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What pound radiator cap are you running?

  • Thread starter Thread starter CornerCarvin67
  • Start date Start date Jun 24, 2005

CornerCarvin67

New Member
Dec 30, 2004
246
0
0
Jun 24, 2005
#1
  • Jun 24, 2005
  • #1
I put a new 13lb cap in and it seems to be dumping water into my catch can way too easily. I can't seem to recall what rating I had before. What can I expect should I put a 15lb cap on there? The car is NOT overheating... it just keeps dumping more water into my can. It's NOT set up for recovery however... so the water is not returning to the radiator during cool down. I thought that maybe the car needed to find it's happy level of water in the radiator.... but when looking in the cap... the water is not above the top row of fins.... this can't be correct. The thermostat was replaced last summer... and I believe is working properly. When heating the car up with the cap off... you can see the water go from stand still to be agitated when it reaches the 185 degree level. I just feel like I'm chasing my tail on this. I did add a small drill hole in the top of the catch can to release the ton of pressure I was building (causing me to blow a radiator hose). That seems to be working better now. I've had a ton of suggestions... most of them contradicting each other.... but I guess I'm open for more!!!
 

iskwezm

10 Year Member
May 24, 2005
4,159
20
79
Rowland Heights,California
Jun 24, 2005
#2
  • Jun 24, 2005
  • #2
I think 14lb's is the norm for a cap,the higher you go,you raise the boiling oint,but it puts more stress on your system.If you vent your overflow,are you losing pressure????
 
G

grego37

New Member
May 12, 2004
576
0
0
Fresno CA
Jun 24, 2005
#3
  • Jun 24, 2005
  • #3
I've been told to run the highest lbs cap that your system will allow. Yes, the higher the better as long as your still in the safe range, it raises the boiling point.

check out http://stewartcomponents.com
 

krash kendall

Active Member
Nov 19, 2004
1,258
0
36
Aldergrove, B.C. Canada
Jun 24, 2005
#4
  • Jun 24, 2005
  • #4
I've been running a 16lb cap and recovery set-up for about a year now with non-eventfull results.
 
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