| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 1634.1 | It's PSI | HSOSS1::HARDMAN | It's a girl! Now what? | Fri Feb 07 1997 18:07 | 15 |
| Glenn, the number denotes the Pounds Per Square Inch of pressure that
will accumulate within the cooling system before the spring loaded seal
in the cap will open and allow the excess pressure (steam and water) to
escape via the overflow tube.
At 16 PSI, your new cap will release the excess pressure. All modern
automotive liquid cooling systems are pressurized. The boiling point of
water (and water/antifreeze mixtures) rises as pressure increases.
Ford may have had some problems with engines overheating with the 13 lb
cap and made an unannounced change to the 16 lb model. I doubt that the
16 lb. cap will harm your radiator.
Harry
|
| 1634.2 | Thanks Harry. | BSS::G_MCINTOSH | Touch Not the Cat, Bot the Glove | Sat Feb 08 1997 03:34 | 19 |
|
Thank you Harry for your explanation. I hope this was the right forum
in which to ask this question. I noticed that the notesfile Mechanix_3
is no more.
Let me see if I understand. At 13 PSI the engine may have overheated
too easily, so in an effort to prevent this, Ford wanted to raise the
boiling point of the coolant mixture, and in order to do this, they
increase the PSI of the radiator cap because the boiling point of
water (and water/antifreeze mixtures) rises as pressure increases.
Is this correct? If so, it makes alot of sense.
One more, if I may....why are automotive cooling systems pressurized?
What do I care as long as the coolant mixture goes around and around,
cools the engine and then gets cooled in the radiator, etc?
Thanks.....Glenn
|
| 1634.3 | Thanks | BSS::G_MCINTOSH | Touch Not the Cat, Bot the Glove | Mon Feb 10 1997 12:22 | 7 |
|
Nevermind....I got it Harry. I understand now. Thank you.
Glenn
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| 1634.4 | Ol' faithful? | HSOSS1::HARDMAN | It's a girl! Now what? | Mon Feb 10 1997 20:24 | 8 |
| Glenn, it makes a big difference to you. Isn't BSS in Colorado? Water
boils at a lower temperature at high altitude, plus the less dense air
doesn't cool the radiator as well. But the engine still reaches temps
of 210 degrees F or higher, because of the thermostat that's installed
in it. You'd be boiling over on every hill climb. :-(
Harry
|
| 1634.5 | Thank You | BSS::G_MCINTOSH | Touch Not the Cat, Bot the Glove | Tue Feb 11 1997 13:39 | 5 |
|
Harry, I understand now completely. Thanks for the lesson.
Glenn
|