New radiator

[oap]

I replaced the old rad on my TD5 110 a few weeks ago because it was leaking coolant at about 3-4 hundred milliliters a week for years.

I got the job done easy enough but since I've but the new one in its very hard to open the filler cap when warm or cold. I know its a pressurized system and that the pressure was able to escape through the rad before, but it needed a filter wrench to open it on Sunday when I went to see how the coolant level was .

It had dropped 20 mm after 500 miles but I would expect that anyway as it would purge out the air pockets.

I hope its not a head gasket leak that's causing so much pressure to build up , although I have opened it when hot and the coolant did not shoot up and was a little easier to open than when cold.

So can someone tell me its normal or have I a big problem coming.

[Les Henson]

If you were getting engine compression into the cooling system, then the radiator hoses would become rock hard very quickly (even before the engine gets hot). Might be that the cap is merely a tight fit - try a thin film of grease on the rubber seal and see if things improve. Are you sure the radiator was the problem in the first place? If not, then I would have put some K-Seal in the engine first.

Les.

[oap]

I could not find the leak for a long time but when changing the fan belt over Christmas I noticed the pink mold or dust where it was coming through the rad.

I'll try some grease on the cap and see if it solves it and will check the hoses tomorrow.

Thanks for your help.