Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum

Am in the process of replacing the engine coolant of unknown type
with 27.5 gallons of Fleetcharge coolant. I noticed that the
radiator cap is a little tired and replaced it with the same one a
7PSI cap since I figured that it is the correct one. Looked in my
Detroit Diesel factory manual and it recommends that all on road
engines use a minimum of a 9PSI cap. Just talked to Shane Fedeli and
he also has a 7PSI cap installed and his factory manual also
recommends the 9PSI cap.

The blue box owners manual does not say what kind of cap the radiator
takes. Is there a reason that BB used a 7PSI cap instead of the
recommended 9PSI cap? What is everyone else using and is this the
original BB cap? Seems to me that the 9PSI cap would result in a
higher temperature to be safely reached if there is a problem before
the coolant boiled.
Tom Warner
Vernon Center,NY
1985 PT 40 with a 6V92

Tom,

I just braved the cold morning (about 50 degrees), and looked at my cap...it
too is a 7lb'er. I guess they did the same with the 8V also....

Kevin McKeown
Yorba Linda, CA
1986 38' PT
8V92


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Keeping my 7PSI cap here so far.

Ron, No. California
85PT36

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Tom Warner wrote:
>
> What is everyone else using and is this the
> original BB cap? Seems to me that the 9PSI cap would result in a
> higher temperature to be safely reached if there is a problem before
> the coolant boiled.
> Tom Warner
> Vernon Center,NY
> 1985 PT 40 with a 6V92
>

Mine has a 13lb cap, its been there since I purchased the coach and I do not
know if it is original. So far all is well. Seems like I saw a post where
someone else had a 13lb cap, changed to 7lb and fluid would belch out of the
puke tank.

Leroy Eckert
1990 WB-40 "Smoke N Mirrors"
Niceville, FL




----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Warner
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 7:58 PM
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] radiator cap


Am in the process of replacing the engine coolant of unknown type
with 27.5 gallons of Fleetcharge coolant. I noticed that the
radiator cap is a little tired and replaced it with the same one a
7PSI cap since I figured that it is the correct one. Looked in my
Detroit Diesel factory manual and it recommends that all on road
engines use a minimum of a 9PSI cap. Just talked to Shane Fedeli and
he also has a 7PSI cap installed and his factory manual also
recommends the 9PSI cap.

The blue box owners manual does not say what kind of cap the radiator
takes. Is there a reason that BB used a 7PSI cap instead of the
recommended 9PSI cap? What is everyone else using and is this the
original BB cap? Seems to me that the 9PSI cap would result in a
higher temperature to be safely reached if there is a problem before
the coolant boiled.
Tom Warner
Vernon Center,NY
1985 PT 40 with a 6V92





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hello...
Just my longwinded $.02 worth...
A long time ago when car companies werent' so dam greedy... the
radiators were by today's standards... "heavy duty".
Back then the radiator had more than enough capacity under normal usage
that the cap was just that... a cap..
When corporate greed started kicking in... (worse than it was)they
finally figured out that by making skinnier and cheaper radiators, they
could get away with it by finally making the cap & system pressurized.
It goes like this... the stronger the spring, the higher the pressures
are and...the thinner the radiator gets until they are at the current
compromise... greediness, cheapness and of course selling you more
expensive anti-freeze. Back then you could put ordinary alchohol,
kerosene or ... a methanol based antifreeze (as in cheap stuff) but as
the pressure rose, so did the temperature which would boil out the old
time (cheap stuff) If my memory hasn't failed.. I believe that @ 13
pounds you are in the super-heated range past 212 degrees. When the cap
is now removed the fluid expands and wah-lah... boil over...
Hmm... I think it was for every 1 pound cap pressure, the radiator
could get hotter by 10 degree before blowing...
Some of the memories are getting a bit foggy now but the lesson is
there... I am presuming that due to the nature of a deisel motor, your
radiator is quite large in capacity and you, in using a 7-9 pound cap
have been getting away with it because you haven't pushed your unit..
Wanna' really test your 7 pound cap out... find a long steep grade and
watch the needle climb... Finally the thermostat is NOT a radiator cap,
that is for engine temperature regulating. Of course this article is
subject to bashing etc. PS: My 1950 merc had a no pressure cap and yes,
you could drive without it...radiator was 3 or more inches thick...
Bill.. FWIW...
Get the right mandated cap!

