Radiator cap change ? or is it life of car ?

[Atlanta_man]

Summer's here and a friend of mine's GM sedan had a radiator cap failure the other day. Stop the car and coolant would escape. New cap fixed it.

Occurs to me that my 4Runner's cap has been off maybe three or four times in 7 years.

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

If its keeping pressure heave Ilit alone.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

The rubber seal will eventually crack or dry rot just like any other rubber item. They are inexpensive so just change it every 90k miles or so.

 

[lbhsbz]

A cap is about $5. Change it if there's any question. I test mine every time I open it, which isn't too often.....last time
the cap came off the guts stayed in radiator...didn't have to test that one.

 

[Atlanta_man]

that's what I'm thinking - old rubber seal bound to be getting tired

 

[fourwd1]

that's what I'm thinking - old rubber seal bound to be getting tired

Stop thinking, just get a new one.

 

[delucat2]

i just bought a 2003 v-8 with 165000 miles and the sealing inner portion of the cap stayed in the filler neck when i took it off. $27 new from dealer, $12 with vent from Kragen.