Lubrication & Oil
Oil Cooler Pressure Test
CG
This guide is preserved from Clark's Garage, a foundational 944 resource. View the original →
Tools you'll need
See the full tools list for where to buy each one and budget alternatives.
Introduction
The following contains factory instructions for pressure testing the oil cooler element used on normally aspirated 944s. If you have experienced a mixing of oil and water on your car and are replacing the oil cooler seals as a result, it’s a good idea to pressure test the oil cooler element at the same time.
If you don’t want to bother with setting up the test rig for the oil cooler element, simply take it to a radiator shop and they will be able to pressure test it for you.
Tools
- Dust Cap (23 mm or 1 inch)
- Hose Clamp for Dust Cap
- Water Container to Submerge Oil Cooler
- Hose large enough to connect to other Oil Cooler Nozzle (1 inch)
- Air supply
- Adapter to connect air supply to 1 inch hose
Testing
- Place a dust cap with clamp on one of the oil cooler nozzles.
- Connect a 1 inch hose to the other oil cooler nozzle and, using adapters, connect and air supply to the 1 inch hose.
- Submerge the oil cooler in a tank of water.
- Pressurize the oil cooler, using the compressed air supply, to approximately 0.8 bar (12 psi).
- Look for evidence of air bubbles coming from the oil cooler. If bubbles are present, replace the cooler element.