After your car overheats, it's important to perform a pressure check. A pressure check will determine whether overheating is caused by improper pressure within the car's cooling system. It will also allow you to find and repair leaks to the system before taking it to a garage for a major overhaul.
Instructions
- 1
Purchase a pressure tester from any auto supply store.
2Remove the radiator cap and set aside.
3Connect the pressure tester adapter cap to the radiator cap opening and tighten down.
4Look at the gauge attached to the pressure tester and find the color band that matches appropriate pressure levels for your specific vehicle. This information can also be found on your radiator cap or vehicle owner's manual.
5Increase the pressure on the cooling system with the hand pump found on the pressure tester until the gauge reaches the right color band.
6Keep the tester on the system and recheck in five minuets. If the system is properly holding pressure the needle will remain in the same basic location. If there is a leak, the needle will drop quickly out of the appropriate range for the vehicle.
7Look for leaks by applying additional pressure to the system with the pressure tester in place. If there are no visible leaks in hoses or other tubing, it's possible the radiator cap needs to be replaced.
