Radiator cap

[freewill2008]

Mike - Does your head explode at 7 or 9 PSI? Bob
>
> All I can say is, WOW, my heads gonna explode.
> MH
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: badbillybiker
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 10:04 AM
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Radiator cap
>
>
> Hello...
> Just my longwinded $.02 worth...
> A long time ago when car companies werent' so dam greedy... the
> radiators were by today's standards... "heavy duty".
> Back then the radiator had more than enough capacity under normal
usage
> that the cap was just that... a cap..
> When corporate greed started kicking in... (worse than it was)
they
> finally figured out that by making skinnier and cheaper
radiators, they
> could get away with it by finally making the cap & system
pressurized.
> It goes like this... the stronger the spring, the higher the
pressures
> are and...the thinner the radiator gets until they are at the
current
> compromise... greediness, cheapness and of course selling you
more
> expensive anti-freeze. Back then you could put ordinary alchohol,
> kerosene or ... a methanol based antifreeze (as in cheap stuff)
but as
> the pressure rose, so did the temperature which would boil out
the old
> time (cheap stuff) If my memory hasn't failed.. I believe that @
13
> pounds you are in the super-heated range past 212 degrees. When
the cap
> is now removed the fluid expands and wah-lah... boil over...
> Hmm... I think it was for every 1 pound cap pressure, the
radiator
> could get hotter by 10 degree before blowing...
> Some of the memories are getting a bit foggy now but the lesson
is
> there... I am presuming that due to the nature of a deisel motor,
your
> radiator is quite large in capacity and you, in using a 7-9 pound
cap
> have been getting away with it because you haven't pushed your
unit..
> Wanna' really test your 7 pound cap out... find a long steep
grade and
> watch the needle climb... Finally the thermostat is NOT a
radiator cap,
> that is for engine temperature regulating. Of course this article
is
> subject to bashing etc. PS: My 1950 merc had a no pressure cap
and yes,
> you could drive without it...radiator was 3 or more inches
thick...
> Bill.. FWIW...
> Get the right mandated cap!
>
>
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