Radiator cap all of a sudden explodes?!?!

Just was doin a trail run nothing a normal car cant do, and all of a sudden my passenger says, "ur car is smoking"!!! popped the hood and the fluid was coming out of the overflow bottle cap! its a brand new cap from 3 months ago!! what could cause it to pull this little stunt? too much pressure?:huh:

convert it over to the open style system with a normal radiator cap and forget about it.

lol money is an issue with that. its expensive for me to do that. plus i just bought this radiator.

Get one of these to splice into your upper radiator hose. Then add a cheapo overflow bottle.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?N=700+115+-123233&D=-123233

i had that i the jeep before!!! that damn thing blew out on me like a grenade!!! i found a renforced bottle that i will just get until i convert my cooling system to an open. and even might have the fans like jeeperjohns!

johnnyc said:

Get one of these to splice into your upper radiator hose. Then add a cheapo overflow bottle.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?N=700+115+-123233&D=-123233

Click to expand...

I forgot all about these. I even had one in my old 89 and it worked perfect until I bought a new radiator. Well worth the money.

If the cap is a little lose that can set it off.
TIPS-I keep a hose clamp snugg around the cap just to support it/Lasts longer.
Aftermarket ching-chang bottles and caps are junk.:dunce:I know!
Jeep Dealers have been jacking the price two times or more in past years.
Get good caps and bottles from junk yard /with no rust!If moneys tight.
If your electric fan stops working it can go ballistic.
If you have an air pocket in the engine it can go ballistic in stop and go.
You have to wait till your engine cools all the way down ,turn heater on full,then get it filled up by removing the hoses just above the thermastat and filling holes.
And last, squeez and hold as much of the hose as you can around the ac comp.to push air out through the bottle with the cap off.
You have to let it cool down.And not just so you can open the cap I'm talkin all the way.45 mins to 1 hour.
If you are over 120000 miles get a new radiator and stick with the 195 thermastat.Yull see a big drop in temp.
My old 87(closed cooling) jeep runs so friggin cool and my new 2000(open) runs higher ,just at 210.Water pumps have never made a diff.for me.
I have a borala header on the 87 so it disapates heat better than a thick old style fac unit.$$$$$$$$
If you still have overheating problems then you might have engine issues.
I've been wanting to develope an al bottle and pressure cap that is good for the life of the jeep.Maybe like a u-joint the plastic bottle is a safety valve.Steam engines can explode.I'll bet I get some orders though.
Tell us about the renforced bottle please.arty:

I upgraded the overflow bottle off a Dodge Intrepid fits perfectly nice!
Also, some mods will require to install...

-Frankie

My 90 runs in traffic about 200 and long trips its way down like 180. ya i will let u know on the bottle!!! im going to steal that clamp on the cap ting haha sounds like a good idea!

ok finally got a break in the rain to pop the hood. the cap blew and i replaced it. the car overheated because the aux fan go et up from the fan connected to the engine lol i have a picture but i cant put it up here idk how. anyone have a spare aux fan lol?hastahasta

haha got a aux fan and open rad for free thanks to jeeperjohn!! thanks for all your help!

xjfrankie said:

I upgraded the overflow bottle off a Dodge Intrepid fits perfectly nice!
Also, some mods will require to install...

-Frankie

Click to expand...

I did the same thing...work like a charm! $4 for the tank and I ended up spending $7 on a new radiator cap because the one I got was bad.

johnnyc said:

Get one of these to splice into your upper radiator hose. Then add a cheapo overflow bottle.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?N=700+115+-123233&D=-123233

Click to expand...

johnny which one, the 1.5'' or 1.25''

:dunno:

I don't have one. I was just throwing the idea out there. But I think the upper hose is 1.5 inches.

I think I bought the 1.25 one. Let me find the web page I used.

Justin





Edit: http://www.jeepinjoe.com/XJ_Tech/Open_System_Switch/open_system_switch.html

It is the 1.25 one

sweet, thanx

johnnyc said:

Get one of these to splice into your upper radiator hose. Then add a cheapo overflow bottle.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?N=700+115+-123233&D=-123233

Click to expand...

If you decide to go this route. Make sure you don't get the cheepie one with the stamped
aluminum top. The tabs start to deform over time and the radiator cap won't be secure.
Spend the extra bucks and buy the welded billet one.

http://www.moroso.com/catalog/categorydisplay.asp?catcode=29400#pt63486

The Moroso link gives a good picture of the stamped aluminum, and the bullet version.
Moroso only makes in the stamped version. The Summit sells the bullet one.