Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Topic: Thermostat and Thermostat housing (Read 3528 times) previous topic - next topic

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #30 – December 30, 2012, 07:04:18 PM

I've had new caps that stuck closed and caused hoses to burst.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #31 – December 30, 2012, 07:05:29 PM

Ouch...Don't want that happening with my face over it.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #32 – December 30, 2012, 07:13:24 PM

Haha, it hapened to me with my face over it. Once on my maxima, I I had to remove the cap roadside due to overheating. I carefully removed the cap and was surprised to find no pressure. When I went to look inside the radiator, the bottom part of the cap dislodged from the filler neck and the coolant evacuated directly into my face. Luckily I was not seriously burned. It was an aftermarket cheesy cap.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #33 – December 30, 2012, 07:21:11 PM

Now you know what a lobster feels like! LoL. But glad you weren't seriously hurt though.
I got the Stant cap from Advanced. The only kind they had. I think it was made in like Mexico, but seemed to be pretty much the same design as my original.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #34 – December 30, 2012, 07:31:09 PM

Yeah, I was pretty red. Lol. The cap that broke was from China, but it also happened to my girlfriends cap on her Buick.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #35 – December 30, 2012, 07:32:26 PM

Hmmm are you also the one that happen to install the one on her Buick? I'm starting to see a pattern here. Haha just playing

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #36 – December 30, 2012, 07:41:06 PM

Haha, no. I was oem as far as I know.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #37 – December 30, 2012, 10:20:53 PM

Here is what to do to see if the cap is a cold vent type or a cold sealed type. Remove the cap and hold it with the spring down. If the sealing valve comes off the rubber sealing gasket(not spring loaded) it is a cold non pressure cap. If the flapper is spring loaded it is a cold sealed cap. Most cars of this vintage used a non spring loaded flapper. They were very common back then. They only made pressure when the coolant slammed them shut. Normally when the engine was up to Temp. Check this and if it is not spring loaded you might want to replace it with a sealed cap. Normally i use a 7 LB cap on early cars with a 180* stat. Radiator caps are all different. most people dont investigate them and most dont know how they work Just saying. Normally when you can see the flow in a radiator capillaries shoot coolant in a hard stream across to the side of the tank they are clogged. Have it flow checked if it is suspicious. Coolant should just spill over in the tank like a water fall. You just may have a blown head gasket. You can check this with BLOCK CHECK. Or use a stant pressure pump and monitor the system pessure for exhaust pressure. I check for blown gaskets with the emission machine.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #38 – January 04, 2013, 11:34:04 PM

Sorry for the delay in the replies. I've been pretty sick for a few days so I haven't been working on the car. I will be changing the radiator tomorrow because I'm thinking that might be the problem even though the radiator "looks new" from what I can see. And I'll go from there and let ya'll know what happens. I do have to say that I change my fan clutch the other day and it really improved my car idle. It no longer surges. Didn't fix the overheating, but it did help something else so it was a bad try, haha.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #39 – January 05, 2013, 07:27:07 PM

Okay So I changed the radiator today. I don't consider myself the best of mechanics, but I know how to do simple things and this radiator was a pain! It was the Ready-Rad Radiator 433556. The directions said to supposedly just clip the rubber inside of the mounting brackets on the driver side and it will fit right in. There is no way this radiator will fit to the stock brackets. The bottom driver side of the radiator is way bigger than the bracket itself even with out the rubber. And the top bracket would be big enough to fit over the top, but it isn't long enough to reach the radiator to hold onto it. Has anyone installed this before? Am I just completely messing this up somehow? I have it installed and it sits safe enough for now, but I will work up a custom bracket to fit it better soon. Also with the kit came transmission line adapters? It seemed like the old lines fit right into the radiator. I kept them in case I am supposed to be using them. Am I supposed to a union between the original lines fittings and the "adapters"?
I need to go buy more anti-freeze tomorrow to top it off, so I'll let ya'll know if they cooling issue is fixed or not.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #40 – January 06, 2013, 09:00:29 AM

I would double check that you have the correct radiator. Can you post pictures of the radiator and maybe we can help you determine just by looks if its the right one? If you can, show how where and how its not fitting correctly.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #41 – January 06, 2013, 11:25:18 AM

Quote from: beast50;406311

I would double check that you have the correct radiator. Can you post pictures of the radiator and maybe we can help you determine just by looks if its the right one? If you can, show how where and how its not fitting correctly.

I checked the part number on the box and checked online and it says it is the correct one. I will try to take pictures later today when I get back home. Everything fits fine except on the driver side where the radiator meets the brackets.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #42 – January 06, 2013, 09:15:32 PM

I am late to the party, but for future reference.
The thermostat is supposed to have a weep hole to allow air to pass when it is closed. If an air pocket is trapped in the housing the stat won't open.
Look closely at the valve disc in the stat. You will see a tiny nick in the edge.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #43 – January 06, 2013, 09:42:03 PM

I didn't get to take pictures yet today since it was raining for most the day and I didnt want to be out there since I'm already sick so I'll try again tomorrow.

Thermostat and Thermostat housing

Reply #44 – January 06, 2013, 09:45:07 PM

Quote from: softtouch;406347

I am late to the party, but for future reference.
The thermostat is supposed to have a weep hole to allow air to pass when it is closed. If an air pocket is trapped in the housing the stat won't open.
Look closely at the valve disc in the stat. You will see a tiny nick in the edge.

I did notice this thermostat looked a little different than the one I pulled out. It was extremely flat compared to any thermostat I have seen before. You know how there is usually like a rim or ripple. Sorry if that sounds weird. It's the best I can explain what I'm talking about without a pic, lol.
Also my original did have something close to a small rivet through a hole that jiggled back and forth that looked as if it could be the weep hole you are talking about.
If the one I have in now does not have the weep hole that could be causing the overheating problem?