Yeah, the guy is (in)famous on a number of forums. Some people swear by him, some laugh at him. I'm not sure which camp I'm in, but he does have at least some good info.
Herb
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SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
It makes total sense to me. If your coolant boils before the fan comes on, your adding additional unneccessary heat and stress to the engine. At a minimuim, pressure testing your cap should be free at any autoparts store.
I think this topic of his is one I agree on, and like mentioned, for the price in question it's a no-brainer. I have tested whether or not my cap retains pressure hours after shutting the engine off.
I just go ahead and swap out the radiator cap every time I change the air filter. IMO it's not even worth the bother of testing it.
Herb
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SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
Like Broncohauler said, the caps are cheap. Just swap them out every 20 or 30K. Another good preventative maintenance item is to simply replace the degas bottle as well. The plastic get's brittle and the tank can crack over time, especially given the underhood heat in the vans.
But keep in mind that if there is coolant spewing out through the cap it's most likely not the cap and is possibly a sign of bigger issues like a restricted EGR cooler or blown head gaskets.
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2005 E350 RB 6.0 PSD for extended fun
1989 Landcruiser FJ62 for local fun
2011 VW TDI Golf for hwy fun
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