Re: Puzzled


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Posted by Clint Dixon on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 at 9:52PM :

In Reply to: Re: Puzzled posted by Marty on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 at 9:27PM :

Marty, the overflow tube on the radiator is well below the radiator cap. So, the cap does not really have anything to do with letting pressure bleed off. The cap only seals off the filler neck. When the seal between the filler neck and cap are good, the hot expanding coolant has no place to go but through the overflow tube, and in this case, on to the overflow tank. The cap also has really no effect on the return of the coolant to the radiator as it cools and contracts except that it seals off the filler neck so suction is created at the overflow tube. With this design, the nearest thing to the tip of the overflow tube will be drawn back into the radiator, whether it be air, dirt, insects, or in the case of the overflow tube being conected directly to the bottom of a coolant filled overflow tank, coolant will be the frist thing drawn back into the radiator. If the coolant level in the overflow tank is less than what is needed to refill the radiator, then first the coolant will be drawn back in followed by the air, dirt, and insects that are now being drawn into and through the overflow tank. I guess the radiator cap on a Power-Wagons non-pressurised system could be considered a "infinite lb. rated cap" in that it has no spring and it should not let any pressure bleed past. One could actually solder the top of the filler neck closed and the system would still work the same as long as you didn't close off the overflow tube. You would just now have to do all of the filling and checking at the overflow tank, aka "remote reservoir.

I can remove my radiator cap and the coolant level is always at the level of the overflow tube whether hot or cold. The first indication of my cap losing its seal is when I start to get coolant spray on my windshield. In that scenerio, some coolant is going down the tube into the overflow tank and some is passing by the seal of the cap. I check the level when the truck cools, and sure enough, the level in the radiator is low because air is lighter than coolant and air is now being drawn past the bad seal of the radiator cap rather than the coolant from the overflow tube and tank.

You have a reasonably rare option there. With proper maintenance, it should work quite well.

Clint



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