Radiator cap wonders
10-30-2007, 04:58 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Radiator cap wonders
Ok just got this Runner about 4 days ago, and have really only driven it yesterday and today, and not all that much. The guy that sold it to me told me it will need a new radiator, and I have a line on a brand new one for cheap but I can't get it until tuesday next week. I was prodding around under the hood as it got warm today and spit some coolant up and steamed a little bit. Overflow was full, I let it cool off and topped off the radiator. I put the cap back on and noticed that tightened all the way down, I can wiggle it fairly easily. All the ones I've had in the past were nice and tight with no movement when tightened down all the way. Could this alone cause a cooling issue? I can drive the thing for about 15 minutes before it warms up and it just slowly crawls up the the upper white line, but doesn't even seem to go past there. It just doesn't quite overheat. Wondering if a rad. cap would be a temp solution until I get a new rad. in.
10-30-2007, 05:21 PM
#2
Registered User
sounds like the cap isnt sealing.
when it seals it'll raise the pressue which will raise the boiling point, and help the cooling system work more efficiently.
try it, they're like $4 for the cheapo ones at the parts store
when it seals it'll raise the pressue which will raise the boiling point, and help the cooling system work more efficiently.
try it, they're like $4 for the cheapo ones at the parts store
10-30-2007, 05:31 PM
#3
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Thread Starter
That's kind of what I thought. I've never had a radiator cap that sat on the radiator loose like that so this is a new experience to me. I'll throw a cap on it and see if it atleast helps until I throw a new rad. in it next week. The radiator does look pretty nasty inside so I'm sure that's a contributing factor as well. I can't wait until I have the scrill to replace the engine and trans and be rid of a lot of worries. Won't be long.....
10-30-2007, 05:34 PM
#4
Registered User
Yah, yah......X2. Throw a new thermo in while you're at it. Maybe it doesn't need one, but I'm figuring "needs a new radiator".....might need a new thermostat. How does the coolant look? Any rust?
Edit: Well, that answers that. New thermo...cheap insurance.
Edit: Well, that answers that. New thermo...cheap insurance.
Last edited by thook; 10-30-2007 at 05:35 PM.
10-30-2007, 05:40 PM
#5
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Thread Starter
The coolant is relatively new as the PO told me he tried to flush it and put new coolant in, and it looks plenty green. You can tell the coolant was bad at one time though, looking at the overflow bottle. The radiator has just plain seen better days, and I'm also putting it up at high priority because I have an A/T with the trans cooler in the radiator so I'm trying to avoid the old coolant in the trans situation. I might just eventually remove the A/C and put a LARGE separate cooler in the condensor's place to avoid the problem altogether. I really don't need A/C anyway, I live at 9000 feet lol, it doesn't exactly get HOT enough to bother with A/C.
Oh and I will be doing a new thermo and hoses when the new rad goes in, along with a trans flush and an oil change.
Oh and I will be doing a new thermo and hoses when the new rad goes in, along with a trans flush and an oil change.
Last edited by Luvmeye22re; 10-30-2007 at 05:42 PM.
10-30-2007, 06:19 PM
#6
Registered User
Did he flush the block also? Or just the radiator?
You might even just take a look at the thermo....unless he changed that when he flushed. All it takes is once for it to stick shut.
You might even just take a look at the thermo....unless he changed that when he flushed. All it takes is once for it to stick shut.
10-30-2007, 06:32 PM
#7
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Thread Starter
From what I gathered the guy flushed it after he replaced a t-stat. I'm thinking he wasn't a certified mechanic lol because while diagnosing cooling problems, he flushed it and replaced the t-stat, but never replaced an obviously loose radiator cap. I think someone who put the cap on without even knowing what is was going on or why it is there would have known something was wrong by how loose it was. But enough p.o. bashing, I'm going to replace the cap tomorrow am and see what happens. I'm thinking if a new rad doesn't solve it then I'm going to be in for some deeper problems... but won't mind too badly. Hopefully the thing lasts another month or two until I can afford a rebuilt engine, after that I don't care if the head gasket blows and it throws a rod through the block.
Oh and he wasn't descriptive, he said "I flushed the cooling system." Who even knows what that means, the guy's knowledge of NASCAR was untouchable, but his japanese auto knowledge kind of needed work lol.
