Coolant leak on 53 Manhattan

[PatC]

I have a coolant leak on my 53 Manhattan. I was going to buy a Coolant Pressure Testing kit from Harbor Freight but after reading reviews heard it does not work well on older cars. Is there a special Coolant Pressure Tester for older cars or has anyone found a modern kit that works well on their car?

[rialto]

The 53 Kaiser has a standard old type radiator cap. The 51-55 Kaiser uses a 49-54 Chevy radiator tank.Any pressure tester that can do a 50's GM car will work on the Kaiser. The fill neck is slightly deeper than a modern car so some modern pressure testers might not work. Be careful not to put too much pressure in while testing. This is an old low pressure system with 60 year old parts. Three pounds would be the max I would use. Take a drive to get the car hot with the cap on and coolant full. You might see a drip or a wisp of steam somewhere and not need the pressure tester. Sometimes pressure testing an old car can create a leak.

[PatC]

The 53 Kaiser has a standard old type radiator cap. The 51-55 Kaiser uses a 49-54 Chevy radiator tank.Any pressure tester that can do a 50's GM car will work on the Kaiser. The fill neck is slightly deeper than a modern car so some modern pressure testers might not work. Be careful not to put too much pressure in while testing. This is an old low pressure system with 60 year old parts. Three pounds would be the max I would use. Take a drive to get the car hot with the cap on and coolant full. You might see a drip or a wisp of steam somewhere and not need the pressure tester. Sometimes pressure testing an old car can create a leak.

Thank you for the information. The coolant appears to be from the hoses or water pump just want to make sure. I already checked the radiator cap and it say 4lb on it but I will take your advice and start with 3lb of pressure.