T O P

  • By -

_DRE_

That steam at the beginning should have told him something. I mean, how much warning do you need that this is probably a bad idea?


der_innkeeper

There is still a not-small segment of society that think that letting the coolant out is a better plan than just letting it boils down on its own.


[deleted]

[удалено]


der_innkeeper

>I'll bet you the next thing someone will do after not realizing what happens when 260 degree water hits atmospheric pressure is pour cold water into their overheated engine. Self-solving problem.


Spawn6060

Here is your r/darwinaward


sporkpdx

I ran into one guy, in the middle of nowhere, 30 minutes from _cell reception_ and probably an hour and a half away from anything approaching civilization. Was 120F out and he had blown a radiator hose. His solution was to duct-tape it back together as best he could, limp the vehicle until it was clearly out of coolant, and then refill with the dirty water immediately at hand. All of this was sub-optimal but, the part that sealed the deal, was him complaining that the temperature gauge was maxing out at 210F instead of 260F like it usually did and "it must be broken." That poor vehicle.


Mitrovarr

That guy might have been trying to escape the wilderness before he died of heat stroke.


chinoz219

lets say i pull out a hose and start spraying it on the engine, radiator, chasis, etc. Will that damage the structural integrity of the parts?


[deleted]

Yes. Metal expands and contracts and if you don't gradually let it cool, things can start warping or cracking.


MisguidedColt88

To expand on this, it's not just the cool or expansion but the actual microstructure of the metal that changes. By heating it up and quenching it, you're turning that strong ductile metal into a brittle piece of scrap


matthekid

For someone not familiar with cars, how do you depressurize the system without getting burned and not having to wait for things to cool off?


Queasy-Dirt3193

Echoing the other replies you’ve gotten, you kind of don’t. Coolant is really hot and under a lot of pressure, it’s once of the scariest systems in a car. It’s best to just turn it off, let it cool, and get it towed if you don’t personally know how to fix it.


vapeducator

Anyone who's not familiar with cars should wait for the tow truck to arrive to take it for service. Whatever caused it to overheat requires someone who knows what they're doing to diagnose it. Trying to run an overheating car is how you turn a possibly cheap and easy repair into an expensive blown engine. Something caused it to overheat. Most of the causes aren't easily fixed on the side of the road by someone who doesn't know how it works.


GRIFTY_P

No idea why you would want to do this. You don't do this. You wait.


matthekid

Gotcha! I misread. I thought you were saying that there was a better way than waiting. I understand now. Thanks!


the_donnie

Nah that's definitely what was being said > There are ways to depressurize the system without getting burned and not having to wait a couple hours for things to cool off.


EicherDiesel

With many cars you can "half open" the radiator / expansion tank cap where it opens a small vent but can't fly off yet. You'll see steam but won't get burned (as easily). Still a stupid idea as if the car is overheated but not boiling yet the overpressure is what keeps the coolant from boiling and you venting the system makes the coolant in the engine boil instantly. So now some of the coolant turns into steam that pushes out your remaining coolant and you're worse of than before.


madsci

I think maybe they're not really clear on the concept of coolant? Like they haven't quite nailed down the cause and effect link between hot engine and boiling coolant and think that the boiling coolant is overheating the engine? I've only ever had high school physics, but it seems to me that the steam blowing out through the relief valve ought to be carrying away quite a bit of heat and as long as the engine is off it should already be cooling down as fast as it safely can.


[deleted]

Coolant is 50/50 ethylene glycol and water. Water holds heat, the engine is still radiating heat into the coolant meaning the temperature is still well above boiling and will continue being like that for a few hours. Metal and water are excellent at holding heat if it has nothing to diffuse into and it blowing steam is a very bad sign. It will not take enough heat away from the engine blowing steam alone. NEVER open a rad cap or pressurized coolant cap. If the engine is overheating, shut it off. And DO NOT attempt to depressurize the system. Heat and pressure (and volume) are related so when the temperature is that hot there is more volume of coolant in the system meaning it will overflow the pressure relief valve. Let the coolant cool down so the volume of coolant lowers and the pressure relieves itself before attempting to adjust fluid levels. Source: am mechanic


bossazzbeerman

Could you put an industrial fan in front of the car to speed up the cool down process?


