Hi everybody,
I have a small question about the radiator.
Is it normal that the radiator has a constant pressure build in it!!
Everytime I open the radiator cap, it burst water and pressure of the radiator even after hours of cooling. The car doesn't heat up, but this has me worried.
As far as I know it doens't has to be that way, but I don't know. When I start the car with the radiator cap off and raise the engine, it doesn't throw up the water. Only when the car is already hot, it creates pressure in the radiator!! Maybe do I have a leak in the head gasket?? Any help would be very helpfull!!
Thanks!!

 

Next time you open your radiator while it's hot, position your face directly above the radiator. If your face falls off, then your head gasket is leaking. If it stays on, then slap yourself until the problem is fixed.

 

It sounds like you are not giving your car enough time to cool. IMO a head gasket problem wouldn't keep pressure in the radiator. But that is just an educated guess on my part. lol

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mingus &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Next time you open your radiator while it's hot, position your face directly above the radiator. If your face falls off, then your head gasket is leaking. If it stays on, then slap yourself until the problem is fixed.
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Why don't you try it and tell us how it works out?

 

your car's fucked
throw it away and get a new one

 

How is your overflow tank?

The radiator shouldn't be holding pressure once it's cool (a little is ok, but it shouldn't be a loud sound of compressed air coming out). Easy check is to squeeze your 'top' radiator hose when it's cool and see if it's completely collapsible. If not, then you are holding pressure, and it could be a slight headgasket issue.

 

Did you change your thermostat? It could be in the wrong way.

 

Some of you guy's are ********! You... Can leave...

OP: You say the car does not heat up? As in the gauge inside the car does not climb and stay in the middle area? This could indicate a problem.
As far as the radiator pressure, you may not be letting the car cool down enough. It can take more then 3 hr's depending on the outside temperature for the car to cool down.
Take off your oil cap and look inside, does it look milky? This would indicate a blown head gasket. Also if you are not losing any water then you probably don't have anything to worry about.

 

also, next time you try to open it, take the cap off of your overflow tank and see if any pressure is relieved from doing that before opening the cap

 

the overflow tank is what relives the pressure in the radiator. when pressure builds it and things expand the puke (overflow) tank collects the extra water and when it cools down it pulls the coolant back in the radiator to keep it full. so check it and make sure the puke line it's clogged and that when you car is warm the levels are higher then when it's cold. also you could take it to a shop that has a radiator compression checker device thingy. basically they'll attach it to you radiator to create pressure then listen, look, feel, for leaks in your hoses and clamps. if you have any air coming out of your oil cap or your exhaust of intake then it's a head gasket. it's a pretty cool and easy test if you can find the machine.