Important Info About Champion Radiator Caps

['94IDITurbo7.3]

last fall when i got my new rad i used the new cap that came with it. it was on for the head gasket fail as well. i don't know if the two are related or not.

today i figured i would test the champ rad cap and the NEW motorcraft cap. the champ cap will pressurize to nearly 20psi before it bleeds off and then settles around 18-19 psi.

the motorcraft cap will max out at about 16psi before it bleeds off and settles around 13-15psi.

so i will be using the new motorcraft cap.


Just wanted to make others aware of this since a lot of people seem to be buying the champion rads.

 

[riotwarrior]

Think I'll be getting my cap tested ASAP then...

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

yeah. my champ cap says 1.3 stamped on it. i assume that is BAR which is roughly 19-20psi according to google.

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

also make sure to use a quality pressure tester. the first one i used the pressure wouldn't even build to 15psi. got a different(better) tester and it worked as it should.

 

[icanfixall]

Wow... Sounds like the Champion cap is designed wrong. Sure glad you found this out and posted it here so others can act on this information. I'm surprised the aluminum radiator can handle that high pressure and not fail..

 

[Rot Box]

Great info thanks So far I am still very happy with the Champion radiator. Their price and customer service is outstanding and the warrantee couldn't be better. Time will tell on how well they hold up I guess but at this point I think everyone would agree their cooling ability is night and day compared to brass.

Two things we've learned so far with these rads:

-Remove all teflon thread tape and replace with pipe dope.
-Swap out the radiator cap for the Ford piece.

Anyone else have anything to add?

It would be nice to see a Champion or Aluminum radiator in general thread for the tech articles. Might be useful for some who knows

 

[Blind Driver2]

I only have good luck with stealership or Stant radiator caps. Everything else is garbage.

 

[chris142]

We sell quite a few American Eagle/Champion Radiators. The first thing I do is toss the Chinese cap in the trash.

 

[riotwarrior]

yeah. my champ cap says 1.3 stamped on it. i assume that is BAR which is roughly 19-20psi according to google.

Mine has 1.1 stamped on it....

I stuck my brand new 13lb cap on for now...

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

interesting Al

1.1 BAR=15.95psi

1.3BAR=18.85psi

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

i did send an email to Champion to make them aware of this.

 

[kc0stp]

Umm you guys do realize everything except the radiator in a stock cooling system can easily take 20-25+ psi, aluminum radiators can take a higher pressure then brass so they come with higher caps to further increase performance. The 2 failure points due to pressure are radiator and heater core (essentially small radiator) after that you start getting into hose clamp issues but hoses and every other part is rated for 50psi constant pressure normally.

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

after that you start getting into hose clamp issues

that is the problem i was having.

 

[RLDSL]

Umm you guys do realize everything except the radiator in a stock cooling system can easily take 20-25+ psi, aluminum radiators can take a higher pressure then brass so they come with higher caps to further increase performance. The 2 failure points due to pressure are radiator and heater core (essentially small radiator) after that you start getting into hose clamp issues but hoses and every other part is rated for 50psi constant pressure normally.

That works out great on paper, but not on old truck engines. I learned decades ago not to trust old truck engines to anything higher than a 13 lb cap and preferably a 7. Even on olddcars I run teh lightest thing I can get away with . Older engines just have this nasty habit of springing leaks where they arent supposed to.
On my own stuff I've been running zero pressure systems for years with straight Evans coolant, best thing I ever did.

 

[whiteboyslo]

Sounds like the cap itself worked just fine, just higher PSI than you want. The rad I bought a couple months ago came with a 1.1 (15-16 psi). I picked mine up via Will Call and the guy was all too willing to swap caps, although he was trying to talk me into the 1.3.

Lemme know how the OEM Motorcraft works out for you. I'm concerned that it doesn't look as long as the cap that's on there and therefore will not seat properly.

Mike