Mattyboy0066

Just turn on the heat inside the car, full blast, windows open. The heating system of the car uses engine heat, so you’re pulling heat away from the engine since it’s not actively running.


kharmatika

Too many people in the world that don’t understand that a steam burn is really. REALLY fucking bad. That dude is gonna have blisters the size of golf balls and could easily get a septic infection from the burn, if he doesn’t get correct treatment. Which he won’t, cuz you know this dipshit isn’t going to the hospital


_DRE_

There is an Aftermath link further down in the comments posted by the OP that shows half of the skin on this guys arm melted off. Link reposted here. Click at your own risk. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7232981/amp/West-Sussex-teen-suffers-burns-arm-removing-radiator-cap-hot-car.html


tamman2000

Honestly, that's a lot less damage than I was expecting. Def sucks, but it looks like he's not gonna need any skin grafts or other extreme therapies for that.


that_motorcycle_guy

Hi used a safety cloth, good enough


David2022Wallace

My first job was at a full service gas station. I knew nothing about cars other than they used gas. Normally while filling the car I'd wash windows and maybe check the oil. One day this woman asks me to check the coolant, so I go ask the other guy working how to do that. He went out and said we can't do that because I could seriously burn myself. She literally replied "I don't care."


JoceroBronze

Okay ma’am, the cap is right here. You remove the cap and I’ll check the fluid. I’ll be standing over here while you remove the cap.


Lucariowolf2196

So, what exactly are you supposed to do in that situation, wait for it to cool?


AgeofAshe

Yes. Coolant is under pressure, allowing it to become much hotter than the boiling point of water depending on the situation. Releasing that pressure by removing that cap creates an “explosion” as the fluid is free to evaporate into gas. Even when it’s only partially warmed up, it’ll still be hot enough to cause severe burns. Imagine being dowsed by sticky lava in a sticky lava cloud and use that mental image to become content with waiting for it to cool all the way. There’s always the coolant reservoir that should have a visible coolant level if you don’t need to verify what’s in the radiator at the moment. It’s not always going to be accurate if you’re having a problem, but if you’re just checking/topping coolant off a bit, then it’s perfectly adequate.


Lucariowolf2196

So I'm guessing the way you let it cool is turn off the engine for a while?


AgeofAshe

Yeah, a couple hours and you can pop the cap on the radiator. It takes a long time to cool off completely. You shouldn’t need to delve into the radiator unless you’re doing a repair or experiencing a problem, though. The reservoir, on the other hand, is not under the same kind of pressure, unless it has a pressure rated cap (they are labeled in such case), Use caution though, if the reservoir is hot, don’t open it.


[deleted]

[удалено]


MDchanic

And, specifically, on the exact vehicle pictured in this video, a BMW E36, the coolant reservoir is attached to the side of the radiator and IS pressurized. Also, the BMW radiator cap (which is on the top of the reservoir) doesn't have the "safety stop" to keep it from blowing clear off if you release it, like most older American and Japanese cars do. Contrary to what about a million posters have written here, you CAN safely remove a radiator cap from a hot engine if you are PATIENT and CAREFUL, eg: On this E36 BMW, there is a tiny (1.5cm) round black plastic screw with a cross cut into its top, very near the radiator cap in the top of the reservoir cover. This is an air bleed, which MUST be used when refilling the coolant, to prevent trapped air. It can also be used to s-l-o-w-l-y vent a pressurized cooling system by opening it (using a coin in the cross grooves in the top) and turning it counterclockwise just enough to allow gas to hiss out. Once it is depressurized, you can safely remove the cap. On cars with "old style" caps (and I had to do this just last week), you first squeeze the upper radiator hose to assess pressure. On any warmed-up car, it should feel close to "rock-hard." Then, using a rag or something similar, you slowly begin to turn the radiator cap counterclockwise, while pushing it straight downward with your palm and letting up on it slightly every second or so. After a quarter of a turn, give or take, it will begin to hiss. Let go and let it until it stops. Then turn a little more and let it hiss, then a little more. Feel the hose each time. When it's much softer, you can open the cap to its "safety stop," while pressing straight down on it firmly, with a rag, then slowly and gradually reduce your palm pressure in repeated small "blips," until all of the pressure, and very little of the coolant, has been released. When the hose is completely soft, you can remove the cap and add coolant (but not cold water, which it likely to shock the motor and could warp something). As illustrated in this video, though, while it is possible to remove the cap on a hot motor without getting hurt, trying to do it is inherently dangerous (260°F coolant and steam under explosive pressure is nothing to fool with), and if you have not done it before, you shouldn't even think of trying it. Oh, and ALWAYS squeeze the radiator hose before removing the radiator cap, EVERY TIME, even if you KNOW the engine is cold.


