Radiator cap's life span

[LoboMX]

Hi, anybody knows how long is the radiator cap's life span?

I ask because in the last 2 services of my '03 5 Speed GT, the
dealer charged a radiator cap due loss of presure per service.

The services should be done each 10000kms (6250 miles) according to the mexican owner's manual and the 7 years or 100000kms (62500 miles) extended guarantee, my GT has 43000kms (about 27000 miles) doing the maths the service has been done once per year, which results on a radiator cap per year the last 2 years, the original radiator cap lasted 2 years, do the new ones have a short life span or they are using crappy ones? [:I]

Thanxs! [8)]

[sca037]

This is a very good question, as the lowly radiator cap performs a vital function and if its ability to maintain system pressure decreases over time it's not always easy to diagnose....as the overall cooling system performance wanes.
I think it's fair to say that from the factory they are of marginal quality, and I have even encountered new ones that couldn't meet spec. It's pretty cheap insurance to replace a faulty one every couple years, or buy a higher quality one for $25 and hopefully never have to think about it again.

Brian

[LoboMX]

quote:Originally posted by sca037

This is a very good question, as the lowly radiator cap performs a vital function and if its ability to maintain system pressure decreases over time it's not always easy to diagnose....as the overall cooling system performance wanes.
I think it's fair to say that from the factory they are of marginal quality, and I have even encountered new ones that couldn't meet spec. It's pretty cheap insurance to replace a faulty one every couple years, or buy a higher quality one for $25 and hopefully never have to think about it again.

Brian

higher quality for $25? [xx(].... they charged me almost $40 for the last one and it didn't lasted a year.

I totally agree with you about the vital role of the tiny radiator cap, not a thing to take so lighthearted!

[fritz_t_coyote]

quote:Originally posted by LoboMX

higher quality for $25? [xx(].... they charged me almost $40 for the last one and it didn't lasted a year.

Let me guess: That was a Genuine Dealer Part, right?

[sca037]

quote:higher quality for $25? [xx(].... they charged me almost $40 for the last one and it didn't lasted a year.

I totally agree with you about the vital role of the tiny radiator cap, not a thing to take so lighthearted!

That price was from my friendly local NAPA store, NOT the dealership

Brian

[mtnbktrek]

i just checked www.napaautomotive.com part #bk 7032464 and it was $4.69 i never paid more than $7 for 1

[fritz_t_coyote]

quote:Originally posted by sca037

That price was from my friendly local NAPA store, NOT the dealership

Brian

I mean the 40$ good-for-about-a-year cap Lobo bought.
I figure the NAPA part is probably good until your next timing belt change.

[CREWZIN]

Long time ago I worked at two service stations that performed state inspections. When someone came in, the first thing we did was replace the wiper blades (always high quality wiper blades ), That was an easy $10-15 and of course the headlights needed adjusting about 95% of the time. Never thought about changing the radiator cap, but that probably didn't fall into the state inspection guidelines. [:P]

[fritz_t_coyote]

quote:Originally posted by CREWZIN

Long time ago I worked at two service stations that performed state inspections. When someone came in, the first thing we did was replace the wiper blades (always high quality wiper blades ), That was an easy $10-15 and of course the headlights needed adjusting about 95% of the time. Never thought about changing the radiator cap, but that probably didn't fall into the state inspection guidelines. [:P]

The late Warren Weith once pointed out in his Car & Driver column that since shops could not make a profit on inspections, they would look for something that needed fixing. Saving and re-installing a burned out tail-light bulb would give the shop something to do. Otherwise they might have to keep looking until they found something Really Expensive and hard to verify.

Headlight adjustment and new wiper blades seems like a nice honest shop. As opposed to 'your crankshaft failed inspection, and has to be replaced'.

[Mean Green]

I once watched a gas station attendant tear the rubber on my wiper blade and tell me I needed new ones. He didn't know I was watching him. Needless to say I bought new ones elsewhere after giving him a very large piece of my mind. [?]