Since replacing a heater core is such a tough job and now we have to worry about the quality of the replacement parts, pressure testing your new heater core prior to assembly is often recommended. I found an extremely simple way to do this at home. A 25mm bicycle tube that you can buy at Walmart for about $5 will do the trick. Cut a section of the tube with the air valve and put it on both heater connections using hose clamps. The tube stretches fairly tightly over both inlet and outlet nipples although they are different sizes. I inflated it to about 5 - 10 psi and dunked the core in a 5 gal bucket of water to watch for bubbles.
I tried to inflate it to 20 psi but it exploded with an impressive bang. I would suggest using a shorter piece than I did and wrapping it in duct tape to try for higher pressure. Make sure to test it first at 5 - 10 psi before venturing to higher pressure so you don't risk ending up empty handed. I think the low pressure test is sufficient to test for pin holes in a defective core.
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I tried to inflate it to 20 psi but it exploded with an impressive bang. I would suggest using a shorter piece than I did and wrapping it in duct tape to try for higher pressure. Make sure to test it first at 5 - 10 psi before venturing to higher pressure so you don't risk ending up empty handed. I think the low pressure test is sufficient to test for pin holes in a defective core.
IMG_1204.jpgIMG_1203.jpg
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