Recovery Cap for Original Healey Top Tank Radiator

[RAC68]

Hi All,

A friend was ready to implement a non-pressurized coolant recovery tank on his original BJ8 radiator and found that the NAPA (Balkamp 703-1411) radiator cap was no longer available. What is being used in its place?

Thanks,
Ray(64BJ8P1)

 

[Duane_Rhynard]

Hi All,

A friend was ready to implement a non-pressurized coolant recovery tank on his original BJ8 radiator and found that the NAPA (Balkamp 703-1411) radiator cap was no longer available. What is being used in its place?

Thanks,
Ray(64BJ8P1)

This it?

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7031411

 

[RAC68]

Hi Duane,

It possible could be. The original manufacturer was Balkamp and this unit could be a replacement. However, this is manufactured by another and we will need to find if it will still allow the original Healey radiator to recover passed coolant from an overflow container?

Thank you for responding and providing a possibility.
All the best,
Ray(64BJ8P1)

 

[bluegrass john]

Napa shows they have plenty of the 7031411 in the system. Napa store has 4 in Louisville Ky. and nationwide it appears over
800 are available. Hope this helps.

John

 

[steveg]

At the link, enlarge the second picture from the bottom. It clearly shows a rubber gasket around the inside of the cap. This indicates ability to recover coolant from the overflow tank.

 

[RAC68]

Hi All,

Thank you all for correcting my erroneous (thankfully) impression that the cap was no longer available. I have had great success with this cap and will tell my friend to get one for his car. Just in case, however, I also intend to buy another for the shelf, just in case mine goes decides to fail.

All the best to all,
Ray(64BJ8P1)

 

[Michael Oritt]

I was under the impression that the little nipple pictured in the center of the cap is the distinguishing mark for caps that permit vacuum recovery as it is the top of the valve that opens when there is as vacuum within the radiator and permits coolant to be drawn back into the rad from an expansion tank.

 

[steveg]

With the stock cap, there's a valve at the center bottom, about 1/2" diameter, which you can pull open with your fingers. This allows the vacuum, when the system cools, to suck in air through the top of the cap, which has no gasket.

With the gasket under the cap, as shown, there's enough vacuum to recover coolant from the tank through the overflow hose. The cap above has these same properties.