Should Coolant gush out of the...

[ald872000]

Radiator cap after you just went around 90 mph for 20 min??


I ask because I recently changed the thermostat '195', radiator, an hoses an filling it up an checking for leaks (found none). Now when I drive the coolant temp Gauge stays before the 'N' .

Now After I drove fast for 20 min I pulled over and wanted to see if I had pressure in the cooling system. I squeezed the upper and lower radiator hoses. I could squeeze them both very easily, I unscrewed the radiator cap an nothing gushed out. the coolant looked calm an peachy.

Is the system not pressurized?
Could this mean my water pump is shot?

Some added info:
NO water in the tranny lines
No water in the oil
Heater core appears normal, no puddles or smells
Upper intake feels hot, Radiator feels warm.
Fan clutch works aswell as fan


Thanks fellas for any helpful advice.

[1990LTD]

I would suspect the water pump but I'm not the most experienced person around. I understood that these water pumps usually started gushing coolant all over the ground when they decided to go tits-up, but again, I am no expert.

[1990LTD]

Is it leaking out of anything anywhere in the cooling system?

[trwp72]

Maybe it is because it is cooling so well? Other possibility is the cap is not holding pressure... It may be holding just enough pressure to keep it from leaking... but not enough to pressurize the system...

[ald872000]

nope

[trwp72]

When you release the cap, does it have any pressure at all?

[ald872000]

you know the cap may be the problem

but I bought that thing new a few days ago

the thread above was to '1990 LTD's' question

dam cooling system...

[ald872000]

nope no pressure, coolant sits as clear as day...

[ald872000]

before I get my panties twisted in a knot i'll swap out the radiator cap.

But the thing is I had the same effects with the old radiator,thermostat, an radiator cap

THE COOLANT JUST STOOD THERE...


*long sigh* Gotta say... every car I get it's either the cooling system or the Steering that decides to go out...

[CheeseSteakJim]

Did you fill it up the first time and leave it, or after running it did you check it and continue to fill it? It'll go down as the engine fills up with coolant and won't be completely full after the first time. If it's not completely filled up then what's happening to you will happen. I always check two or sometimes even three times that the coolant's filled.

Are you just completely unscrewing the cap, or only to the first safety stop to see if coolant gushes? Be very, very careful doing that. The hot coolant gushing from under the cap can at least burn your fingers really fucking bad. At worst that cap can come off and completely toast your face or even blind you. Ask me how I know.

[cld783]

not necessarily..

the real question is whether it's functioning properly.

[GoodSamaritan]

I discovered that the older subaru's didn't have that safety release. Turn the cap about 70 degrees to release the pressure, and the thing blew off and sprayed me in the face with boiling coolant... Took forever to heal up.

[87gtVIC]

The way I fill up to coolant with my father is by holding the car at 2k rpm or higher (he yells at me to give it more gas if the coolant is not being sucked in) while he opens up the cap and the fills up. We repeat a couple of times.

[DarkKnight]

Woldent the real question be if its overeating or not? Can you get and install a gage that shows numbers instead of a letter?

If it is then ide look at the pump. I know i changed mine and when i did a few hoses which where stable before afterwords blew slap off. 20 yr old pump is due fr a change anyways hehe.

But if its not overheating... And you have heat.

[Outlaw440]

I discovered that the older subaru's didn't have that safety release. Turn the cap about 70 degrees to release the pressure, and the thing blew off and sprayed me in the face with boiling coolant... Took forever to heal up.

lol! I think we all been there once...

I did that on a truck once when i was 16 or so, soon as i spun that cap loose the damn thing hit the hood and i was getting hosed down with a geyser of 200* water. Not fun.

At any rate, i think you need to get yourself a cooling system pressure tester, it will look something like this:



I would do that before throwing parts at it. See if the system itself can hold pressure. IF it does, Then figure out why it isn't building any. It could be a lot of things, a clog in the radiator, some piece of crap in the cooling system somewhere, or, there is a slight leak somewhere that you don't even notice. beleive me, its possible for there to be a leak but the leak happens to leak out onto some hot part so it dries instantly and you can't find it. Hence why checking to see if the system can hold pressure first. As far as taking the rad cap off while the car is hot, that can be extremely dangerous like others have mentioned.

Good luck.