers...just not sure how hard they will be to find. If anyone has a spare one laying around, I'd be more than interested in it.
 
can you McGyver something? I am thinking

1. Do you have a spare rad cap? can you take the smallest adapter and tap into the centre of the cap?

2. if you could go to Home Depot's plumbing department, find a threaded ABS receiver, glue it to "T" and buy two pieces of hose - temporarily replace your upper rad hose with your temporary hose?
 
I like those ideas. I do have a spare upper hose that I could sacrifice, and a spare cap -- I figure remove the plunger and tap the adaptor in place.
 
Started building the MacGyver cap tonight. The problem I've come across is I can't get an airtight seal...but everything else looks good. I think I may have a solution, but after dropping the valve into the overflow tank for the second time, I decided it was best to clean up and call it a night.
 
SaxMan said:
Started building the MacGyver cap tonight. The problem I've come across is I can't get an airtight seal...but everything else looks good. I think I may have a solution, but after dropping the valve into the overflow tank for the second time, I decided it was best to clean up and call it a night.
Click to expand...

good call! can you thread something up the bottom? or even epoxy it in place?
 
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