A new contest; the radiator cap long jump

toddr124

toddr124

Hagerstown, MD
As some of you know, I am having a lot of cooling problems with my X1/9 following a head gasket change. Today I drove the car about a mile and the temperature started going up.

Pulled off the road and loosen the radiator cap. It shot off the tank and landed 11 feet from the car.

I am declaring this the record radiator cap long jump until I hear otherwise.:king:
 
You're lucky...

You're lucky you didn't get a face full of hot antifreeze! :tomato:
I wouldn't recommend doing that again....
 
I did not turn the cap by hand

bbrown said:
You're lucky you didn't get a face full of hot antifreeze! :tomato:
I wouldn't recommend doing that again....
Click to expand...

I turned the cap the 1st notch by hand (with large rag) than pushed it the rest of the way with a long screwdriver. This is why it could do the jump.

I am very scared of hot water.
 
Wow! What Bob said!

But it sure sounds to me like your cap is not releasing pressure as it should. Did you say you are using a 13lb cap that fits? Are there any scientists out there who could verify that 13lbs of pressure is capable of throwing a cap 11 feet? It sure sounds to me like your system is over-pressured and that pressure: a) needs to be released from the cap, b) is probably coming from somewhere other that the normal coolant expansion.

Having said that; your story is definitely worthy of a "Dude!"
 
I wonder...

If you have a deep neck cap and need a shallow one. The inner seal should bleed off pressure above an approximate 13psi (or less if your cap is Fiat). A too-deep cap would have this effect.

Make sure the bleed off nipple and/or hose isn't blocked. Disregard if we have covered this already...:bla:
 
Wow....

You definitely dodged a bullet. If you must do that, use the trusty broom handle. That's what we do here in the South. Broom handle and then run.
 
I will assume the bleeder on the top of the radiator has already been discussed. Seems like you just need to get all of your air bubbles out...and maybe a new thermostat and maybe a cooler climate:grin:
 
Cap held pressure >25 psi

Just had the cooling system tested and the problem appears to be another bad cap. The system ran fine with the pressure testing cap in place, but with the cap on the pressure went over the scale, 25 psi. This makes the 4th bad cap in 4 years. The first 2 caps were the staunt cap everyone said to buy the last 2 were from DiFatta and IAP.

Do I need to start replacing these every 6 months?
 
Well I'm not sure I agree...

toddr124 said:
Just had the cooling system tested and the problem appears to be another bad cap. The system ran fine with the pressure testing cap in place, but with the cap on the pressure went over the scale, 25 psi. This makes the 4th bad cap in 4 years. The first 2 caps were the staunt cap everyone said to buy the last 2 were from DiFatta and IAP.

Do I need to start replacing these every 6 months?
Click to expand...

That the cap is the root problem. It is A problem, no doubt, since it is not releasing the excess pressure.... but you still haven't gotten to the bottom of why the excess pressure exists in the first place. It is not normal for a cap to have to vent excess pressure on a regular basis. The vent in the cap is only a safety valve to make sure nothing explodes when something else is wrong. So your safety valve is busted, but something else is still wrong.

Sorry... :sigh:

Pete
 
Thanks for the bad news

I can not take anymore bad news on my cooling system. Therefore I believe this cap will solve all my problems. I am going to install the replacement heater core as soon as I have time and reconnect everything.

I am going to reinstall my interior and the everything will go in on the 1st try.

I am going to start driving the car again as my daily driver with no problems.

I am ready for the the men in the nice white coats to come and take me away. HeHe Ahha
 
I like your optimism...

toddr124 said:
I can not take anymore bad news on my cooling system. Therefore I believe this cap will solve all my problems. I am going to install the replacement heater core as soon as I have time and reconnect everything.

I am going to reinstall my interior and the everything will go in on the 1st try.

I am going to start driving the car again as my daily driver with no problems.
Click to expand...

So did the sytem hold the 25 psi, or did it bleed down? If it held it, then maybe it's just air bubbles in the radiator or something.

Pete
 
A 25 cap is a problem...

The cooling system is designed to raise to a certain pressure and vent any excess above that. Trying to hold 25psi in a 25 year old cooling system is asking for trouble.

The caps are troublesome at times for sure. Make sure you inspect the cap and its seals regularly. That said I don't have to fuss with mine much. But I do check the level occasionally and also wipe clean both seals and sealing surfaces when I have the cap off.
 
Todd... something is REALLY wrong here...

I have a Stant Radiator Cap #28229 (in a box or 18229 on a card) that I bought new about 5 years ago I guess... and a Stant Thermostat #45378.

My system never develops enough pressure to blow through this cap at 13 pounds... and your 25 pound cap was really screwed up. I believe most HIGH pressure systems today are generally 16 - 18 pounds.

Here are some KEY LEARNINGS for ME I wrote about sometime back you may wish to review.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/12159/message/1131515511/THERMOSTAT+102

Also consider this...

At atmosphereic pressure, most coolants (water) boils around 212F degrees and for every SINGLE POUND of pressure you can add to the system... will RAISE the boiling point of water about 3 degrees.

(All Rocket Scientists here can now correct me with true figures... but for the sake of conversation... I'll continue...)

As you are probably aware... most water pumps, including ours, do not pump STEAM or any other gases very well. They are made to circulate LIQUIDS. Coolants flashing to steam inside the system no longer absorb heat and will not circulate... This is BAD!

A properly operating system just short of 13 pounds pressure will keep most coolants in a LIQUID state up to about 251 degrees (212+ [3x13] = 251... which is about where the RED zone is on your guage.

After that, the cap should open and vent the coolant, (which will flash to steam as its now been "superheated") to the ground or a catch can if you have one. Your engine should be having trouble RUNNING at this temperature also...

Anyway... the cap, your cap, being at 25 pounds or at 13 pounds is NOT the cause of the problem, but simply a contributing EFFECT or FACTOR... At 25 pounds... you could theoretically superheat the coolant to 290 degrees or so and still not blow it off!

Something else is really wrong. Like I said before... if it is heating up FAST, its usually a BLOCKAGE. Like a fan belt coming off, the water temp at speed will raise to 260 within a minute or so from 180. If this is how yours acts... going along fine and then it shoots up... I suspect you have a blockage, or floating blockage. Could be at the radiator also... or in the head from a piece of old gasket, etc.

If I were you, I'd pull the lower radiator hoses or at the stat and pull the stat... and flush, and BACK FLUSH the system and radiator and note if anything comes out... using a garden hose with house pressure, rags and clamps...

Hope this helps...
 
I had some cooling system issues earlier this year. The symptoms were:

1) Car heated up quick but not fast (not an indicator of an issue on its own really)
2) Temp would cruise past 190 and rad fan would not trip on until the temp would get past 210 if at all.
3) excessive pressure would build in the overflow although it did release it so my cap was ok I think.
4) Return radiator line was cooler to the touch than the other line.

I thought bad pump or bad thermostat. I elected to start with the thermostat. It was stuck closed. Replaced it, bled the system REALLY well and everything appeared to work ok.

I also took the advice of an xWeber and bled the system a couple more times months later. Over time it made a big difference.

So assuming your head gasket is ok, maybe it would be worth just double/tripple checking your radiator and cooling lines to make sure they are all ok, connected to the right place etc.

Cooling system problems (with any car) are a big PITA that is for sure.

Good luck fixing it!
 
Time to let the car sit for 2 weeks

I want to thank everyone for their suggestions. I will be doing nothing on the car for the next 2 weeks.

I am off to a Caribbean island for a week than I return to my annual golf long weekend. :D

I will not be thinking about the cooling system and I might even forget there is a problem until I look in the car and see no interior.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top