At 03:35 PM 8/10/98 -0500, Bill Eastman wrote:
>Does anyone sell an overflow tank compatible radiator cap for our long
reach radiators?
Yes. Or at least someone did not too long ago. I just took a trip to the
Giant Auto Parts store where I saw one hanging on the rack two or three
years ago. The store was recently taken over as a Forest City franchise,
and they do not have one like that in stock, but they have ordered one for
delivery tomorrow afternoon. It is the correct physical configuration with
the long neck, but they do not know if it is a recovery type cap. I will
check back Tuesday afternoon and let you know.
I also tried Pep Boys, Trak Auto Parts, and NAPA. Only NAPA said that they
have a part number for a radiator cap for the MGA, but it's special order,
and they also don't know if it would be a recovery type cap.
The problem is that the MGA has a 1" deep radiator filler neck, and most
cars since 1960 or so have a 3/4" deep filler neck. There was a time when
I thought such a cap did not exist, because no one had such a beast or even
a listing for it, and because cars that were old enough to originally have
the 1" deep neck on the radiator did not originally have coolant recovery
systems. Speculation is that some of the long style caps now available may
be made as coolant recovery style, because they can directly replace the
non-recovery style and eliminate one part number to have to stock.
When I first installed a coolant recovery system on my MGA, I used a rubber
spacer washer from my Balkamp radiator pressure tester kit and installed a
modern style 3/4" reach coolant recovery type cap. I then ordered a new
rubber spacer washer to put back in the pressure tester kit. The part cost
$1.49 in July 1994. The Balkamp part number is 255-9 Rubber Spacer Washer.
Any parts store selling Balkamp merchandise should be able to special
order one for you.
A little later I had some work done on the radiator, and while it was in
the radiator shop I had them replace the 1" deep filler neck with a 3/4"
deep filler neck, so I no longer need the spacer washer under the cap. As
a result, I now have two of the rubber spacers in my pressure tester kit,
so the first person who shows up at my place and asks can have one for free.
Shortly after I did that conversion on the radiator, I just happen to
notice a 7-psi 1-1/8" reach coolant recovery type radiator cap (nade by
Stant as I recall) hanging on the rack at the local Giant Auto Parts store.
By then I didn't need it any more, so I didn't buy it. Silly me. Many
people have asked about it since then, and on more than one occasion I
would have liked to have one to put on someone else's car.
I'll let you know tomorrow what the guys at Forest City come up with.
Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude (and a coolant no dribble policy)
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