Oh and he wasn't descriptive, he said "I flushed the cooling system." Who even knows what that means, the guy's knowledge of NASCAR was untouchable, but his japanese auto knowledge kind of needed work lol.
Last edited by Luvmeye22re; 10-30-2007 at 06:35 PM.
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10-30-2007, 06:41 PM
#8
Registered User
Well, hope he did it a fairly good job, then. I went to look an '85 4rnr several years ago and the guy supposedly did all the same things. The thing overheated on the test drive. Ungh...
10-30-2007, 06:47 PM
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Well he told me there was a cooling problem, he was leaning toward the radiator which is probably why he didn't replace the cap, he didn't want to work on it at all, he had 3 rusty old muscle cars at his house and 2 big ford trucks so he didn't care about the little toyota, he bought it for his wife and she didn't like it, wanted an explorer 
, oh well that means $800 4Runner to me 
He said when he put a tstat in it there was a whole bunch of crud in the housing. I'm thinking of pulling the t-stat and running it with the rad. thats in it now and flushing the piss out of it before I put my new rad in just to prolong the life of the motor/trans and my new radiator. It's gotta be due, the odo is broken at 210k and I'm guessing it's been that way for a while.... I can also see literally dime sized chunks of crap in the top of the radiator which could probably cause some cooling issues lol. A few of the internal fins you see from the opening are actually clogged all the way through. I think the rad will help, I'm actually more worried about the A/T than the motor lol.
, oh well that means $800 4Runner to me He said when he put a tstat in it there was a whole bunch of crud in the housing. I'm thinking of pulling the t-stat and running it with the rad. thats in it now and flushing the piss out of it before I put my new rad in just to prolong the life of the motor/trans and my new radiator. It's gotta be due, the odo is broken at 210k and I'm guessing it's been that way for a while.... I can also see literally dime sized chunks of crap in the top of the radiator which could probably cause some cooling issues lol. A few of the internal fins you see from the opening are actually clogged all the way through. I think the rad will help, I'm actually more worried about the A/T than the motor lol.
Last edited by Luvmeye22re; 10-30-2007 at 06:49 PM.
10-30-2007, 06:51 PM
#11
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Thread Starter
Cool, thanks for the tip. It will have a new one tomorrow so we'll see if it helps until I get a new radiator. I know that is going to help, you should see this thing, looks perfect on the outside, but you open the cap and it looks like a hookers dirty bungole lol. 
OMG....NO!!!
10-30-2007, 07:42 PM
#13
Registered User
Thread Starter
The GNAR stops here lol. I'm gonna laugh if the cap stops it lol. The guy said the only reason he didn't try to get $1500-$2000 for the truck is because of the cooling problem. I'm sure if it was a Ferd he'd a' figgered it out lol.
10-30-2007, 08:12 PM
#16
Registered User
Aw....you means a "Ferd"! Riiiiiight....
I don't get it...this whole manufacturer devotion thing. Crap is crap...IF it's crap. Doesn't matter who's butt it came from....it's still crap. Just ask you're friendly hooker. (Yeah...there's lots of Ferd devotee's 'round here, too)
I don't get it...this whole manufacturer devotion thing. Crap is crap...IF it's crap. Doesn't matter who's butt it came from....it's still crap. Just ask you're friendly hooker. (Yeah...there's lots of Ferd devotee's 'round here, too)
10-30-2007, 10:25 PM
#17
Registered User
Thread Starter
I'll definitely be doing my own flush before I stick a radiator in there. The inside looks like someone set off a schrapnel bomb. I must say I didn't know about the block plug location there, thank you for that, and I will make absolute sure that I drain it there as well. I can't leave water in it much as we are reaching temps below freezing pretty much nightly here.
10-31-2007, 07:18 AM
#18
Registered User
Btw OEM cap is like 15 bucks and guess what it doesnt leak like all the Parts house caps ive run. I've always had boil over issues with parts house caps. Not the OEM caps though.
10-31-2007, 09:21 AM
#19
Registered User
Thread Starter
I will keep that in mind, any cap would be better than the one on there now lol. The radiator I'm getting next week seems to be aftermarket so I will definitely buy an OEM capl. Thanks for all the help guys.
10-31-2007, 11:02 AM
#20
Contributing Member
