Engine heat exchanger stack - How to pressure test?

[Cardo]

Title explains it all. I have the exchanger stack out for its yearly service. Due to the captain's stupidity, the stack needs pressure testing before it gets all put back together. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to go about this?

Any thoughts?

 

[scottie]

Simply you have seal all inlets & outlets and then apply pressure which may even be just a head or air if you can immerse the stack in water
The practicalities are a bit more complex and depend on what facilities you have available

If your tub is big enough that may be a start

 

[Skylark]

What sort of heat exchanger?
For example, oil is likely to be an air cooler HX
Turbo air inlet could be cooled by air or by coolant
Engine is likely to be raw water cooling the coolant.

Simplistically, you need a means of blocking and inflating each of the pairs of inlet and outlet, low pressure air around 3-5 psi, and monitor decay over time with a sensitive gauge or imerse the whole thing in water and look for bubbles.

 

[BabaYaga]

Cut a bicycle inner tube, attach ends to inlet and outlet, pump away and watch what happens (assuming you just want to rule out a leak).
Probably easiest with the stack in place due to dimensions and only two openings to seal.