Non standard radiator cap

[swensonator]

Hey guys,

I'm in need of replacing my radiator cap for my 98 camry. Unfortunately, I have an aftermarket radiator that doesn't take the standard sized rad cap (Stant 10241, it is SLIGHTLY too small and the plunger isn't deep enough). The radiator currently has a Motorcraft rs70 cap, but it unfortunately isn't made anymore. (Why I ended up with a Ford part on my Toyota in the first place is beyond me. ) I called my local ford parts store hoping that they could tell me what the equivalent stant or ac delco part number is, but they aren't able to do a reverse search on a part that motorcraft doesn't make anymore.

I'm planning on just driving in too my local parts store and waiting for my car to cool down enough to take off the cap so I can match it with their inventory, but if one of you can help me find what part I need it will save me a trip to the store and let me buy it for cheaper online.

Any of you have the connections to find out an equivalent part number for a Motorcraft rs70 rad cap?

Thanks.

[fenixus]

what radiator do you have?

[swensonator]

Don't know. I didn't install the radiator and during my last coolant flush I wasn't able to find a brand/part/serial number anywhere on the exposed portions of the radiator. Is there a standard location where that info is generally located?

[BMR]

I Googled "radiator cap rs70" and came up with this thread on a Ford board. In post #3 one guy says:

Anyway replacement cap is a Motorcraft #RS-70, a 13lb venting~ recapture type, radiator cap. RS stands for Recapture System That is OEM spec. Trouble is Motorcraft has discontinued the RS-70. They replaced it with RS-90 cap which is a 16 LB cap.

He goes on to say he didn't like the higher pressure, so he used a "Stant, Lever Vent, recapture venting style, 13lb cap". He doesn't say what the Stant p/n is. Dunno if that helps you or not.

[swensonator]

I actually saw that thread, too, but I don't know what the guy is talking about. I looked at a rs90 and it is about twice as big as my radiator cap.

Anyway, I called a bigger Ford parts store in a larger city and ended up talking to a guy who used to work at a Toyota parts store and we worked it out. Apparently the previous owner replaced the radiator at some point and instead of switching in a new camry radiator it APPEARS that I have a Lexus LS-400 series radiator which used the rs70 size radiator cap from '91-'99 (there were a few other possibilities, but this one makes the most sense. I can see a parts shop having one of these on hand and installing it instead of waiting on an ordered part.) Ford hasn't made a vehicle that uses that size of cap since 1992, which is why my local dealership couldn't help me, but he was able to give me the Stant and Ac Delco part numbers, so I'm set. Just need to see where I can get it the cheapest.

Hopefully I don't have any other random, non-standard parts in my camry because this was a pain to figure out.

Thanks for your responses.

[BMR]

Good to hear you've got it sorted out... probably. Word of advice on the cap - spend the few extra bucks to get Toyota OEM on that. Well worth it. And I don't always fall in line with the whole "buy only OEM parts" thinking. But in this case, it's absolutely worth it.

[LynchburgCSI]

^ +1 on an OEM rad cap.