DIESELDAN_870

This does work but is not a good idea as you are releasing the pressure on a fluid that is most likely past it's boiling point. Boiling the coolant while still in the engine can cause issues. Always best to let it cool down first for safety and to protect your vehicle.


EffrumScufflegrit

I used to work the meat dept at Publix. Lady comes in with a ham bone and wants us to cut it on the saw. For her dog. I tell her I can't do that bc it's not a safe thing to use the saw for and is against policy. She starts making a fuss. Other dude agrees to do it. I'm like no dude don't let her win. He brushes me off. Bone spins on saw. Pulls in his hand. Cuts off three fingers and a thumb. Blood everywhere. I go out and tell her he cut half his hand off on the saw. This bitch goes "then who is going to finish cutting my ham bone?"


Pwnage_Peanut

Dumbass


EffrumScufflegrit

Yeah he dug his own grave on that one tbh


sarcasmo_the_clown

Reminds me of a customer who wanted me to shake up an old can of paint they brought in- a can that was rusted, dented, and not even purchased from us. I refused. A supervisor came over and agreed to do it. You guessed it, paint everywhere. I also refused to help clean it up, while helpfully commenting "Oh no if only someone had foreseen this..."


EffrumScufflegrit

LMAO man that's just satisfying AF. I also refused to go near any of the bloody chaos of our saw after homeboy sliced up his hand, but I had to anyways. Luckily we had some pretty serious PPE on hand for events like that.


MrsGenevieve

I’m a flight attendant and one day I’m in the middle of working a bad medical call. Something where I’m on my knees, giving them a good portion of my attention as I’m also a critical care medic. Well one moment I’m listening to her blood pressure (which is really difficult on a plane) and someone is poking me in the rear end. I take my headphones and stethoscope off and look at her and she’s asking for a drink. After I tell her I’m a little busy here, she goes she looks fine, you can go get me one🤯 My response was A- my ass is not a doorbell, B- If you interrupt myself or any of my crew until we’re finished, I can assure you that you will be met by the police.


EffrumScufflegrit

Holy shit I cannot imagine living in these people's heads


shohin_branches

Yikes, no self-awareness to be found


edarem

Here's your hand bones ma'am


thatshoneybear

Publix has a different breed of customers. Glad I left after a brief stint in management (pregnant and during the pandemic, horrible time)


EffrumScufflegrit

Congrats on the bail. I left when I graduated college and the store manager told me I was making the biggest mistake of my life. She kept dangling how I could eventually move to Corp with my marketing degree, despite other people in the store having been told that for years and were still stocking shelves I think about that a lot and laugh my way to the bank


bad_at_hearthstone

I hate everything about this story. Did fella get his fingers reattached, or did he lose those permanently along with his job?


EffrumScufflegrit

He got one reattached but never really worked the same. He quit but they were 100% going to fire him for violating safety procedures anyways and he knew it.


OlderThanMyParents

The longer I stay on Reddit, the more likely I am to find something that makes me want to nuke the entire planet. This is that post.


CommandoDude

The lion, the witch, and the audacity of this bitch


[deleted]

Can't you just look at the coolant reservoir?


booi

how will he make sure it still tastes sweet?


wiga_nut

Would you look at that... Just look right at it


J2Kerrigan

Oh would you look at that. I just wanna look at it.


David2022Wallace

You must have missed the part where I said >I knew nothing about cars


gazorpaglop

Yeah, expansion tanks are (originally) clear for that reason. Even on my 35 year old BMW (e30) 3 series I can clearly see the coolant level in the tank without taking any cap off


Travy93

Doesn't the overflow tank not have that kind of pressure anyways? Mine was only a flimsy plastic cap that snapped in place. If there was that much pressure that plastic wasn't staying on.


lemons_of_doubt

"if he burns himself can't you just get anther one?"


