So I decide to take the old girl to work today, ('96 LT4). I replaced the surge tank cap and figured it was a good day to try break it in. Not an overly hot day for NW Houston anyway.

Everything is great until I get about a half mile from work. I start to smell coolant, (temp is still fine), then the low coolant light comes on. As I'm crossing over the tollway, I look in my rear view, and lo and behold, there's a trail of fluid behind me. Well, the temps are still good, and it's only about a block and half to work. I make it, steam coming from the hood of course.

I didn't really have time to fully inspect that moment, but I raise the hood and coolant is everywhere. Right above the surge tank. So I'm thinking the new cap is wrong or crap, either way. So I go into work to sell some fish and wine.

Come out after I got the place closed down with a couple gallons of water. Figure I'll nurse it home and take care of it on Saturday. Well I'll be d@mned if my heater hose flow valve isn't snapped in half! Just came apart on one end, not really broken, just came apart. Well, I just happen to wonder if I left a trusty roll of duct tape in the storage bin. No, I didn't, but I found something better...

This is the part where you don't throw stuff away. There just happened to be the thing I made for a TB bypass in there. What the ....? Well, I managed to get it on tight, not a perfect fit, but leak free. Tow truck be darned. Filled it up with the water, and made sure roadside assistance was in my phone, and off I went.

Got nervous a couple of times as the temp spiked, 248 was the hottest digital read. I was about to pull over, then it went down, and eventually flattened out around 208, with a few spikes. I came to realize it must be the air in the system.

I had long forgotten about that TB bypass. It must've been in there for 3 or 4 years.

 

Good! I am glad you were able to rig it to get home. I always agonize on throwing out stuff especially used car parts. My wife remarked how full the garage is recently and I got rid of some stuff - now you have me wondering.

I also wonder how important that flow restrictor really is. I understand that it keeps the heater core from blowing out under hard acceleration but is it really needed? I keep a spare in the storage compartment for just the reason you needed one.

 

Dont feel bad we have all done that before. Glad you were able to get it back home.

 

I really wonder about that too. I mean they are cheap plastic. I believe there is a check valve of some sort inside. I say this because I found a spring, however, what ever the spring fit to was long gone.

The other thing I wonder is do I really need to replace it. The part I put on there is bigger on one side than the other, and I put it on so the smaller side is on the heater core side. This would cause a natural restriction. But I'll replace it anyway.

The other thing I wonder, is if the cap I got might have caused it to come apart? Maybe it didn't relieve enough pressure and the excess pressure made it come apart?