Radiator Cap covered in 2014 SR5???
- Thread starter TimAllan
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harper7
Senior Member
No easy way ,you have to take it off.You take off the plastic cover which Toyota calls a sight shield.It's number 6 in the drawing below. It has about 10-15 little black plastic(#2's) fasteners that hold it on.
The way the fasteners work .....Push the center round button down the whole way and it releases it and then use a thin flat screw driver or fingernail to pry it up and out of the hole. The way to reset the fastener to reattach the cover is to push it down on something hard til the center pops the whole way back up about a 1/4" or so above level . Put it back in the hole and push the center back down just til it's level again. Remembering not to push it all the way down or it will unlock it again and you'll have to reset it again.There's a sweet spot in the middle and you'll get it after a couple of times!I've had it off and on so many times it takes me less then a minute now.lol
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2014 Warthog
New member
Yeah I thought that was kind of strange first time I looked under my hood. I was (am) seriously tempted to just cut out that raised part that covers it so if/when I do need emergency access to it I don't have to fight taking off a body part to get at it.
1engineer
Moderator
Not disagreeing with you but am having a hard time coming up with an "emergency" involving the radiator that could be instantly addressed when the fluid is up around 200 degrees. If you overheat, you have plenty of time (2 minutes to remove the shroud) to access it I would think before attempting to remove the cap to add fluid. I do know that shroud is put there to channel as much outside air as possible to the complete radiator and not just the fins.
1engineer
Moderator
It is easy to check your fluid. Simply look at the overflow tank right there under the hood. If you think you have to take the radiator cap off to check level then you need to read up on modern coolant systems.
1engineer
Moderator
Read my post #7.
badhabits
New member
dekeman
New member
Can anyone confirm, definitively, that a rad cap with a higher pressure rating than the stock cap will produce more heat? My LE runs below the half-way point on the gauge in cold and hot weather. In winter, I'd like it to be above the half way mark to give me a pinch more heat. A higher-rated cap, say, moving from 15 to 17 psi would in theory raise the boiling point, thus the coolant temp, no?
I have no idea what the stock cap is even rated at....
I have no idea what the stock cap is even rated at....
Go JayBee
New member
I think you are confusing the Radiator Cap with the Thermostat?
A radiator cap with a higher pressure rating won't increase the operating temperature of the cooling system.
The temp. gauge is a glorified dummy gauge. The ECU takes the reading from the coolant temp sensor and then tells the gauge dial where to go. In my 2014 LE, the gauge stays at 6.5 ticks above the bottom when at operating temperature. This is below half way, but still at operating temperature. I've confirmed with my OBD-II reader that it hits 6.5 ticks at ~170 degrees. I've yet to see it move above there at just over 200 degrees.
2014 Warthog
New member
Er, well yes but a higher pressure cap will not change the normal running temp of your car at all.
All it will do is, when you get into an overheat situation, allow it to overheat to a higher temp before venting.
HerT4R
New member
So i guess i shouldn't trash my sight shield then, huh?
I've been driving around without it and as i contemplate getting rid of it, this makes me wanna keep it and deal with the hassle of removing it and reinstalling it everytime i want to access the area that it conceals from sight :wink2:.
And to think i was just about to put it up on the for sale/wanted. thanks for the insight (located by searching for "sight shield").
