[DeTomaso] radiator cap

JDeRyke at aol.com JDeRyke at aol.com
Tue Jun 24 14:51:27 EDT 2008


In a message dated 6/21/08 5:20:21 PM, Edracers at aol.com writes:

> Does anybody have manufacturer's part number for a cap and does anyone  
> know the pressure rating?
> 
Any cap for a Ford will fit, sort of. In a stock swirl tank (the small one), 
the neck is often slightly too long and has a rough bottom. These two conspire 
to prevent a U.S cap from sealing after the rubber gasket gets old- say, 
within a few years after purchase. While they don't leak always water, the vacuum 
produced after heating, then cooling will not develop to suck displaced water 
back into the system and overheating will result. The fix is to take the stock 
tank to a radiator shop and have them desolder the neck and add on a U.S-made 
neck. When you get the tank back carefully examine the soldered bottom for 
bumps etc and insist that it be made flat. Then any U.S cap will work just fine. 


The stock cap was "FIM 0.9" which translates to about 13-1/2 lbs. Using less 
than a 7 lb cap gives away valuable cooling capacity and above about 18 lbs 
risks popping some part of your cooling system. Many of us use a Stant 16 lb cap 
with no problems in stock or modified systems. That allows a 265 F system 
boiling point that matches the '73-up 0-260 water temp gauge. Good luck- J Deryke



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