Bad radiator cap?

97ranger11 · #1 10-03-2013, 10:39 AM

I bought my truck a few months ago and the coolant was straight mud colored. I have flushed it a few times now and am working on getting all the rust out. The coolant in the resovior looks brand new. The hose is connected to the cap and resovior. That means it's the radiator cap, right?

reconjb · #2 10-03-2013, 11:04 AM

Why would it be the cap?

dvrich · #3 10-03-2013, 03:58 PM

Since the "Overflow Tank" coolant is still clean, the cap must be holding pressure just fine.

97ranger11 · #4 10-04-2013, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvrich

Since the "Overflow Tank" coolant is still clean, the cap must be holding pressure just fine.

I know it is holding pressure fine. The cap is supposed to let excess pressure out into the tank if the pressure gets too high and draw fluid from the tank in when the system cools down. Sure it might not happen very much or often, but I'm just surprised the coolant looked brand new. Even a few drops of coolant from the radiator would darken it's color, that stuff was nasty.

97ranger11 · #5 10-04-2013, 10:19 AM

turns out the rubber hose going to the tank was packed full of rust deposits for a good 7 inches

96_4x4_XLT · #6 10-04-2013, 10:22 AM

I flushed my trucks coolant twice
(With a real coolant flush machine at a shop)
coolant was black
first time I flushed it I just pushed water through to clean the system out then I put 50/50 mix through to clean the water out and have the right coolant in the system

POS Racing · #7 10-04-2013, 11:21 AM

Good stuff here -

Web · #8 10-04-2013, 11:26 AM

I got a free flush when my thermostat housing blew up