It would be if those caps are of poor quality from the beginning - which is the entire point of all this. $7 and 10 seconds prevents one hell of a big surprise - and possibly severe damage to your engine - at the worst possible moment because that cap is never going to give you a problem when you are at home and the car is turned off is it? You should keep the Ferrari cap on your car. Please do. Some people are risk takers, if you he are in that group, that is none of our business is it? Have at it.
FWIW mine was not overheating at all, but it did have a very slight leak around the cap - this is what I noticed. On closer inspection the cap had a couple very slight cracks. Definitely an easy check/fix.
Relax Doc. All I am saying is if I already have a Vacuum tester and a Radiator cap tester (and I do), then it would not require new investment go out and buy those testers to test a cap. And if a cap passes those tests, then it would be fine to keep using that cap. I have no problem with anyone NOT having those testers and simply want to spend $7 for a new cap.
FWIW my original cap was cracked same as Tommy's. I kept it to show the car but switched to the aftermarket.
You're correct. Problem is a failure is 100% unpredictable and again, will never happen with the car off and parked in the garage. The spring and seal may test WNL today but a crack forming can separate at any time. Couple that with the cost and ease of preventing that problem with a much better quality part. It is hard not to find one locally, you don't even have to order it in most cases. Remember, I had one fail on me. It was my very first problem with the car back in 97. Fortunately I had an honest shop tell me all I needed was a new cap.
Before I shut up and go away I will just say I'm all for checking the caps or just replacing them if it makes you feel better. I'm against the idea that this is a catastrophe waiting to happen. That idea permeates too many things on FChat. There is a temperature gage in your car. It is there for a reason. Pay attention to it. I for one find it much more reassuring to drive around with a gallon of coolant in the trunk than having a spare radiator cap, not that I have ever needed it either. There are many things about these or any car that can fail without warning at any time. Radiator caps aren't high on the list. And I would also ask Dr. T. if he has any idea of how long he has been driving around with his cracked radiator cap. As he stated in his initial post he did not observe any particular cooling issues. I'd be a little more concerned about the oil temperature issue you have been experiencing for the last 2 years.
No one here has predicted a catastrophe. Someone uncovered a common problem with the crap Italian radiator caps and sought to let others know. I suggested a higher quality alternative at a far lower price. A few of the others discovered the same problem yet somehow you find all of that to be a problem? You are the one over reacting here. Jesus Christ, people spend $5 to to either fix a problem or proactively avoid one and in your book that's bad? Shutting up and going away would be a really good idea.
The parts sticky on this board lists: RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK CAPS STANT 11229, 13PSI, FITS TIGHT ALSO STANT 11230 And there a a few threads of people using those numbers with tight fit and modifying the gaskets. But, as Brian has mentioned, Stant 10331, 16PSI (with vent) and 10231, 16 PSI (without vent) should be the proper ones. Stant also makes a "racing" version 18231, 16 PSI. They are not quite universal, but fit a lot of vehicles. Grade my homework, if I missed something, Brian.
I had a a gallon of distilled water in my trunk that I was carrying around after I flushed my system last year. I used it to top it off after bleeding the air out here and there. I forgot about it after I was done. One night my car wouldn't start. I was in a parking lot, after dark on the weekend, as in where the hell am I going to tow it to when my shop is closed until Monday - home? then tow it again Monday morning? That bill is getting bigger and bigger and I haven't even figured out the problem yet. That bottle of water leaked onto my FI Jetronic box and ruined a fused relay that is NLA for my car. We need to by one from an old Porsche or Mercedes and although available, it's slightly difficult to find and the wiring harness connector needs to be modified. Now I was able to figure all this out myself but add all of that up for someone who can't - someone who would rather carry a gallon of fluid in their trunk in case the cap failed instead of just putting on a better cap. Here, read about it if you don't believe me. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/308-328/461934-need-new-fuel-injection-relay-help-please.html Sure, that may be a one in a million occurrence but my point is I have no idea how in the world you find your plan simpler and more predictable than just replacing the ******* cap with a better one for 7 bucks and be done with it.
And when it pegs when I am in Atlanta on I-285...? Who knows, and that isn't totally true. I mentioned that I have had cooling issues with the car but have been chalking it up to it being a QV. I haven't driven the car since I started this thread.