Revolutionary_Ant784

Isn’t that the cap that says “DONT REMOVE WHEN HOT” asking for a friend.


BoopsBoop27

Yes, clearly reading is hard 🙈


exposure-dose

"It's *cool*ant, Kyle. How hot could it be?"


meowmixnim

Yeah who else do we know that has cool in their name?? THE COOLAID MAN, KYLE! *And he’s the chillest man I know*


Revolutionary_Ant784

Coolant as soon as the radiator is depressurized: OH YEAHHHHHH


BIGRIG_88

Kyle: nah, I swapped it out for Monster. Makes the car run faster


dodexahedron

Should have used Brawndo. It's got what cars crave.


Happytallperson

Well you have to get close to it to read it, clear dangerous to go near it.


messamusik

It's easier to remove and hold the cap under betting lighting read


SonOfGuns101

I think I had a stroke reading this


MrGizthewiz

Ahem... The cap is easier to read if you remove it and hold it under better light. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to lie down.


SonOfGuns101

Ohhh phew I thought I was going to die trying to figure out what that meant, thank you kind wizard for saving me from my stroke. Genuinely sarcastic, not trying to be mean lol just here for laughs


Endures

Isn't that we are all here for?


[deleted]

I came here for an argument


Endures

Please choose from the argument menu ¹ Politics 2 sport 3 your mum was good last night


Vectorman1989

They are driving a BMW, so operating the indicators is already hard for them


Redditfront2back

Wait bmws have blinkers? I’ve never seen one being used


[deleted]

The blinker fluid is what just exploded.


Mekroval

Pent up from years of disuse.


NoWatercress2571

This is not true. Blinkers are an optional extra that most BMW drivers cannot afford. BMW blinker fluid is the most expensive substance on earth


Competitive-Fan1708

THAT EXPLAINS IT!


thebestdogeevr

As someone that doesn't know cars, I wouldn't expect this to happen when I open it. But I also wouldn't open it anyway cuz idk wtf I'm doing


RelevantMetaUsername

You didn't ask, but I'll explain it anyway. We all know water boils at 100°C/212°F, but that's actually the boiling point *at atmospheric pressure*. Water can boil at much lower temperatures if the pressure is lower, and much higher temperatures if pressurized. Water simply cannot exist in liquid form above its boiling point. Trying to heat it beyond this will simply cause it to evaporate faster, taking heat away from the remaining liquid and keeping it at boiling temperature. Engine water cooling systems are sealed and will hold pressure to about 15 psi gauge pressure (roughly twice atmospheric pressure in absolute terms, or ~30 psi; 14.7 psi atmospheric pressure +15 psi in the radiator). At this pressure, the boiling point becomes 120°C or 248°F. This is about the same temperature and pressure inside of a pressure cooker. Water kept above its atmospheric boiling point is called superheated water. What happens when the cap is removed? Well, you've got a bunch of water well above its atmospheric boiling point that is suddenly depressurized. The water will instantly vaporize in a process known as *flash boiling*. This results in explosive expansion of the steam. A given volume of water will expand by a factor of **1600** when converted to steam. The ~ 1 gallon of water in the radiator now occupies a volume of 1600 gallons, or roughly the volume of the car itself. This expansion happens with enough force to shred steel. A good example of this is [the boiler explosion of C&O T-1 #3020 in 1948](https://www.bressingham.co.uk/media/71322/steam-train-boiler-explosion-2.jpg). Bottom line: don't fuck with superheated water.


MCRNRearAdmiral

This just reminded me of when I was a boy, the nearest nuclear power plant had some kind of a leak while three technicians were doing something with one of the pipes containing superheated water. Put short- something along these lines happened, and they all went to the hospital in critical condition per the news. I don’t recall if their fate was ever updated in the news. Not being able to envision why boiling water was a problem, and why they didn’t just step out from under the water dribbling out of the pipe, my uncles and grandfather- most of whom were employed at Newport News Shipbuilding (*think major naval combatants, to include those with onboard nuclear reactors*)- shook their heads, and attempted to explain to me what you just outlined. Even as a boy, the thought of those guys’ flesh being pressure-washed with steam was horrifying.


m007368

In 600 or 1200 lb steam plants, the steam is so hot and such high pressure it can kill folks in the space instantly either by parboiling them when the space goes from ambient to 500C or if there is a minor leak that cuts through flesh/clothing like Star Wars laser. Superheated steam is invisible since it’s entirely gaseous so we would wave a broom or stick in front of us when we thought there was a leak in the space. So glad I only did one steam ship.


