Fred and all concerned,
I found a picture of the part I inquired about in my first thread. The radiator cap is affixed to this part. The section beneath the radiator cap that's bolted on is missing. I have no idea how it could have detached. Any and all replies welcome on what the part is & where I may purchase it.
Part Identification
No flaming, but that is amusing to say the least. I've been on NICO for nearly 2 years and that has got to be the oddest thing to ever fall off a car to my recollection. There must be a logical explation. Have you had any work done recently? I can't fathom it falling off without hitting the fan and making a racket.
Going back to the original question, in my manual (page LC-14) it's called the thermostat housing. When you call, make certain that they don't think you mean the thermostat cover (called water inlet in the manual), which isn't uncommon to replace. Looks like a large casting that is bolted to the engine in several places. To say I'm curious is an understatement!
I haven't been driving the car so I wouldn't have noticed anything peculiar. No recent work has been done to my knowledge but I'll verify that. Work that has been done includes replacing a couple injectors, master cylinder, & struts all around.
Does the thermostat housing include the entire "pipe" running from the radiator hose or is it a part on the pipe where the cap attaches? I imagine the thermostat will need to be replaced as well.
I am curious as well. I'm hoping there hasn't been any jackleg mechanics fiddling around with it. I doubt it since I usually get the first call when an issue arises.
Does the thermostat housing include the entire "pipe" running from the radiator hose or is it a part on the pipe where the cap attaches? I imagine the thermostat will need to be replaced as well.
I am curious as well. I'm hoping there hasn't been any jackleg mechanics fiddling around with it. I doubt it since I usually get the first call when an issue arises.
http://home.socal.rr.com/robverna/qengine.jpg
Most of the part is obscured, but you can see the water outlet pipe. Then the pipe goes way back, about to where the plenum is. The body of the part holds the thermostat, and the thermostat cover is bolted to the body (so you'll probably be buying a few things if these don't turn up). The black radiator hose to the right of the pipe connects to the thermostat cover.Occam's razor is screaming at me right now, strongly suggesting that some fiddling with the car did occur. I hope you find these parts. The thermostat's about $10, the cover is about $55, so the body, which is larger and more complex than either of these, can't be cheap.
Most of the part is obscured, but you can see the water outlet pipe. Then the pipe goes way back, about to where the plenum is. The body of the part holds the thermostat, and the thermostat cover is bolted to the body (so you'll probably be buying a few things if these don't turn up). The black radiator hose to the right of the pipe connects to the thermostat cover.Occam's razor is screaming at me right now, strongly suggesting that some fiddling with the car did occur. I hope you find these parts. The thermostat's about $10, the cover is about $55, so the body, which is larger and more complex than either of these, can't be cheap.
Just got off the horn with the ex. Here's the full story. Back in July or August she felt some vibration & the car started smoking. The check engine light came on & the car was reading hot. A neighbor & father checked it out & determined it needed coolant, which was subsequently added. Evidently the radiator cap was put on incorrectly & broke which was discovered after the car started smoking again on her way home (about a 10 mile drive). She went and go a replacement at Autozone the next day & didn't have any problems until last month. The symptoms were the same. However she did say she thought she heard a clunk prior to the car smoking. I guess the smoke was so intense it entered the passenger compartment. She thought maybe she had put the cap on incorrectly as had been done previously & got a new one. Well, when they went to put it on it wouldn't go. She told them something was missing but they didn't believe her. They being the guy at Autozone & a passerby she knew that stopped to help. Needless to say, she got the car home & it's been parked since.
-
Chally
- Posts: 445
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2002 12:17 am
- Car: '94 Infiniti Q45
2002 Nissan Patrol 4.8L
2013 Citroen C4 (economy)
Just a clarification, the cap you can see is the Filler Cap, NOT the radiator cap. The radiator cap is actually on the radiator under the black panels that cover the radiator.
You can buy the part that the Filler cap locks onto. I'd call it the Filler Cap Base. There is no thermostat under it.
The Thermostat housing is near the water pump & is made of tin. It is on the intake side of the water from the radiator & not from the outlet, like so many older cars.
If you take the filler cap off, you'll notice that it has no relief valve or return valve. It is just like a Jam Jar lid, it only seals the system.
Hope this helps.
You can buy the part that the Filler cap locks onto. I'd call it the Filler Cap Base. There is no thermostat under it.
The Thermostat housing is near the water pump & is made of tin. It is on the intake side of the water from the radiator & not from the outlet, like so many older cars.
If you take the filler cap off, you'll notice that it has no relief valve or return valve. It is just like a Jam Jar lid, it only seals the system.
Hope this helps.
Ah, I see...yeah, that would be a much more credible (and cheaper) situation. The base is a small metal part that is bolted to the water outlet pipe that I thought was the missing part. Not as grim as I had feared. I guess that it was unbolted and left in place, and then fell off under pressure/vibration (clunk). Still a high risk of it hitting the fan on the way down, so inspect the fan for large cracks or breaks.
I recall that this part had been subject to breakage, possibly around the bolt holes, and had been redesigned. When ordering a new cap Tom (frmrly of Lisle) told me about it. Possibly that was the root cause. In any case it looks simpler than you first thought. Keep in mind there is no gasket, you must use high temp liquid gasket to install, as with thermostat.
eQlipse wrote:Whew!
I'm hoping this will be a much cheaper fix & no additional problems have been created. Thanks for that clarification Chally!I think I'd better still get it checked out & maybe flush the cooling system.
We still need to find out teh oriigninal cause of the problem.
Did over pressure from boiling coolant make the housing crack/come off?
Could be.
If so and <if> the engine still shows good compression it will need the follwoing.
New knock sensors whch are certainly shot at this point as they get quickly ruined by an overheat and It sounds like you had a couple+ bad ones.
New Tstat, new radiator, triple flush teh cooling system with a combination of a flush chemical and distilled water.
Then refill with 70% distilled (or deionized) water, 1 bottle redline water wetter (about 3.5 %), rest antifreeze.
Be <sure> to check your water pump as well, as those often leak when bad.
Fred...
The knock sensor listens for the "knock" that occurs when you have pre-detonation in your cylinders, if your octane is too low for whichever reason.
Under some conditons like hot weather and/or w/ dirty combustion chambers even premium can sometimes knock.
If your ecu sees bad knock sensors, it will go into failsafe mode lowering milage and power.
Fred...
Under some conditons like hot weather and/or w/ dirty combustion chambers even premium can sometimes knock.
If your ecu sees bad knock sensors, it will go into failsafe mode lowering milage and power.
Fred...
