My most recent Murphy incident might be useful to others here.

Long story short......Do not trust safety lever radiator caps.

On yesterday's trip, I had a coolant weep where the top radiator hose goes into the radiator. I pulled and locked the lever on the cap and left it up while I watched steam and water bleed out. I then hunted for a screwdriver to tighten the clamp. I have done this a lot over the years with different vehicles, always successfully.

This time, the clamp failed and something broke, allowing the to blow off, apparently under pressure, scalding me rather seriously. Fortunately, I was wearing glasses, but was in serious pain until we could continue our trip an hour or so to a drugstore for some burn ointment which did the trick.

Considering the pain and aggravation, I did not do a good job of analyzing the failures, but, as with so many safety investigations, I suspect a series of cascading events. The cap lever failed and the clamp failed. To add to this, a hard working vehicle can gain 20 to 35 degree of coolant temperature while sitting after a hot shut down, especially on a 100 degree day. This is the "heat soak" that cooks solenoids, wires, etc. I believe the radiator cap closed, allowing the heat soak to build pressure. The clamp failure was the final event in the series.

I carry spare hose clamps already (almost) in position on all my hoses, so I was good to go in short order.

So, I will continue to use safety lever radiator caps, but will NEVER trust them to behave. I will still use the lever to release pressure, and then will ALWAYS COMPLETELY remove the cap before doing anything on the cooling system. I guess I could have given the radiator hose a squeeze to check for pressure. I have done that, but didn't do it this time.

Anyway, I hope this spares someone the pain that I am still experiencing.

Ouch! Been close to that point but so far I have been luckier, not more skillful, just luckier.
Speaking of hose clamps, you nearly were, a friend in the laundromat installation business sent me a really neat tool for the clamps. On a boat the proper torque is pretty important and it is easy to not tighten enough or over-tighten and damage the hose. It is a torque wrench that stops tightening at the specified 60 inch/pounds of torque. This is not the one I have but it probably just carries a different name, http://tinyurl.com/mhel3nm
Ice cubes and aloe plants to you Bill.
Tim

Long years ago my daughter was burned when she fell on a floor furnace. She had burns on her stomach and arms and the emergency room used Furacin (an ointment) and she healed without any scars. Might want to give it a try, it is available without a prescription.

quote:

Originally posted by ccctimtation:

Speaking of hose clamps, you nearly were, a friend in the laundromat installation business sent me a really neat tool for the clamps. On a boat the proper torque is pretty important and it is easy to not tighten enough or over-tighten and damage the hose. It is a torque wrench that stops tightening at the specified 60 inch/pounds of torque.

Looks like a nifty tool. Having spent my life in aviation, both light and airliners, I have run across all manner of different torque specs. No rhyme or reason for the difference. Some charts depend on diameter, some depend on width of the band. Old farmers tighten until the hose rubber sticks up just a little into the slots.

My best practice was to use two clamps for each position, clocked at least 90 degrees apart to compensate for the inherent out of round pressures at the worm drive part. I also make sure the clamp is truly round by tightening it on a socket of similar diameter as the hose and banging it a little. This is usually for fuel or trans fluid hoses, which are smaller and more sensitive. Although, I have gone to Corbin clamps for the small hoses, as they are constant torque

I ended up buying a Wiha adjustable torque wrench both for work, vehicles and scope mounting. It is the only one our inspection dept would calibrate and certify.

Now that I am a state away from the hangar, I have a home made calibration checker that doesn't ever need calibration by the master lab at HQ and an FAA stamp, as long as a pint weighs a pound.

Having said all that, On a trip, I still tighten a clamp on a small weep by feel.

quote:

Originally posted by Mary Ray:
Long years ago my daughter was burned when she fell on a floor furnace. She had burns on her stomach and arms and the emergency room used Furacin (an ointment) and she healed without any scars. Might want to give it a try, it is available without a prescription.

OW! Poor girl.

Thanks for the recommendation. I will ask about it at the hospital tomorrow. So far, the blisters haven't popped, so infection seems of little concern.

Bill, I'm sorry to hear about your accident and hope everything heals well. God bless.
Jim

sounds like a HORRIBLE experience, yours and hers.
I cringe when I try to imagine the pain. DAMN!

The standby hose clamps are a clever idea.

Bill H, it wasn't as bad as it sounds and she was about 3 years old and doesn't even remember it.

Hope you are healing rapidly.