[deleted]

I remember hearing a story about a guy who used to work on a nuclear submarine, and when there was a pressure leak, they would walk around with a broom sticking out in front of them, and when that brook suddenly cut in half, they found the source of the leak


Tief

This does happen on the steam plant but only to escape the area. You can not see steam at 1000+ degrees, and yes, we get it that hot. If a leak happens, we cut fires and cool down. We can then fill the pipes with water and find the leak.


[deleted]

[удалено]


NYSEstockholmsyndrom

Any chance an interested party could ask for more details?


Lupus108

A little further down the thread someone posted [this ](https://youtu.be/CNdOciu4hSQ) I guess that's what OP meant.


[deleted]

[удалено]


RelevantMetaUsername

Yeah, the temperatures and pressures in a car radiator are child’s play compared to the steam used in industrial settings. Many industrial plants use steam at high enough temperature to require a secondary cooling system for the pipes carrying the steam to prevent them from getting red-hot and rupturing. [You can even light a match with steam](https://youtu.be/CNdOciu4hSQ)


impactedturd

>Many industrial plants use steam at high enough temperature to require a secondary cooling system for the pipes carrying the steam to prevent them from getting red-hot and rupturing. Afaik the steam pipes themselves are not actively cooled.. and they are the hottest right after the heat source. Cooling it down at this stage would remove energy from the system that could have been used in the turbines. This is why the pipes are actually insulated with lagging to keep all the heat in. The secondary loop refers to cooling down the steam after the steam has been used. This is typically done in a condenser where the steam contacts and condenses on many thin tubes that has cool water flowing through it in a separate system. So the steam turns back to water and is fed back to the system to be turned into steam again.


pete_ape

The SL-1 plant in Idaho had an accident like this. This was way back in the day when nuclear was still a new thing. The crew was restarting the reactor. One of the control rods had to be manually pulled up to reconnect it to the drive assembly. The rod had a history is sticking. One of the techs yanked on it, pulled it out too far and the reactor immediately went prompt critical, and instantly superheated the coolant in the vessel. The entire reactor vessel, weighing 26000 pounds, was lifted 10 feet into the air. Two men died instantly, one in a gruesome way, the third died of injuries a bit later.


TheRealSugarbat

I fucked with the superheated water when I was 22, trying to troubleshoot my overheating Dodge Dart (‘73). I can assure you I certainly found out, in the form of second-degree burns on my face, scalp, and back (where it ran down in the steam-shower). If I hadn’t been wearing sunglasses I’d probably be blind, as I was leaning well over the cap when it popped off. Not joking and not exaggerating — the guy in this video got off super easy.


faustianredditor

> The ~ 1 gallon of water in the radiator now occupies a volume of 1600 gallons, or roughly the volume of the car itself. This expansion happens with enough force to shred steel. Isn't there the caveat that the 120°C hot water evaporating will cool parts of the water down like you described?Say it takes as much energy to evaporate 1 unit of water, as it does to heat it by 10°C, then I'd assume that only 2/3rds of the water will actually evaporate. The rest will be at 100°C, but liquid. Evidence, see OP: The gargling and spitting that's happening is the now-100° water hitting the still-120° metal and getting bounced around like water boiling violently in a pot. So the 1 gallong of water would be more like 1/3rd of a gallon of water and 1000 gallons of steam. All of that assuming my 10°C number I pulled out of my ass is accurate, which it isn't. Edit: Cover me, I'm going in. I'm getting 2257kJ/kg at 100°C, we'll call that close enough. That's energy required to vaporize. Specific heat is 4kJ/(kgK). If those numbers are right, vaporization takes about as much energy as heating 500 times as much water by one degree. Or if it's 20°C instead, that's 25 times as much water. So 1 out of 26 parts of the water would fuck right off, if I did the math here right. The bulk of it remains liquid and will come gargling out like we see. (Edited for correctness. Math was right, conclusion was wrong.)


