I just replaced radiator, rad cap, upper lower hoses and thermostat (all Autozone pepbiys crap) on a 98 Camry 4 cyl for a friend who is low on $$$
After:
The heater wasn't working and it was getting hot. So I turned ac on to check fans and they came on. Temp instantly dropped and heater started working.
Ran for a while and gauge didn't move and fans didn't come on.
Figured I was done but steam kept coming from around cap. Was gonna put orig cap on when cooled off and shut off. Just noticed both hoses are collapsed. What is going on???
How are the hoses collapsed???
Leak between coolant passage and intake via head gasket or intake gasket?
Did you take the cap off afterwards and if so, did it suck in air?
Refill it make sure to bleed out as much air as possible. Make sure the heater valve is open during the bleed. then try again with the old cap. It had a vacuum in the cooling system, which shouldn't happen if the rad cap is working right. Also be sure the hose to the overflow reservoir isn't plugged or kinked, and that the new radiator hose nipple for the overflow isn't plugged.
HappyAndy wrote:
Also be sure the hose to the overflow reservoir isn't plugged or kinked, and that the new radiator hose nipple for the overflow isn't plugged.
Good point. That could cause a vacuum to form if you put the cap on when the engine was warming up, and it's much easier to miss than a leak into the combustion chamber.
HappyAndy wrote:
Refill it make sure to bleed out as much air as possible. Make sure the heater valve is open during the bleed. then try again with the old cap. It had a vacuum in the cooling system, which shouldn't happen if the rad cap is working right. Also be sure the hose to the overflow reservoir isn't plugged or kinked, and that the new radiator hose nipple for the overflow isn't plugged.
This, it's normal for the system to try to develop negative pressure on cool down, that's how it sucks fluid out of the overflow jug to keep the radiator topped off (since it always blows some into the overflow from expansion on warm up), if it can't suck fluid up through the overflow hose and through the check valve in the cap you get collapsed hoses on cool down.
You guys were right on. I thought about it and came to the same conclusion and replacing the new cap with the original Toyota cap = success.
It would be a good idea to put a new good cap on it, they do wear out and quit holding pressure eventually, you usually discover this when the car boils over on a warm day.
BrokenYugo wrote:
It would be a good idea to put a new GOOD OE QUALITY cap on it, they do wear out and quit holding pressure eventually, you usually discover this when the car boils over on a warm day.
Added emphasis. Leave the Pep Boys stuff on the shelf.
