Astro Pneumatics Tool Co. Ultimate Coolant System Pressure/Vacuum Tester 78585

~Video Details~
This video is the full unboxing video of the Astro Pneumatic 78585 Master Cooling System Fill/Vacuum/Test kit. One of the most comprehensive kits on the market, the 78585 would be a great option for any shop
A coolant system tester is an essential tool for any mechanic or DIYer. Even a small leak in a vehicle cooling system can cause problems. Because liquids boil faster at lower temperatures, a system with a leak or a bad cap can keep the system from building pressure which can lead to the coolant starting to boil. This is especially bad when it boils around the engine cylinders. When the air bubble forms on the cylinder wall it can break off pieces of metal in a process known as cavitation. Left unchecked, cavitation can lead to holes in your cylinder walls which means a blown, non-rebuildable engine block.

What should you look for when buying a coolant system tester?
~ The first and most essential tool is the coolant system vacuum/filler. It not only allows you to properly fill a coolant system under vacuum without leaving any air pockets, but it can be used to check for leaks. By Putting the system under vacuum and watching for any loss of vacuum over time, you can easily tell if you have a leak. You can get a simple economy vacuum with a basic, universal rubber cone that will work on most vehicles(see second link above), but it is nice to have the specific adapter that will screw right on to the vehicle degas bottle or radiator. That's where a kit like this comes in. It has adapters that will fit most vehicles; foreign and import.
~ The Second part of a comprehensive coolant system tester is a positive pressure testing means for testing both the radiator/degas cap and the system itself. This Astro kit has the ability to do this as well with the included hand pump. Using the adapters in the kit, you can easily test the coolant system with positive pressure and watch for leak down over time. Because a properly filled coolant system has very little air and liquid is not compressible a hand can easily pressurize the system with only a few pumps. This kit also has adapters for testing a lot of radiator caps, but not as many as the number of vehicles it can connect to. Because testing caps requires the opposite male threading, you would need a male version of every adapter in the kit to test all of the same radiator caps. They did include enough adapters to check all metal radiator caps and some new ones, which is probably sufficient. If you do a lot of work with a certain line of vehicles that this kit doesn't cover, you may want to purchase the male adapter for that line.

~Kit Rating~
I'm impressed with the build quality all around; from the case to the individually engineered adapters. Everything attaches with quick connect fittings and they used 2 different types so you can't accidentally attach a fitting to the wrong place. There are enough adapters to cover most common vehicles, but for the oddball vehicle the universal cone adapter is there or you can buy an add-on adapter. While it would be nice to have all of the male adapters for testing the radiator caps also, the kit would have to be huge to accommodate them and it's already a big kit. I think this kit would make a great addition to any mechanic shop or home garage.

Pros:
+ Solid Case that hold everything in its place and feels like it will last
+ Cap adapters for most common vehicles
+ Quick-Connect fittings on all of the hose attachments and adapters
+ Pump part feels stout, holds pressure, has a nice large gauge and has a relief valve
+ Vacuum has a nice gauge, push button air control and shut-off valves for each leg
+ Has male adapters for testing some caps for their relief point
+ Everything is well engineered; from the case to the case to the cap adapters

Cons:
+ Doesn't have all of the male adapters for cap testing, but I'm OK with that because the case is huge already
+ Vacuum seems like it might be easier to operate left handed, but this will vary by vehicle a bit

~~Support the Channel~~
+ Subscribe & Hit the Thumbs-Up Button (This Helps the Video Show up in Search Results)
+ Use My amazon and ebay links
+ Throw Some Bills in the Tip Jar. Hit the "Support" Button on the Channel Home Page:
   / superduty  
~~Follow SuperDuty on the Web~~
  / tumblr:     / superdutytube