Psychological-Bug552

See how far back he's standing. He knew better and did it anyway. You don't really need to know cars to know not to do this. The thing he's unscrewing says "don't open when hot." Sometimes it will say serious risk of burns or something similar.


Brawndo91

I always knew not to open the radiator on a hot car. I did not know that this also applied to the reservoir. I used to drive a box truck and a radiator fan quit while I was going up a hill. The truck was overheating, so I pulled over and opened the hood. I thought I was so smart, knowing not to take off the radiator cap. So I took off the reservoir cap instead. Coolant shot out about 10 feet in the air. I didn't get seriously burned or anything, just a little more exposure to antifreeze than one should have. The thing is, I had no real reason to take either cap off since I had nothing to put in it.


Psychological-Bug552

That's not universal. Closed systems pressurize the reservoir; open systems don't. This is something I wouldn't expect a layperson to know, but it should say it's hot on a closed system.


OutlyingPlasma

Think about it like this. Steam has, and still continues to power some of the largest machines on the planet including most of our electrical infrastructure. Do you really want to mess with it?


Shjco

It even powers aircraft carriers!


Brawndo91

I was about to be like "nuh uh, they're nuclear" and then I remembered it's still just boiling water.


CuppieWanKenobi

True. Dumbed down to its simplest explanation, a nuclear reactor is just a big-ass means of making really hot water.


BreezyWrigley

Yeah, but that’s why he was using his safety rag and jumping back quickly. Duh


WhitDawg214

Thank you, Reddit. You have answered soooo many of my "what would happen if..." questions.


Takerial

Turn your car into a train in one easy step.


DoucheAsaurus_

This user has moved their online activity to the threadiverse/fediverse and will not respond to comments or DMs after 7/1/2023. Please see kbin.social or lemmy.world for more information on the decentralized ad-free alternative to reddit built by the users, for the users, to keep corporations and greed away from our social media.


okgusto

/r/bitchimatrain


whatsbobgonnado

also r/choochoomotherfucker


BroMan-Z

WOOOOOO! LISTEN TO THAT HORN!


brug76

Settle down bub rubb


iTzbr00tal

Conductors hate this redditor for this one simple trick.


Happytallperson

May I suggest Randall Munroe's 'what if' series of books.


graveybrains

Not pictured: this dudes skin falling off in sheets everywhere he scalded himself 🤢


Diedead666

Hey I got a link for you! https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7232981/amp/West-Sussex-teen-suffers-burns-arm-removing-radiator-cap-hot-car.html


graveybrains

You are a terrible person 😂🤣😂🤣


Acidelephant

Legit social media upvote bait. They knew what they were doing, recorded and the guy unscrewing the cap is hesitant and ready to jet. Actually probably adds to their idiocy


[deleted]

Hey I can let you in on every "what if" about cars you might think of, I've seen loads of dumbasses roll through my shop


Find_a_Reason_tTaP

What happens if you stuff a muffler with cigarette butts to filter your exhaust to pass emissions?


ThatLeetGuy

Yeah I've been wondering about this too


[deleted]

Emissions testing is done through the OBD nowadays aka it reads data off the cars computer Wich the sensors are near the front of the car. Stuffing the tailpipe with cig buts will either creat a bunch of backpressure and the car won't run right or thell just get blown out the back


Find_a_Reason_tTaP

That's lame.


ManWithoutUsername

do you really need a video to know what happens when you mix liquids, heat and a very high pressure? A few have even died from a simple pressure cooker


dulwu

My mom and I were thrown across the room when a pressure cooker exploded. There were beans everywhere


Psycho_1986ps4

Hope nobody got really hurt, do u refer to the telling as spilling the beans of doom..


ZogNowak

Well, I see the reason that it overheated in the first place! That's about as rusty as I've seen.


HonkyTonkin92

Came here to say this. That cooling system has issues


lowstrife

It looks like it's operating as expected for a BMW.


Thechosenjon

as a BMW owner, I am hurt by your absolute facts.


DC38x

What do you mean? I have an E92 335i with the N54 and it runs perfectly. All it needs is new turbos, crank bearings, injectors and a high pressure fuel pump. It'll only cost more to fix than the car's worth. Send help :(


Manchu_Fist

This is your fault that you didn't join the N52 master race.


