Check Your Radiator Caps Now! | Page 4 | FerrariChat

Check Your Radiator Caps Now!

Discussion in '308/328' started by Dr Tommy Cosgrove, Mar 16, 2015.

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  1. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    36,599
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    The oil pump has to be fine because this problem has been around for going on three years now. I have put about 5000 trouble free miles on it since it started. The car seems fine, otherwise. Good oil psi, no smoke, in fact it really doesn't burn oil very much at all. Runs beautifully.

    I just don't understand it at all.
     
  2. Kidasters

    Kidasters Formula Junior

    Oct 4, 2013
    546
    Houston, Tx
    Full Name:
    Ken
    well - if you are sure it's not the pump, I'd probably replace the cooler. The stock cooler is probably fine. I didn't do a search though.

    Good Luck.
     
  3. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    11,278
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    #78 johnk..., Mar 25, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    An 85 Qv should not over heat. Temp will rise if you sit and let it idle, but it should not over heat. And when moving it should remain cool.

    One issue that you can have at idle is with the fans. Even if they are coming on correctly the contacts in the fuse blocks in these cars are riveted together. Over time the rivets get loose and the contacts add resistance to the circuits. This can reduce voltage/current to the fans and make then run slower. If the fuse blocks are still in good condition they can be soldered. Old relays are another item that can restrict current if the contacts get warn. However, I have not had any problems with relays.
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  4. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    36,599
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    The cooling system is slightly under engineered on the QV out of the factory. Subtle hotter water temps have been observed with many of these cars since new.
    Some misbehave worse that others. Mine has never loved hot weather for the past 18 years in traffic. I have had the radiator out twice. I even have an upgraded fuse panel that I made myself - much like the Bridman style so I no longer have those little electrical gremlins. Lower fan temp switch new (stock) thermostates, I have done it all and as long as I am not sitting stuck in traffic for an extended period of time (say 20 min) the car is fine.

    Interestingly the water will never heat up past normal on the track. Between 97 and 2011 I was a track day junky, 5-6 times a year. I was even a member of a local Mustang club way back in the day just to get more track time in with the QV.

    I could have a 25 minute session in August - redlining shifts and never see the water temp needle swing 1 mm past straight down. The oil temps would ease up way more than normal after some time (nothing like what I am seeing now) but never the water. I mean NEVER.

    I always thought that was a bit odd, my car hated heave slow traffic but had no problem with extended high rpm driving on a 95 degree afternoon.
     
  5. Todd308TR

    Todd308TR F1 World Champ

    Nov 25, 2010
    11,074
    LA
    Full Name:
    Todd
    Better airflow? Even though I'm not doing the supercharger now I'm still using the new radiator.

    To you people running 30 year old caps, you're crazy, change them.
     
  6. Labman

    Labman F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 25, 2010
    3,803
    Long Island, NY
    Full Name:
    Steve
    Is this cap OEM? I ordered a new Stant cap anyhow.

    [​IMG]


    "I don't believe in reincarnation, I'm only going to live once. I paid for the car so I might as well use it".
     
  7. 76Steel

    76Steel Formula 3

    Sep 8, 2007
    1,482
    New Jersey
    Full Name:
    Mike
    I was the one who asked that question originally. I could not look into my car and just got confused. There is no radiator cap. Just the one in the expansion tank.
     
  8. Dino944

    Dino944 Formula 3

    Aug 11, 2007
    1,598
    Rhode Island
    Full Name:
    Dino
    Can you tell us what the cross reference Napa Part Number is ? Thanks.
     
  9. miketuason

    miketuason F1 World Champ
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    Feb 24, 2006
    15,833
    Cerritos, CA.
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    Mike
    Look at post #71
     
  10. EP328

    EP328 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 3, 2008
    622
    Northern California
    Full Name:
    Ed
    Stant 16 PSI cap without safety lever at Napa is # 703-1698
     
  11. Labman

    Labman F1 Rookie
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    Jun 25, 2010
    3,803
    Long Island, NY
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    Steve

    Does this look OEM?


    "I don't believe in reincarnation, I'm only going to live once. I paid for the car so I might as well use it".
     
  12. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    11,278
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    John Kreskovsky
    It appears to be. I'd have to check mine to be 100% sure though.
     
  13. piezo

    piezo Formula 3

    May 27, 2011
    1,533
    Hong Kong
    Full Name:
    Steven
    I took a look at mine yesterday. Also having the four raised dots at the corners but the marking says 1.1 bar and the centre part is also different. There are little cracks in the rubber seal, could it be problematic? Didn't take pictures. Probably I should have...
     
