Radiator cap keeps releasing coolant

[Desync]

My protege5 is currently stock everything.

Basically one day i noticed dry coolant all over the place near where the radiator cap is so i decided to replace it with a skunk2 1.3 bar cap. I replaced the radiator cap since it seemed like the old cap's spring was very weak.

that was about a week or more ago and it stopped. Then i went to jiffy lube for a radiator flush. A few days after i noticed the coolant reservoir is lower then usual and today i noticed it went to LOW. I drove to the gym and opened the hood to see that the coolant had gone back to the tank and was now a little bit above LOW but to my horror there was dry radiator fluid all around and on the new radiator cap >:O and I don't know what is going on!!

 

[slavrenz]

My protege5 is currently stock everything.

Basically one day i noticed dry coolant all over the place near where the radiator cap is so i decided to replace it with a skunk2 1.3 bar cap. I replaced the radiator cap since it seemed like the old cap's spring was very weak.

that was about a week or more ago and it stopped. Then i went to jiffy lube for a radiator flush. A few days after i noticed the coolant reservoir is lower then usual and today i noticed it went to LOW. I drove to the gym and opened the hood to see that the coolant had gone back to the tank and was now a little bit above LOW but to my horror there was dry radiator fluid all around and on the new radiator cap >:O and I don't know what is going on!!

Sounds like your new radiator cap was defective. Try replacing it again and see if it helps.

 

[justanothermp5]

you over heating? could be coolant boiling out of the cap maybe..or maybe not, sounds kinda dumb

wipe the dry coolant off and make sure it wasnt from jiffy lube and that there is an actual leak

 

[Maxx Mazda]

The cap's job is to allow coolant into and out of the overflow tank. Sounds like the seal between the cap and rad isn't that great though. Keep that reservoir topped up to "full"

 

[Desync]

No my car is not overheating and I don't think its from jiffy lube because I checked my engine bay right after I took the car to jiffy lube and there was no dry coolant. This happened while I was driving to the gym today. I'm waiting for the engine to cool down so i can take the cap off to see if there any white film. Is it normal for the coolant in the tank to go up and down as i drive it? It was almost empty just this morning now its going back up. its been doing this but not this much.

 

[BoostedPR5]

The cap's job is to allow coolant into and out of the overflow tank. Sounds like the seal between the cap and rad isn't that great though. Keep that reservoir topped up to "full"

Where did you come up with that theory?
Just wondering.

 

[justanothermp5]

^thats how it works dude, and to the OP
the coolant level goes up when the car is hot/warm

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Where did you come up with that theory?
Just wondering.

Please tell me you're joking... (freak)

 

[kudakev615]

yeah, im placing bets on that junk2 rap cap is crap

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

Isn't the OEM cap recommended on the stock rad anyway, since caps that hold more pressure put more strain on the weaker plastic rad?

 

[Desync]

yeah i believe its that dam skunk2 cap. :[ seems like they only work with hondas UGH well i cleaned it up and checked all the piping then i drove it to get some coffee and the coolant tank is filling up again. I'll see if it happens again, until then thanks guys!

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Good stuff. Keep us posted.

 

[Matt V]

Get a quality OEM cap, the aftermarket cap is not holding the pressure needed and is sending overflowing coolant to the reservoir.

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Get a quality OEM cap, the aftermarket cap is not holding the pressure needed and is sending overflowing coolant to the reservoir.

Even the stock cap should do that. It's normal behavior for the cooling system to overflow into the tank when hot, and draw fluid back in as it cools.

 

[slavrenz]

Even the stock cap should do that. It's normal behavior for the cooling system to overflow into the tank when hot, and draw fluid back in as it cools.

Right. The problem is that it's not sending overflow coolant to the reservoir.

 

[BoostedPR5]

^thats how it works dude, and to the OP
the coolant level goes up when the car is hot/warm

If he replaced the cap why would the first suggestion be the cap is bad again instead of maybe it's running too hot or anything else?

I mean I would agree to check that first but another one?

 

[Matt V]

Oh ok, I misread.

 

[Maxx Mazda]

If he replaced the cap why would the first suggestion be the cap is bad again instead of maybe it's running too hot or anything else?

I mean I would agree to check that first but another one?

If there's evidence of leaking around the cap, even since the new cap was installed, there's obviously somethign wrong with the seal there, whether it's the rad itself or the cap again.

 

[slavrenz]

If he replaced the cap why would the first suggestion be the cap is bad again instead of maybe it's running too hot or anything else?

I mean I would agree to check that first but another one?

Because a new radiator cap is cheaper than having the cooling system inspected, if it's evident that the coolant is still leaking from the cap.

(attention)

 

[Desync]

Right. The problem is that it's not sending overflow coolant to the reservoir.

exactly.. rofl and I even checked the soft rubber pipe that goes from the radiator to the coolant tank and it does not seem clogged, maybe it was but I took it apart and cleaned it and today it went up a little past the tape marker that I put but overall its staying quite low. Also when I opened the radiator cap coolant spilled out. Again the engine does not seem to be running hot or overheating. and the piping that goes from the radiator to the engine block get hot after a couple minutes from turning on the car and I think I read somewhere that that is a good sign? lol