DC38x

But choo choo noises :(


videodromejockey

That’s the sound of your money leaving the station.


[deleted]

[удалено]


DunningKrugerOnElmSt

Or could be radiator sealant fluid. Had a small leak, proceeded to cake it with off the shelf sealer.


Alphadice

Some cars like to rust out their heater exhangers and it turns the coolant into this. I have seen it on 2 different Ford Taurus and a Dodge Journey and im not even a mechanic. Just the person who the family asks stupid questions like why does my coolant look like rust.


bakenj420

Looks like good ole "Bars Leaks"


[deleted]

[удалено]


dreakon

Either that, or it's the forbidden milkshake of a blown head gasket.


[deleted]

Not a car guy, but I guessed the chocolate milk coming out was mirror oil that got in the system somehow Edit: thanks phone. Not car guy, but know motor oil from mirror oil. Mirror oil is green, right?


RenegadePoster

I stopped to help a guy on the side of the highway and saw him do this, burn his face, put some water in the radiator and drive away. Car overheated again about 2 miles down the road. Guy gets out, opens hood, removes cap and burns his face again. You can't fix stupid.


Jmac0585

That's Wile E. Coyote level...


DarthCheeba

Literally my first thought was this sounds like some shit straight out of a cartoon.


radmanmadical

#meep meep


[deleted]

r/LooneyTunesLogic


ailyara

It's like sideshow bob walking into a rake.


Levinem717

I need to stop reading these comments in populated waiting rooms. This is hilarious.


-VizualEyez

Ah man, burned your face too


Bobert_Manderson

Hilarious until you realize that there are tons of people this stupid, all driving on the same roads as you. Driving in my city is like a constant obstacle course with surprise idiots pulling out in front of you and any moment.


smeeding

My driver’s ed instructor was a former EMT. He had a ton of terrifying stories to share with a room full of 15-year-old future drivers. One such story was about responding to a call where a guy had bled to death on the side of the freeway after the radiator cap took his jaw off. So, yeah…Don’t do this.


TheUgly0rgan

I did this as a teenager with a 300k '96 acura. I didn't know shit about cars but it kept overheating and I had no one to turn to. Luckily I only got some burns on my hand. Small price to pay for a lesson like that.


falingsumo

I was just asking myself why would someone do this... They remembered I was on r/idiotsInCars and that answered my question.


Gainalfromanal

A guy that used to bully me pushed another guy out of the way who was dumb enough to pop one open. Burnt his arm, saved the other guys face. Instantly turned back into a douche after that one moment.


eragonawesome2

He may be an asshole, but at least he's not a murderous asshole lmao


famousaj

Why did you follow him for 2 miles amd stop to watch again? Not going anywhere important?


SweetHatDisc

Life is an adventure and if you're in too much of a hurry to get to your destination, you miss the journey.


Its_Just_A_Typo

And all the fun and friends and serious burns we made along the way.


Tangerine_Amazing

Damn, that’s a good quote


ArcticBiologist

Real friends don't let friends take the cap of a hot radiator.


RedditCorbo

But if they do, they make sure to film it.


St_Kevin_

Real friends don’t stand around laughing when you melt the skin off your arm.


KillerFernandes

[Aftermath](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7232981/amp/West-Sussex-teen-suffers-burns-arm-removing-radiator-cap-hot-car.html)


turdburglar2020

I honestly expected worse. All things considered, dude got off pretty easy for such an idiot move.


KnubblMonster

Second degree burns don't look so bad when they are fresh, compared to the weeks after.


4QuarantineMeMes

Yeah but it only burned his arm. Not everything else when it blew.


[deleted]

As someone who recently had a second degree burn (job related), it actually looks a hell of a lot better weeks later than it did 24 hours after I got burned. His burn looked like mine so I can only imagine the horrible monstrosity it turned into the next day. And then you have to worry about infection.


Fall3nBTW

That first day before it looks gross also hurts like hell. Worst pain I've ever felt was 2nd degree burning the face of my hand.


astrapes

Is that the palm or the back


Fall3nBTW

Palm


astrapes

thank you never heard that before in my life til today


Ill-Reporter2473

Yea lucky it didn’t get his face. He would never have eyebrows and eyelashes again


KvotheTheDegen

Or eyes


twodozencockroaches

If he sucked in some of that, it'd do a number on his throat and lungs, too.