All I can say is, WOW, my heads gonna explode.
MH
----- Original Message -----
From: badbillybiker
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 10:04 AM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Radiator cap


Hello...
Just my longwinded $.02 worth...
A long time ago when car companies werent' so dam greedy... the
radiators were by today's standards... "heavy duty".
Back then the radiator had more than enough capacity under normal usage
that the cap was just that... a cap..
When corporate greed started kicking in... (worse than it was)they
finally figured out that by making skinnier and cheaper radiators, they
could get away with it by finally making the cap & system pressurized.
It goes like this... the stronger the spring, the higher the pressures
are and...the thinner the radiator gets until they are at the current
compromise... greediness, cheapness and of course selling you more
expensive anti-freeze. Back then you could put ordinary alchohol,
kerosene or ... a methanol based antifreeze (as in cheap stuff) but as
the pressure rose, so did the temperature which would boil out the old
time (cheap stuff) If my memory hasn't failed.. I believe that @ 13
pounds you are in the super-heated range past 212 degrees. When the cap
is now removed the fluid expands and wah-lah... boil over...
Hmm... I think it was for every 1 pound cap pressure, the radiator
could get hotter by 10 degree before blowing...
Some of the memories are getting a bit foggy now but the lesson is
there... I am presuming that due to the nature of a deisel motor, your
radiator is quite large in capacity and you, in using a 7-9 pound cap
have been getting away with it because you haven't pushed your unit..
Wanna' really test your 7 pound cap out... find a long steep grade and
watch the needle climb... Finally the thermostat is NOT a radiator cap,
that is for engine temperature regulating. Of course this article is
subject to bashing etc. PS: My 1950 merc had a no pressure cap and yes,
you could drive without it...radiator was 3 or more inches thick...
Bill.. FWIW...
Get the right mandated cap!





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Tom, the DDA shop in Billings (Interstate Diesel) says they would use
the 9 lb cap if your cooling system is in good overall condition,
especially with the added cooling capacity given the interior heaters &
additional coolers in the Birds. My 6V92 has a Gates 6-8 lb cap on it.
Will probably just put a new 9 lb cap on it & keep the 6-8 as a spare
when I go back together with the new radiator etc.

Terry Neal
Bozeman, MT
82PT40
74FC34



Tom Warner wrote:

> Am in the process of replacing the engine coolant of unknown type
> with 27.5 gallons of Fleetcharge coolant. I noticed that the
> radiator cap is a little tired and replaced it with the same one a
> 7PSI cap since I figured that it is the correct one. Looked in my
> Detroit Diesel factory manual and it recommends that all on road
> engines use a minimum of a 9PSI cap. Just talked to Shane Fedeli and
> he also has a 7PSI cap installed and his factory manual also
> recommends the 9PSI cap.
>
> The blue box owners manual does not say what kind of cap the radiator
> takes. Is there a reason that BB used a 7PSI cap instead of the
> recommended 9PSI cap? What is everyone else using and is this the
> original BB cap? Seems to me that the 9PSI cap would result in a
> higher temperature to be safely reached if there is a problem before
> the coolant boiled.
> Tom Warner
> Vernon Center,NY
> 1985 PT 40 with a 6V92
>
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Mike - Does your head explode at 7 or 9 PSI? Bob
>
> All I can say is, WOW, my heads gonna explode.
> MH
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: badbillybiker
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 10:04 AM
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Radiator cap
>
>
> Hello...
> Just my longwinded $.02 worth...
> A long time ago when car companies werent' so dam greedy... the
> radiators were by today's standards... "heavy duty".
> Back then the radiator had more than enough capacity under normal
usage
> that the cap was just that... a cap..
> When corporate greed started kicking in... (worse than it was)
they
> finally figured out that by making skinnier and cheaper
radiators, they
> could get away with it by finally making the cap & system
pressurized.
> It goes like this... the stronger the spring, the higher the
pressures
> are and...the thinner the radiator gets until they are at the
current
> compromise... greediness, cheapness and of course selling you
more
> expensive anti-freeze. Back then you could put ordinary alchohol,
> kerosene or ... a methanol based antifreeze (as in cheap stuff)
but as
> the pressure rose, so did the temperature which would boil out
the old
> time (cheap stuff) If my memory hasn't failed.. I believe that @
13
> pounds you are in the super-heated range past 212 degrees. When
the cap
> is now removed the fluid expands and wah-lah... boil over...
> Hmm... I think it was for every 1 pound cap pressure, the
radiator
> could get hotter by 10 degree before blowing...
> Some of the memories are getting a bit foggy now but the lesson
is
> there... I am presuming that due to the nature of a deisel motor,
your
> radiator is quite large in capacity and you, in using a 7-9 pound
cap
> have been getting away with it because you haven't pushed your
unit..
> Wanna' really test your 7 pound cap out... find a long steep
grade and
> watch the needle climb... Finally the thermostat is NOT a
radiator cap,
> that is for engine temperature regulating. Of course this article
is
> subject to bashing etc. PS: My 1950 merc had a no pressure cap
and yes,
> you could drive without it...radiator was 3 or more inches
thick...
> Bill.. FWIW...
> Get the right mandated cap!
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Neither, the it was the political comments.
MH
----- Original Message -----
From: freewill2008
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 1:26 PM
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Radiator cap


