TwinTurbo.NET: Nissan 300ZX forum - Just a heads up...Nismo radiator cap "warning/ caution"
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Subject Just a heads up...Nismo radiator cap "warning/ caution"
     
Posted by College Boy on December 01, 2004 at 8:50 PM
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Message Hey there guys. This isn't exactly a warning as much as it is just a caution for those of you that are interested in getting a nismo radiator cap. there have been posts about the nism radiator cap before, so yes thius is kind of a repost, but I just want to gives people that have not seen the befopre posts this heads up. Before I tell you what happened to me, I'll say that yes, the cap does help in making your engine run cooler, but it also makes the pressure in your coolnat system 1.3 bar I believe which is obviously over kill unless your 300ZX is not 10 years old, or if you have everything new and on TIGHT, and I mean tihgt. On my car, I have replaced every coolnat hose with new ones, and thought that I had everything on tight. Was I wrong..hah.

Anyways, I went to the body shop today to pick up my car amd run it by to Fifth Gear Motorsports, so they could fully align my car before we began cutting the rear quarter panels. When I pulled up there, I noticed smoke (steam) coming out from my hood. Obvciously this concerned me, since my car runs perfect, and this was kind of all of a sudden. I popped the hood, and it quickly went away, so i though..eh..I'll fix it when I get back to the shop...my water pump maybe isn't on perfectly..hah...not. Anyways, about 3 hours later we were done with the alignment, and I hurried over back to the body shop (only about 1 minute away..that's why I didn't mind just waiting till then to check out the problem. When I pulled up, once again, there was smoke under the hood, so I left my engine running this time, and popped the hood. I walked to the front of my car, and damn there was a lot of smoke coming out from what looked to be my lower radiator hose. I figured I must not have had some clamp on tight I guess, but I could have sworn that I wreched the hell out of all those clamps to keep them on tight. Anyways, I jakced up my car, and took off the fan shoud, and to my amazment, I see the lower radiatopr hose COMPLETLEY off the lower pipe coming off of the block. YES completely off! I was shocked. I also realised that I got very lucky, and that this must have just happened, and before it must have just begun to come off, and thats why ealier today, there was only a little steam. Anyways, I put it back on nice and tight, refilled everything, and double and triple checked the clamps...also, I tossed the nismo cap, and went back to my 0.9 bar cap that camed with my Koyo radiator. then, I ttok my car for a nice "aggresive" 30 minute spin around town, and everything was working perfectly. Popoped hood, no leaks, temp was good, I was A OK :) Shweeeeeew that was close!

Anyways, basically this long post is just to let people know that if you put on the nismo cap, be SURE everything is on tight and I mean tight, and also make sure your hoses are new, cause the pressure is obviously a lot more than stock. I don't want someone else to put on this cap, and have a hose blow and not catch it till there engine over heats :( That would be aweful to hear. I got VERY lucky this time, and am not going to test my luck again, so I'm just gonna stick with my 0.9 bar cap. i don't need 1.3 bars anyways. I suggest to everyone else doing the same, unless you are an avid tracker, or if you have heating problems. Honestly though, I'm sure that if the coolant system is maintained on our cars, and upgraded, then I'm sure there is NO need for a nismo cap, cause I believe out coolant systems are very good. Thanks for your time.

Thanks,
Mike
1991 Black Twin Turbo (Show and Go)

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