  14. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    11,278
    CT
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    John Kreskovsky
    Seems some cars had 1.1 bar caps. others 0.9 bar. My 85 came new with 0.9 Bar. The difference is about 3 psi. So if you live in say Denver or Slat Lake City, or anywhere the altitude is about 5000' you may want to use a 1.1 bar (16psi) cap which would give you the same coolant system pressure as a 0.9 bar (13psi) cap would at sea level.

    Just remembered you can see my cap in post 48. Notice the upside down 0.9 bar at the top: https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/143815456-post48.html
     
  15. piezo

    piezo Formula 3

    May 27, 2011
    1,533
    Hong Kong
    Full Name:
    Steven
    Thx johnk, mine looks just like yours except the bar figure.
     
  16. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    36,599
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    These cars originally came with a 0.9 cap. When mine failed just after bringing the car home in 1997 (with the stock 0.9 cap) I was told by a Ferrari parts supplier that most people were recommending the 1.1 at that time. I suppose the only reason anyone would bother with selecting a different psi for it would be because they were having some type of issue - if it were problem free why consider an alternative?

    Over the years since I have heard the same about going to the 1.1. I am beginning to feel that the 0.9 psi may never have been the "problem" to begin with. It may be that it was just the construction of the cap itself and 0.9 is fine as long as the cap holds together.

    Of course some held up like yours. I, personally, have had two fail now.
     
  17. Labman

    Labman F1 Rookie
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    Jun 25, 2010
    3,803
    Long Island, NY
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    New Stant installed. Upon further inspection, looks like my cap was on its way out. Dry rot on rubber seal and a crack in metal as well. Good call guys!

    [​IMG]


    "I don't believe in reincarnation, I'm only going to live once. I paid for the car so I might as well use it".
     
  18. SpyderGT

    SpyderGT Formula Junior

    May 15, 2005
    997
    Vancouver, BC
    Full Name:
    Jon
    Does anyone else have this issue with the 10331 on their 328? I did wonder about the added height when I installed the 10331 on my Nov '85 build 328. As best I can tell, the cap lever doesn't touch the deck screen; close but not touching. Jon
     
  19. djohnson63

    djohnson63 Karting

    Oct 4, 2005
    96
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Darren
    Cant answer for the 328 but on my 85 308QV it comes very close to touching.
     
  20. stefnews

    stefnews Karting

    Nov 23, 2010
    81
    EU-Hungary, Budapest
    I use a cap from Mercedes 380-500 SE from th '90-s.
    This cap have stamped '120', thats mean 1,2 bar,
    Absolutly perfect solution, for me :)
    And I have a zinkbush also in the expansion tank.
     
  21. Weaselwee

    Weaselwee Formula Junior

    Dec 20, 2005
    320
    Long Island
    Full Name:
    Jim
    I just replaced mine 3 weeks ago with the non-lever because I was worried about the screen as well. Fits perfectly!
     
  22. NoGoSlow

    NoGoSlow Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 29, 2014
    641
    Republic of Texas
    Full Name:
    Mark Jacks
    Reading the thread, it sounds like the factory original caps were 0.9 bar (13 PSI), while several have said 1.1 and 1.2 bar caps (16-17 PSI) are just fine. From a system standpoint that means that all the other joints, hoses, and gaskets are subjected to ≈ 30% more stress... is that a material difference?

    It seems like this would be analogous to using a 20A fuse in a 15A circuit. The circuit will blow in order to save the fuse. :)
     
  23. Tricycle

    Tricycle Formula Junior

    Dec 21, 2004
    636
    LA Cnty 4,083sqmiles
    #98 Tricycle, Mar 30, 2015
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2015
    Ok I understand the need for a good radiator cap but isn't that Stant designed to pop UP when the pressure becomes too great?

    HOW can the lever pop UP if the clearance is so low once the rear latch is closed?

    Am I missing something?

    Or is the red lever a MANUAL release that someone has to trigger?
    ____________________________________________________________
    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
     
  24. URAS

    URAS Formula Junior

    Oct 17, 2014
    955
    Canada
    Full Name:
    vince
    It is a manual lever to either vent out an air pocket or to release pressure to open cap.
     
  25. shmark

    shmark F1 Rookie

    Oct 31, 2003
    2,968
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Mark
    Same on my QV, close but doesn't touch.
     

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