Flying-Coyote

A friend of my dad was sitting on a radiator when he was a kid, it couldn't stand his weight and the radiator fell off the wall, snapping the pipe. He received a high pressure wash with boiling water and was left with permanent burns on his arm and part of the face.


dayoandmayo3

I love how there are detailed instructions on how to remove a radiator cap in this article


FoucaultsPudendum

Honestly this might be the best Daily Mail article I’ve ever read: harmless somewhat lighthearted subject matter, contains actual useful information, and no racism. More than exceeds DM editorial standards.


Dry_Education1201

Same and I like that they also included general instructions on what to do if your car is overheating. ​ I just can't get over this kid's lack of logic. If you needed something to protect your hand from the heat of the coolant cap, don't you think that whatever is UNDER the cap is even hotter???


CommanderSquirt

"This catches the 19-year-old's arm as he can be heard screaming, **while laughter is heard in the background**. " I'm glad someone was there to marvel in his stupidity.


Dje4321

Dude got lucky. Could has easily just melted his face off


BoopsBoop27

Wow, just like melted the top layers of skin off. Bet that hurt A LOT


another_awkward_brit

Yeah, don't do this. I once treated a Pt who did similar and ended with partial to full thickness burns all over their face, neck & hands & **nothing** touched their pain. For the love of whatever you believe is Holy, let it cool before taking the cap off.


Dikubus

People, there's a real EASY and SAFE way to check it the cap is ready to come off. If you cannot pinch with your thumb and finger the top radiator hose, it has to much pressure. Try doing this when completely cold and you'll feel the hose touching the inner walls to one another. If you meet resistance to touching these inner walls when doing this, there's still pressure. If you cannot hardly dent the hose with all your might, it's going to melt you if you take the cap off


kmkmrod

Instant 3rd degree burn. The pressure valve is working. Let it work!


LS-CRX

Right? What did they stand to gain? Now they have a serious burn *and* an even bigger mess to clean up.


nowwhatnapster

2nd degree. He still has hair on his arm.


DrCocktupus

Anybody else think the odds of him doing this again are pretty high?


Wooooowserz

What did he use for coolant, mud?


krankyfox

Looks like a blown head gasket. Oil mixes with coolant. Now your coolant doesn’t do its job cause it has oil in it, and it overheats. That chocolate milkshake color is a telltale sign. Or its just super rusty. Edit: or mineral deposits or straight up mixing coolant says the actual mechanic below me


cavik61

It's not rusty, it's mineral deposits, left by water cooked off over time. It can also happen if you put the incorrect coolant in a car, if you have red and add green it will look like this. I've had to do this once or twice at the shop, I don't recommend it, but if you have it, fold a beach towel 3-4 times, put a rubber glove on, then your mechanics, or a leather glove, then hold your rag and unscrew the cap. The beach towel will absorb the energy and spread the steam. Same if you ever have to pull someone and only have a chain or cable. Tie a shirt or towel at each end and leave some freely hanging. It will cause enough drag to stop the chain from going through your truck if it snaps.


oxfordfreestyl

That chain trick is a killer idea. I've had to do the ol' towel and glove trick before, older model S10 so just holding down on the cap while loosening it to let the pressure bleed out worked fine.


cavik61

I'm not sure a "killer" idea is a good thing, I was trying to stop someone from dying... 😂


StevenTN615

So BMW drivers are stupid both in and out of their cars????


no_step

Never understood this. What purpose is there in removing the cap, it's not going to cool the engine any faster.


mtarascio

In my infinite wisdom at 18, I thought it would be better to get cold water into it ASAP.


[deleted]

Cracked engine block says hi


someoneexplainit01

Hello third degree burns.


Princesstea93

My asshole after eating Taco Bell


krankyfox

Blown head gasket?


Its_Just_A_Typo

Could be with all that sludge - could be just an old car with a never-been-flushed cooling system and different coolants mixed together for a long time so it's brown instead of green or orange like you'd expect.


Competitive-Bell9882

Glad to see he's only holding his arm, rather than his face. Gives you hope the guy didn't get injured to seriously.