Mike - Does your head explode at 7 or 9 PSI? Bob
>
> All I can say is, WOW, my heads gonna explode.
> MH
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: badbillybiker
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 10:04 AM
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Radiator cap
>
>
> Hello...
> Just my longwinded $.02 worth...
> A long time ago when car companies werent' so dam greedy... the
> radiators were by today's standards... "heavy duty".
> Back then the radiator had more than enough capacity under normal
usage
> that the cap was just that... a cap..
> When corporate greed started kicking in... (worse than it was)
they
> finally figured out that by making skinnier and cheaper
radiators, they
> could get away with it by finally making the cap & system
pressurized.
> It goes like this... the stronger the spring, the higher the
pressures
> are and...the thinner the radiator gets until they are at the
current
> compromise... greediness, cheapness and of course selling you
more
> expensive anti-freeze. Back then you could put ordinary alchohol,
> kerosene or ... a methanol based antifreeze (as in cheap stuff)
but as
> the pressure rose, so did the temperature which would boil out
the old
> time (cheap stuff) If my memory hasn't failed.. I believe that @
13
> pounds you are in the super-heated range past 212 degrees. When
the cap
> is now removed the fluid expands and wah-lah... boil over...
> Hmm... I think it was for every 1 pound cap pressure, the
radiator
> could get hotter by 10 degree before blowing...
> Some of the memories are getting a bit foggy now but the lesson
is
> there... I am presuming that due to the nature of a deisel motor,
your
> radiator is quite large in capacity and you, in using a 7-9 pound
cap
> have been getting away with it because you haven't pushed your
unit..
> Wanna' really test your 7 pound cap out... find a long steep
grade and
> watch the needle climb... Finally the thermostat is NOT a
radiator cap,
> that is for engine temperature regulating. Of course this article
is
> subject to bashing etc. PS: My 1950 merc had a no pressure cap
and yes,
> you could drive without it...radiator was 3 or more inches
thick...
> Bill.. FWIW...
> Get the right mandated cap!
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

As I remember form a automotive class in 1970, about the time all this
emissions stuff was getting started, in order to meet some of the
requirements it was necessary to raise the average combustion temperature
while lowering the peak temperature. This "average" temperature was
approaching the free air boiling point of the coolant so in order to raise
the boiling point of the coolant, in many cases still only water, the
coolant pressure had to be raised. Diesels were not subject to these
regulations and they use larger volumes of coolant and dual valve
thermostats which maintain a higher coolant velocity to reduce hot spots.
This was not really an option for automotive engines because of economics,
weight, and the idle cycle emission criteria.

- Chuck Wheeler -
82 FC 31 SB
Fort Worth, TX


_____

From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of badbillybiker
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 10:05 AM
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Radiator cap



Hello...
Just my longwinded $.02 worth...
A long time ago when car companies werent' so dam greedy... the
radiators were by today's standards... "heavy duty".
Back then the radiator had more than enough capacity under normal usage
that the cap was just that... a cap..
When corporate greed started kicking in... (worse than it was)they
finally figured out that by making skinnier and cheaper radiators, they
could get away with it by finally making the cap & system pressurized.
It goes like this... the stronger the spring, the higher the pressures
are and...the thinner the radiator gets until they are at the current
compromise... greediness, cheapness and of course selling you more
expensive anti-freeze. Back then you could put ordinary alchohol,
kerosene or ... a methanol based antifreeze (as in cheap stuff) but as
the pressure rose, so did the temperature which would boil out the old
time (cheap stuff) If my memory hasn't failed.. I believe that @ 13
pounds you are in the super-heated range past 212 degrees. When the cap
is now removed the fluid expands and wah-lah... boil over...
Hmm... I think it was for every 1 pound cap pressure, the radiator
could get hotter by 10 degree before blowing...
Some of the memories are getting a bit foggy now but the lesson is
there... I am presuming that due to the nature of a deisel motor, your
radiator is quite large in capacity and you, in using a 7-9 pound cap
have been getting away with it because you haven't pushed your unit..
Wanna' really test your 7 pound cap out... find a long steep grade and
watch the needle climb... Finally the thermostat is NOT a radiator cap,
that is for engine temperature regulating. Of course this article is
subject to bashing etc. PS: My 1950 merc had a no pressure cap and yes,
you could drive without it...radiator was 3 or more inches thick...
Bill.. FWIW...
Get the right mandated cap!






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]