Can I use any radiator cap?

Can I use any radiator cap?

Radiator caps can come in all shapes and sizes unique to your car’s radiator. Different vehicles have different systems and therefore work with individual pressures. A malfunctioning radiator cap may cause the engine to overheat at lower temperatures or prevent the coolant from returning to the engine.

Does a radiator need a cap?

The radiator cap is the gatekeeper of the cooling system. The cooling system uses pressurized coolant (also known as antifreeze) to take accumulated heat away from the engine. Having a functional radiator cap is critical to this process, as it maintains the proper amount of pressure.

What happens when coolant cap is off?

Without the cap, the steam bubbles push coolant out of the radiator neck in large “burps”. This lost coolant makes overheating worse and if not quickly shut off, the heads on the engine can warp, causing the head gaskets to leak.

What does a good radiator cap do?

The radiator cap seals the cooling system preventing any air to enter the system. Air is the #1 enemy to all cooling systems. You cannot sustain a proper operating temperature with air in the cooling system. Air in the system will result in overheating.

What radiator cap do I need?

Use one with the psi rating that the rest of your cooling system was designed for. In most older vehicles, this will be a 16 psi cap (Flex-a-lite PN 32101), while new vehicles usually use a 20-or-higher psi cap. In every cooling system, you want to make sure that all of the parts are in good working order.

Can I start engine with radiator cap off?

With the radiator cap off, start the engine. Make sure your heater is set to maximum defrost. Let the engine operate long enough to warm up enough to reduce the idle speed to a normal idle. Let it idle until it’s at normal operating temperature, keeping an eye on the temperature gauge or light.

Can a bad radiator cap cause you to lose coolant?

The radiator cap is often overlooked as being a cause of engine overheating. A faulty radiator cap can result in engine overheating, loss of coolant or major engine damage. So, Pressurized cooling systems help prevent overheating and coolant loss.

How often should radiator cap be replaced?

Typically you won’t need to replace a radiator cap very often, but it’s recommended you do so every 5 years to prevent issues from popping up.

What is 1.1 on a radiator cap?

All modern automotive cooling systems are under pressure, completely regulated by the radiator cap. 1.1 bar is roughly 15psi, and 1.3 bar is around 18psi. Well, it’s about 2-3 degrees for every psi that we increase the pressure of the system.

What happens if radiator cap pressure is too high?

The radiator cap maintains system pressure to 16 pounds per square inch (psi) on most vehicles. If the pressure is allowed to go too high hoses could burst, the radiator could rupture or worse. If the coolant temperature (and hence the pressure) gets too high, the radiator cap lets some coolant escape.