OK, maybe someone smart can answer a dumb question for me:

How does a higher-pressure radiator cap help engine performance?

It seems to me like it would make the engine run hotter, which if I'm not mistaken, is a bad thing.

Insight? Clue to lend?

 

The higher pressure of the coolant increases the boiling point temperature allowing the heat to be carried off instead of hotspots boiling the water, creating gas and possibly blanketting the hotspot worsening the condition. Redline's Water Wetter can help with that as well allowing the water to carry the heat away.

 

i got a nismo radiator cap 1.3kg/cm2 for $30
the stock one is 0.9 only

it helps to keep the water pressure down

 

Stock Z32 300ZX radiator cap = $11 and it's rated at 1.2bar.

Michael.

 

Yeah I got a GReddy cap for a lot less than the Nismo cap. Don't remember exactly but I think it was $18 or something like that. Now that I put it on I was just wondering why I did so. :-)