jinxed45 Posted October 22, 2004 Report Share Posted October 22, 2004 I opened the Coolant Cap while hot and it exploded with coolant everywhere.. will this burn through anything? Am I fine? Should I wash it down with water? Thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted October 23, 2004 Report Share Posted October 23, 2004 I opened the Coolant Cap while hot and it exploded with coolant everywhere.. will this burn through anything? Am I fine? Should I wash it down with water? Thanks... if you have learned the lesson you are fine.... first take shower yourself then give one to your car. do not forget to replenish the coolant. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navion Posted October 23, 2004 Report Share Posted October 23, 2004 Some people have been permantely disfigured doing what you did. I did the same thing when I was 16 or so. Still have some scars on the back of my hands. Dad was NOT pleased when he got home that evening. I think that he would have busted my bu** if I han't been obviously hurting already. (I miss him). He asked if I had learned a lesson. I replied that I suppose that it could have been worse. Some outfit made a tool that gripped the cap & deflected the steam/hot coolant downward. But if you got scared & let go, it could be the burn ward for you. I doubt that they still make it with all the hungry lawyers around today. The BEST soloution is to LET IT COOL Down. 30 minutes of your time is not worth the pain of skin grafts. BE CAREFUL OUT THERE Good Luck & I'm glad that you weren't burnt. Britt Britt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poobah Posted October 23, 2004 Report Share Posted October 23, 2004 I have taken radiator caps off when the coolant was warm (NOT HOT) by folding a towel so it is two or three layers thick. I place the place the towel with the cap under its center and let the towel spread out to cover the surrounding area. In this way, the towel acts as a "hot pad" so I can turn the cap without burning my fingers and it should contain any coolant that might shoot out. I turn the cap VERY slowly and carefully to the first stop to release the pressure. If things get out of control, I can quickly retighten the cap to avert disaster. (The watchwords, here are SLOWLY and CAREFULLY). When the hissing stops, and with the towel still in place. I rattle the cap a bit to make sure it is loose and not holding any pressure. Only then do I push the cap down, turn it past the stops, then slowly release my downward pressure and lift the cap off. While doing this, it is best to hold your face as far from the opening as possible, proceed slowly and cautiously, and treat the situation with all due respect. It goes without saying the cooler the radiator is when you open it, the safer you are and NEVER open a hot or overheated radiator. Happiness is owning a Cadillac with no codes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
an01sts Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 You're lucky that you didn't get seriously burned. I know that they are good instructions for opening a hot cap, but what the hell would you want to open a hot radiator for in the first place? To check it? You don't check the air in the tires while your moving--well you can with my car--and you don't check the oil with the engine running. Why would you check the radiator when it's hot. Also, that went out in the 60's. You maintain the radiator via coolant overflow bottle, so you don't have a letitimate reason for removing the cap unless you're changing coolant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poobah Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 An01sts, I think you misunderstood my post. My procedure is for opening a warm radiator not a hot one. I thought I made that quite clear, in fact my final statement warns... It goes without saying the cooler the radiator is when you open it, the safer you are and NEVER open a hot or overheated radiator. Even with an "overflow bottle" there are times when I've needed to open the radiator to service it, drain it, add Bars Stop Leak, or flush the system and it wasn't practical to wait until it was stone cold before doing so. The only time I wouldn't use the towel technique is when the car has been sitting overnight and the radiator is absolutely cold. Let me make this perfectly clear: I do not advocate opening hot or overheated radiators under any circumstance! When it's not practical to wait till tomorrow to open it, the towel technique can minimize the danger. Happiness is owning a Cadillac with no codes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 You maintain the radiator via coolant overflow bottle, so you don't have a letitimate reason for removing the cap unless you're changing coolant. the overflow bottle method is not reliable. if your cap does not work properly or the hose connecting the bottle to the radiator is clogged you might assume the radiator is full as long a sthere is some coolant in the bottle but it might be actually half-empty or empty. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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