Warning!!! TOOOO hot.

[VYMAD]

Hi all just thought I'd share this with you, today my supervisor was driving his VZ Crewman around town when the temp gauge shot up into the red and the thermometer emblem came up, music playing etc. He pulled over and lifted the bonnet, didn't seem hot, loosened radiator cap then removed it, all seemed fine. So he drove round the corner to Holden and the bloke came out, checked the overflow reservoir, radiator didn't feel too hot so he loosened the cap as my supervisor had done and removed the cap-nothing for a few seconds then whoosh!!! boiling coolant all over his face and body. He was taken straight to hospital with severe burns. Apparently the thermostat had stuck, leaving the radiator coolant fairly cool, then when he took off the cap it decided to open, forcing the boiling coolant from the block all over this poor guy. Don't know if he's still in hospital or what but has anyone heard of this happening before?

[Pub247]

lol stupid thing to do when temp gauge is in the red even if radiator is cool. I did this in my wagon i was ok thought because there was no water in the radiator. No wonder it reached operating temp soo quick

[greenfoam]

Doesn't sound like fun but at least it was only water and not something REALLY hot, he should be ok

[vsl67]

The exactly same thing happened to me I was rushed to hospital with 1st,2nd and 3rd degree burns to my chest ,face and arms
I hate the smell of coolant now and Im very nervous around hot radiators aslo these burns are classed as chemical burns because of the additives
When the boiling water hits you it feels ice cold But the pain starts pretty straight after woods and it could take several days for your skin to flake off and the severity to be seen
The treatment is to cut away the flaking skin with a razor blade and refrigerated cream put on with a paddle pop stick (this is what they done to me) and yes I did squeeze the radiator hose to check the pressure

I have some happy snaps of my burns that I might up load later

[VYMAD]

Yeah I've always thought that if the top hose is not under pressure then it's fine to open the cap but maybe not so? I feel for you man, there's no pain like a burn!!!

[Jo3_Blo]

Shit thats nasty!

But should never take the rad cap off when the vehicles been running though........but still, he wasn't to know I guess.

[VYMAD]

Well I wouldn't remove a cap when it's hot either, didn't think you really could. Although i would have thought the holden mechanic would have known???

[TVR-190]

this radiator is too cold, this radiator is too hot, but this radiator is juuuuust right. ARGGHHHHHHHH


And this is why you dont take your car to Holden.

[Fun_Bucket]

Serves the guy right at Holden i reckon, , regradless of what your temp gauge reads, the engine will be at operating temp meaning their's pressure in the radiator..Who gets out of a car after they've been driving and removes the radiator completely???

[SAV_117]

never ever take that damn cap off lol

[vsl67]

This usually happens when theres been a leak in the system and the water is low ,the temperature gauge give a false reading ,there is no pressure in the hoses and when you turn the cap to the first click to release pressure and coolant in the overflow dump nothing happens given you the impression its safe to remove I did all of this

[Astranomical]

Don't most radiator caps have a WARNING printed on them about this?

[jatsvl]

Don't most radiator caps have a WARNING printed on them about this?

but he was a holden mechanic at a dealership they don't have to worry about WARNINGS, they know everything about holdens, WARNINGS are for NOOBS.

[andyman]

if people here are flaming the guy for remving the cap, shall we bring "what stupid things have we done while working on our cars" thread and see what some of you guys have done,

yes it can be common for the themostats to jamm shut on the alloytecs,

and vsl67, generally if a car has lost all coolant the temp guage wont increase much at all and when it does your in big trouble mainly because the sensor is there to measure the water temp, if the water disappears, your only reading the air temp, no what the temp of the block is

[vsl67]

Also It states in most mannuals to turn the cap to the first click and allow any pressure to empty into the overflow dump
But what happened isnt anything to do with pressure ,its because hot water has been exposed to cold air causing it to spray out
Myth busters done experiments on boiling water with microwaves that involve the same principle

[andyman]

Also It states in most mannuals to turn the cap to the first click and allow any pressure to empty into the overflow dump
But what happened isnt anything to do with pressure ,its because hot water has been exposed to cold air causing it to spray out
Myth busters done experiments on boiling water with microwaves that involve the same principle

it was just a random happening, the owner first took the cap off, nothing happened, he took it to the dealer, he had the cap off, then it erupted,, as it said it was bad timing, the thermostat released, then it shot out,

the turning to the first stage would be good if the alloytec didnt use a screw down cap like a milk bottle