How would you rig up a cooling system on a 1998 Sunfire so it runs pressure free?

Question

These cars a notorious for blowing head gaskets and so I figured if I could relieve the system of the 15 psi then it would last longer. Any thoughts? I know on the older vehicles the coolant reservior is mounted 'after' the rad cap, but on this vehicle the rad cap is mounted in the reservior. I used to take an old inner tube and cut a round donut so it fit into where the rad cap sits, and I'd cut a pie shape out of it, and with the rad cap screwed on, the coolant would run unhindered in and out of the reservior as it warmed up and cooled down. These cars are different, as I said the cap is now built-in to the reservior.

Answer 1

check this out..... Pressure is essential to the engine coolant system BECAUSE they are design to operate at a specific range, in co-ordination the coolant fan and a specific amount of air flow. SO if you reduce the pressure, you also reduce the boiling point of the coolant.And the computer is to synchronize the coolant temperature with the correct amount of fuel to make the car or truck vary betweem the rich-lean state to operate correctly along withthe MAP or MASS air flow meter.......and not burn thruogh the catalytic convertors

Answer 2

It's not feasible.
Besides,the engine is designed to run with pressure. Cooling systems are pressurized to raise the boiling point of the coolant.
You would also run into performance issues and service lights coming on because the engine would not be reaching the proper operating temperature.
The design of the head and the compression of the engine are more the culprits than the pressure of the cooling system.

Answer 3

The reason for the pressure in the system is that it increases the boiling point of the coolant and to increase the heat transfer by fitting more coolant in the same amount of space.....look don't change anything (the way you're thinking) on your cooling system otherwise your sunfire will overheat.

Answer 4

If you run a motor with no pressure in the cooling sys it will do two things, it will boil off the anti frezze very quickly and it will over heat because the pressure on the sys. raises the boiling point of the anti freeze. What you can try is putting in a lower temp thermostat, and make the fan run all the time ( I am assuming you have an electric fan)

Answer 5

Vince. You can pick up a Stant 4 lb. radiator pressure cap at any Car Quest auto parts store that fits your radiator. This alone will not solve your problem. Fel Pro makes racing head gaskets that may solve your problems. In the future you may want to consider using studs in your block instead of bolts.

Answer 6

First of all I think the head gaskets are blowing out because of the engine cylinder compression moreover the coolant.

Answer 7

thats ridiculous. the reason they run under pressure is so that the water doesnt boil out (50/50) mixture. water boils at 212 farenheight and this pressure allows it to get hotter than that without boiling. if the headgasket fails, it fails. trying to run it without pressure is not going to help. it would actually cause more harm. it would give it more of a chance to overheat and causing lots of damage.

Answer 8

or you need to justcontinual the motor vehicle and see in case you lose fluid.... in case you do, get the UV stuff at autozone, sell off it in, power it domicile and at night, get a black easy to make certain the place it leaked. restoration it... If no longer, who cares.

Answer 9

YOU CANT DO THIS IT WILL MAKE THE BOILING POINT GO DOWN AND THEY NORMALLY BLOW HEAD GASKETS AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN OVERHEATED

Answer 10

if there is a pump(which there is) it cant be pressure free.