Broken radiator cap, can I drive it home

[tom_sprecher]

Nope, totally cold. I mean that thing was just almost impossible to remove and replace. Might be defective or cross-threaded.

Mine came off easily when it was new 2 years ago. Last month it was a bitch and the car was cold since I avoid like the plague removong a radiator cap when hot. There was nothing wrong with the treads. I think the o-ring expands over time. Some silicone lube made it a little easier to screw back on, but not by much.

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[88lx50]

Hmm - thinking about buying one and leaving it in the glovebox just in case.
Edit - I just bought a spare on Ebay

 

[NoVaGT]

They're very hard to remove while holding your purse in the other hand....

Take your gloves out of your purse and see if those add any turning strength.

You could always borrow grandma and grandpas jar genie if all else fails!!

Really though, it should come off very easily.

You're welcome to stop by and remove the cap yourself whenever you'd like. I'm pretty sure someone at the Flatrock plant was cross-threading them back in 2016.

 

[Vasbinder]

Mine came off easily when it was new 2 years ago. Last month it was a bitch and the car was cold since I avoid like the plague removong a radiator cap when hot. There was nothing wrong with the treads. I think the o-ring expands over time. Some silicone lube made it a little easier to screw back on, but not by much.

the bottom oring was stuck on mine. I put some Dow Corning on the new one and screwed in easley

 

[Dr. Norts]

You're welcome to stop by and remove the cap yourself whenever you'd like. I'm pretty sure someone at the Flatrock plant was cross-threading them back in 2016.

Where are you from? If we can't get that cap off we can always drink some beers!

 

[NoVaGT]

Where are you from? If we can't get that cap off we can always drink some beers!

NoVa.....

Northern Virginia. Basically it's D.C.

I got beer, you drive.

 

[LightningBlue 5.0]

I was adding antifreeze to the over flow tank. The cap didn't unscrew and came out in pieces. I got all the pieces out and ordered a new cap. Problem is I'm at work with a 30 mile drive home. Will it push the water out or be okay?

hey man, I am having the same problem right now. Mine came out in pieces. a couple of tiny springs and plastic parts, but the part with the gaskets is stuck in the reservoir...how did you get that part out. It is like....REALLY stuck in there. thanks in advance.

 

[88lx50]

Waiting for the hit it with your purse comment...

 

[Dr. Norts]

Waiting for the hit it with your purse comment...

Lol go back a page. It's there....aaand my cap will most likely be the next one this happens to.

Good excuse to get rid of the ugly jellyfish, cap and all!

 

[JohnBoyNC]

I noticed my Mishimoto overflow tank was a little low over the weekend and went to unscrew the factory cap I have on it and it was very strange acting to get it off. It unscrewed with minimal force for about a turn or two, then it got super tight. I had to put a pair of channel locks on it to unscrew it all the way.

Same thing putting it back on.

I don't believe I've had to take the cap off after installing it and I certainly don't remember it being that difficult to put on.

 

[88lx50]

That's why I bought a spare. They seem to be made like junk so this one is going in the glovebox.

 

[LightningBlue 5.0]

I just came back from the Ford dealer, they took it out in pieces, little plastic piece by little plastic piece. They struggled quite a bit with pliers, a screw driver and a hook...anyway, the guys were awesome and very willing to help, he told me next time it starts to get a little hard to put a little bit of lubricant in the o rings. wow...what the hell man? I've never seen this happen to a new car before.

 

[Fatguy]

I just came back from the Ford dealer, they took it out in pieces, little plastic piece by little plastic piece. They struggled quite a bit with pliers, a screw driver and a hook...anyway, the guys were awesome and very willing to help, he told me next time it starts to get a little hard to put a little bit of lubricant in the o rings. wow...what the hell man? I've never seen this happen to a new car before.

I don’t think lubricating the O-rings would do anything. The rings are on the valve assembly that stays in position. It’s the outer black plastic cap that rotates and is difficult to remove. I removed mine by turning counterclockwise and when I encountered resistance I rotated it back a bit then forward gently unscrewing it. I will put a dab of Vaseline on the tank threads as no rad fluid will ever go there and then see how it goes. The tank and cap are hard plastic so this should work. Coating rubber rings with lub like Vasoline can cause it to swell and crack or deteriorate so I would leave the internals alone.


Rant over.

 

[Fatguy]

So I thought better of it and put good ol Vaseline on the rings with a big dab on the tank threads - and - it screwed on with the tips of my fingers all the way to the stop (didn’t even know they had a stop). It’s now disconcerting as it screwed on so loose - I am used to a tighter fit. Go figure, but lube the threads!

 

[Vasbinder]

hey man, I am having the same problem right now. Mine came out in pieces. a couple of tiny springs and plastic parts, but the part with the gaskets is stuck in the reservoir...how did you get that part out. It is like....REALLY stuck in there. thanks in advance.

I used my needle nose pliers for the most part and a pocket knife to get the bottom piece out. It seemed like the oring was holding it on. I used a lite coat of Dow Corning grease on both prints on the new one. It went on smooth

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