Seriously Dr. T. , putting the back and fourth to bed, I don't know why you or other have such cooling problems with your QVs. I've had my 85 since new, as you may know from other posts, and I've never had such problems. I'm in CT and yes, we do get up in the mid 90 and occasionally above in August. Can't say that I drive it that often on such days being it's a GTB and pretty much an oven when that hot, but the only time coolant temps get above 200 is when idling at a light. Oil temp never get out of hand. Moving on a highway coolant is never above 190 even on the hottest days. The car is 100% original and the radiator cap is 0.9 Bar which is what it came with. I'd really be very concerned about your oil temp problem. If the oil is really getting as hot as you say there is a lot of heat being generated in the engine that isn't getting dissipated. I'm sure you know that cooling the oil isn't just for the oil. It's getting heat out of the engine as well.
The oil temp is a head scratcher because the water temp doesn't reflect it. In fact the car runs and otherwise seem tip top. Again, new sending unit, different gauge, new oil and new filter helped nothing. The fan I have pulling air thru the cooler doesn't make a difference anymore. It's due for belts this April so I am going to let Ron dig around in there while he has it and see what he comes up with.
Dr. Tommy - Your oil cooling issue reminds me of a problem a buddy had. His car was running hot, and he couldn't figure out why. He tried a bunch of stuff (shroud over the radiator, new fan). Nothing helped. Finally pulled the radiator, and it was full of scale. Had it cleaned/recored, and no problems since. I wonder if there is trash in your oil cooler? When you have the car in for service, it's something you might want to check. Finally - Superformance sells an "uprated aluminum" oil cooler that will set you back about $800 p/n 145712/S I asked my mechanic if there were cooling issues with our cars (especially down here where it gets crazy hot in the summer). He said no. When I asked if I should upgrade my radiator or any of the cooling system, he said "No". When my car was running hot, the only reason was because one of the fans wasn't working. And, there was a small air bubble in the radiator that needed to be bled out. So - with everything you are doing, I'd suspect that your oil cooler has junk/trash in it. Good Luck.
Tommy, what Ken says sounds like it's close to the truth, that you've got a restriction somewhere in the oil flow, pickup, passages, lines, cooler, or maybe your pump isn't working well? I'm in exactly the same climate and don't have any cooling issues, oil or water (except the cap!), so a QV should be able to cope with our southeastern heat easily.
I have suspected the oil cooler but since it is a more expensive item, I was exhausting every other avenue. I don't mind buying one if it is needed but I didn't want to begin throwing money at parts to see what worked. So are most of you recommending the Superformance unit over stock?
Went to AutoZone and asked for the Stant 10331 and got a Duralast 7816 since they don't carry Stant. Yeah, I know I could have ordered online but heck, I was already there so I paid for it and it fits fine. listed pressure rating on the cap is 16lbs with a safety release as well. I for one am grateful for the heads up from Dr. T. Anytime I can spend a buck to potentially save a ton more on problems later works for me. BTW, the Duralast cap is more expensive than guys are showing for the Stant so you may want to buy Stant. I paid 9bucks out the door.
I saw someone else ask this but didn't see an answer... Does the same cap fit both the front radiator and the expansion tank in the engine bay? Should I buy two? Or is the front radiator cap not a pressure release cap?
Ordered mine from NAPA and this is their Cross reference P/N of the Stant 10331. NAPA P/N 703-1702 Image Unavailable, Please Login
I have an 85 QV...when I lived in NJ, it had an overheating issue. First thing to be replaced was a cracked cap...but it was replaced with an OEM cap. Then, the radiator and other parts... I wonder if an overheating QV is like dropping your motorcycle...it's not a matter of if, but when.
The safety lever on the Stant cap rubs against the rear deck screen on my early 328. I put on a Stant 10230, 16 PSI cap w/o the safety lever. Picked it up at local Napa Auto.
That was just the first place I looked Dr. T. My car has the stock oil cooler - and I got stuck in traffic today and never had it go over 210 in stop/go traffic with the A/C on (and engine was rock solid at 195 water temp). Yeah - you either aren't moving fluid (pump) or the cooler has problems. Neither is cheap. Sorry.
