There are various symptoms of a bad radiator cap. You can identify a bad radiator cap by a few symptoms. A bad radiator cap should be replaced as soon as possible.
Radiator cap is a crucial part of the cooling system. Radiator cap plays a vital role in the cooling system of a vehicle. Radiator cap consist of spring-loaded valve that opens and closes to maintain a constant level of pressure in the system.
When the engine is running, heat from the coolant increases pressure in the system. Radiator caps are designed to relieve excess pressure by opening a valve to allow coolant to flow into an overflow reservoir. When the engine stops and the coolant cools, the pressure in the system drops and the radiator cap valve closes, preventing coolant from flowing back into the radiator.
Here are all the major symptoms of a bad radiator cap.
Table of Contents
1. Coolant Leakage
When using a radiator cap, which is intended to maintain a lower pressure than the system can handle, leaks can occur, especially if the original coolant hoses are broken. This can also happen if the radiator cap prevents the coolant reservoir from receiving additional pressure when the system reaches the target pressure.
These leaks can occur only when the temperature is high. A pressurized system can either leak directly into the air or spray coolant into the engine area through coolant hoses. After allowing the engine to cool, pinch the hose close to the suspected leak to find its source. The hose needs to be replaced if you pinch it and find a coolant leak.
2. Engine Overheating
Most of the people don’t even know that bad radiator cap can cause engine overheating. The engine may overheat if there are air pockets in the cooling system as a result of insufficient pressure or faulty seals. The latter lowers the boiling point of the coolant and renders it unable to absorb sufficient heat from the engine.
It is advised to stop driving as soon as it is safe to do so and wait for the engine to cool before continuing if the dashboard temperature indicator is rising. Engine failure can result from engine overheating, which can damage or deform parts as a result of the excessive heat.
3. Steam Emission
The coolant boils and evaporates creating a gas that resembles vapor. Coolant boils and seeps out of a bad radiator cap gasket when the engine begins to emit steam. Waiting will cause the engine to eventually overheat, so get your car fixed now.
4. Broken Radiator Pipes
Hose deformation can occur due to a change in internal pressure. If the pressure drops too low a vacuum effect will occur and one or more hoses will collapse. Additionally, excessive pressure can result in cracks in the line. When evaluating the cooling system, check for stiffness or sponginess of the hoses. While rigid hoses are brittle and can withstand a little abuse before snapping under pressure, flexible hoses are weak and can collapse.
5. Low Coolant
Coolant exits the system when it overheats and turns into vapor that can be seen, and it never comes back. Of course, quitting is just as effective. If you notice a drop in the coolant level, you can tell there may be a problem. Keep the coolant at the set level at all times. The low mark on the coolant reservoir usually serves as an indicator for this. In an emergency, distilled water can be used to top off the coolant until the real thing happens.
6. Coolant Overflow
A malfunction with the radiator cap may cause coolant to flow into the reservoir without releasing the normal excess pressure. This can result in the coolant overflow bottle overflowing.