I posted this on another forum but thought I would share it here also. Last year I was going to do some coolant system work so I bought a stant pressure tester off ebay for 20 bucks or so that the seller said was "in good working order". When I received it I hooked it up and pumped away and no pressure would build. I checked it out and the metal base was actually eaten threw and leaked so it was garbage. Seller refunded my money and told me to just keep the tester. I ended up buying another one that worked and have been using that since.
The other day I was looking at the matco site and came across a tester that they have that you use shop air instead of pumping. So I got to thinking that I have a gauge and a hose and end that hooks up to the adapters from the stant that was junk. Also have a regulator and a ball valve, so I have everything needed to make one of the testers that sell for around 200 bucks from matco and snap on.
So I put everything together, air chuck, regulator, ball valve, gauge, and hose going to cooling system and it works great. So now I have the standard stant hand pump and also the one that uses shop air, and that one didn't cost me but a few bucks in parts.
Thought this might be of some interest to others. I wouldn't have made this unless I had the gauge and hose end from the junk stant tester just laying around. But you could easily make one of these and use the gauge and hose end from your stant tester and just switch back and forth if needed. The air one will be nice for bigger cooling systems so you don't have to pump away for a couple minutes. So if you ever find an old tester for cheap you can just steal the parts to make one of these.
The other day I was looking at the matco site and came across a tester that they have that you use shop air instead of pumping. So I got to thinking that I have a gauge and a hose and end that hooks up to the adapters from the stant that was junk. Also have a regulator and a ball valve, so I have everything needed to make one of the testers that sell for around 200 bucks from matco and snap on.
So I put everything together, air chuck, regulator, ball valve, gauge, and hose going to cooling system and it works great. So now I have the standard stant hand pump and also the one that uses shop air, and that one didn't cost me but a few bucks in parts.
Thought this might be of some interest to others. I wouldn't have made this unless I had the gauge and hose end from the junk stant tester just laying around. But you could easily make one of these and use the gauge and hose end from your stant tester and just switch back and forth if needed. The air one will be nice for bigger cooling systems so you don't have to pump away for a couple minutes. So if you ever find an old tester for cheap you can just steal the parts to make one of these.