Learned the hard way.

[Hmong_1G]

I have been dealing with my coolant leak lately. I can honestly say that I found the leaks and the right parts. I did a walk around and tighten the thermostat housing bolts. Solved the leaking issue, but not the coolant pouring out of the reservoir. I opened up to see it full within 15 minutes of bleeding the air out. Went to vatozone and tested the radiator cap. Test showed that the cap wasn't holding pressure. I asked an employee to let me test two of their Never open caps to see if its just a line of bad caps ( my old one was a vatozone part). Turned out the new ones didn't hold prssure too (WTF). I was done with these over the counter aftermarket crap. This was the third one I've replaced within months. I decided to stop being so cheap and hit the stealership. While I was there I picked up a OEM toyota radiator cap (18.00), OEM Thermostat (24.59), OEM thermostat gasket (3.79). Got home and installed the parts and crossed fingers. After 10 minutes of idle everything seems perfect. Took it for a spin about 30 miles and rechecked. No leaks and reservoir is still at its same level with no loss of coolant in the radiator. :icon_razz I'm happy that I didn't tear into the head. I took my time and retorqued the head bolts down to 70lbs before replacing the cooling parts. I couldn't be more happy with the results.

So guys... moral of the story is that when you start noticing coolant filling up in the reservoir, don't cheap out. Get the good stuff. Also don't assume the worst (BHG)... cause it could be a simple 15 minute R&R.

 

[ForcedTorque]

But we all run around so BHG scared, it is hard to enjoy the car! It is the answer to all problems ya know.<sarcasm>

 

[mkiii222]

I think at some point we all learn that lesson.

Quality parts pay for themselves several times over.

 

[suprastanger507mgte]

You know you may be onto something if that many caps failed. I remember going through the same thing with back flow into the reservoir on my 2j swap. I tried one and decided to get a OEM cap from the dealer and never had issues either.
Nice job on fixing your problem.Its always good to start with easier things to check.

 

[Mk3runner]

I got stant and failsafe thermostat. It does it's job. But right on with the retorque! That's like general maintance for our cars.

 

[3p141592654]

A point of confusion is that the rad caps changed around 89, and if you have replaced the radiator with an aftermarket you really don't know which cap you need.

The aftermarket I bought used the early style cap, so my 90 Toyota cap no longer sealed when I put it on. If you buy an aftermarket cap and an aftermarket rad the chances of everything working out are not good. Be warned. The new cap has a lot less depth and the sealing surface won't touch the ledge in the radiator neck of an old style rad.

 

[Hmong_1G]

That is true. When I went to the Stealership they handed me the original cap the 90 came with. It's the same design minus the psi that hondas came with. I told the parts guy that I have the older model caps.... ( my radiator was replaced with a cheap brass unit) and so the radiator was design to use the older ones. The parts guy was very helpful and understanding.

If I really wanted to go aftermarket parts... I would go Beck and Arney. I heard that Beck and arney buys oem parts and package them in their own boxes. Too bad I couldn't find a reputable family owned parts store like back in my old town that carried beck and arney.


PS.. thanks guys for the support. I'm taking my steps easily on the supra.... researching and studying ahead before something else happens.

 

[Keros]

The fact a supra still runs after +20 years of the crap people have put them through is amazing... from that, we can interpolate that the reason behind that is the culmination of parts, all of those parts being Toyota. May as well put in Toyota parts and get another 20 years out of them.