New radiator cap every two years?

[Chris142]

Here is a bad cell phone pic of the Dodge cap I replaced today. On the bottom half is a dark streek. Thats a crack in the rubber and the rubber is as hard as a rock.

Also notice that the rubber is wider than the base metal. Cap is no good. In the hot season we sell 20-30 caps a week.

 

[HTSS_TR]

How many miles on the cap ? Is it OE cap ?
I think that radiator cap may need to be changed after 100-150k miles, time is not as importance factor in determine when it is needed to be changed.

 

[Colt45ws]

I do it at five years along with thermostat and coolant change out.
I started doing this after I did a thermostat and coolant in Las Vegas on my Cavalier and two weeks later it wanted to run 240*. Replaced the cap and topped up and no more problems.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Unless you're experiencing problems, it usually isn't necessary to replace the radiator cap. Instead, I recommend a complete cooling system overhaul (radiator, belts, belt tensioner, water pump, hoses, thermostat) every 10 years/100k to prevent roadside breakdowns.


For the most part, I'd have to agree with you. I might leave the water pump out of the equation, since it is invariably a PITA, and I've had very few of them fail. Hoses, belts, thermostats, and rad caps, that's another story. Those can be replaced easily and cheaply. They always go at the most inopportune time, too.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
How can a complete cooling system overhaul be, you know, complete, without changing the cap when everything else was replaced?


Sorry, I should have been more clear. What I meant to say is that instead of only replacing the cap every two years and replacing other items as-needed, for good preventive maintenance, a complete cooling system overhaul every 10 yr/100k is a good practice.

Hoses, belts, belt tensioners, radiators, thermostats and water pumps can fail at the most inconvenient times (cold weather, trips, summer days, wife driving, etc), so replacing them preemptively is a good idea. Also, for most non-BITOGers, a cooling system failure on the road often results in serious engine damage as the driver often does not stop the engine immediately. $500 in new cooling system components is a lot cheaper than $5000 for a new engine.

On cars with weaker cooling systems, complete cooling system overhauls are common practice. On most late model BMWs, a cooling system overhaul every 75k or so is cheap insurance, even if it costs $1300 to have someone do it:

http://sandiegobmw.wordpress.com/2008/06/06/the-cooling-system-killing-your-bmw/

Even the dealer sells cooling system rebuild kits:

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/i...;catalogid=4462

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
How many miles on the cap ? Is it OE cap ?
OE cap. 88k.

 

[HTSS_TR]

I replace the expansion tank cap of my 1994 LS400 about 2-3 years ago, after about 200k miles on the odometer. The reason was the rubber gasket was hard as a rock, when I touch it it broke into pieces. My E430 still have OEM cap on the expansion tank and the rubber gasket is soft a pliable. Either car does not have radiator cap.

The radiator cap on my 2004 S2000 still is very soft so that I do not plan to replace it for at least 4-5 years.

 

[rslifkin]

I replaced the OE cap on my Jeep this morning. It wasn't showing any symptoms of a bad cap (wasn't running hot, losing coolant, etc), but the cap was very rusty internally, and looked like [censored]. I figured for the $5, it was time.

 

[mopar_monkey]

i had one on my dodge d250 that hung up and would not release pressure causing my lower rad hose to shot off of the water pump, so now i replace them every so often, they are cheap.

 

[CBR.worm]

The only radiator cap I have ever had fail was in 1990 on an '86 Toyota LE Van with about 60K miles on it. That was the least of it's failures. Before I sold it in '92 I had multiple cooling hoses leak (some requiring many hours of labor to access), multiple $1,000+ A/C repairs (Dual A/C). Alternators, brakes, transmission, etc. The fuse box even caught fire once. I bought it new and it was all stock. I had toyota do all the scheduled maintenance until they told me it needed a $1,600 timing belt at 60K (it was a pushrod engine with a chain), that was when I wised up to dealer maint.

I will never buy another vehicle with the engine under the drivers seat. . .

 

[Herz]

I replace the cap every coolant change, same with a pressurized resoivor cap.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: PurplePride
It would fall under cheap insurance, but do these things really [censored] out that quickly?

A guy can go broke following the plethora of "cheap insurance" recommendations on automotive forums. Keep it reasonable. I don't think it's that important to change the coolant cap every two years. Just keep an eye on it.

 

[HTSS_TR]

If I follow the "coolant cap every two years" then the '94 LS400 would have the 9th cap, 6th cap for '00 E43 and 4th cap for '04 S2000. But I did not follow that "cheap insurance" and all the cars still have original OEM caps.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
I sell bunches of caps! I'd say that 70% of the ones that come in on customers cars fail on my pressure tester.

Toyota and Honda caps are by far the worst. They have a plastic valve that hangs down. That valve often falls off then the cooling system is a no pressure system!

Other times the rubber swells out and the cap wont relieve pressure, becomes a cork and blows the radiator up.

2 years may be a little soon but it's good insurance for sure.

My OEM Honda cap was a decade old when I sold the car and still held pressure just fine.

 

[calvin1]

I only have my own cars to go on but I've only every seen one cap go bad. That was on a '96 F150 with 200k on it and the cap was still holding pressure, just not as much as it should. YMMV but I wouldn't ever change one before it failed.

 

[saberz]

I changed mine out on my G6 with about 32k on it(3 years). Was leaking obscene amounts of coolant from the reservoir so while I ordered the replacement res, i ordered a cap for $6/7 shipped.

 

[Bumpside 427]

Mine had some leakage so I went to Napa. $9.
Seemed steep but I did it as I am driving a few hundred this weekend.
Might have been why I was losing some pink over the last 6 months.
$9 every five years doesn't register on my worry list.

 

[The_Jeff]

Rad and gas caps should make a whooshy air/vacuum noise. Not all gas caps do but if you pay one iota of attention filling your car you'll notice when something that used to happen, stopped happening.

I like to check my surge tank every oil change, by looking inside, not just through the translucent plastic. I would notice it not whooshing, partially because I open it carefully to avoid flash-boil. Would not notice it operating at the wrong PSI though. Did notice saturns and chevy cavaliers have the same GM corporate cap.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
If I follow the "coolant cap every two years" then the '94 LS400 would have the 9th cap, 6th cap for '00 E43 and 4th cap for '04 S2000. But I did not follow that "cheap insurance" and all the cars still have original OEM caps.


Agree. My 1986 Jetta went to the junk yard with the original cap and 394,000 miles this last February.

In fact, I think in 30 plus years and MANY vehicles, I've only replaced a cap once.

If it works, I leave it alone.

Take care, bill

 

[Steve S]

The one on my 2006 toy failed at 3 years, You never can tell .The quality on everything is pretty low.