Can anyone tell me where I can locate the radiator cap on my 2000 Ford F150? Thank you.

 

There is no cap. I think the only cap is on the overflow reservoir.

 

You are correct

 

Called the "Degas Bottle"(cap).. Otherwise know as the "Expansion Tank"(cap).

 

Pic-

 

its the big round thingie

 

A cooling system must be under pressure so the coolant won't boil out. How can a Plastic Degas bottle handle the pressure around the cap threads to keep the system from boiling out? It needs to be a pressurized system. Please explain the theory on how it handles the pressure and doesn't boil out?

 

water boils at 212 degrees...(negate the coolant here....working with just water)
rough numbers best i recall .....for every 2 psi you raise the boiling point ABOUT 2 degrees BTW water boils at 212 when a SEA LEVEL.....when you are hiking in the mountains at say 4000 ft ABOVE SEA LEVEL....water boils at 206 degrees (because at that HIEGHT atmospheric pressure is NOT 14.7 psi....more like 11.5 thats why its hard to breathe.....the atmosphere is NOT pushing the "air" INTO your lungs)

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/b...ter-d_926.html

Sooo...if water boils at 212 @ 14.7 psi (sea level) AND we add a 16 psi cap we raise the systems pressure by 16. We get about 32 degree RISE in boiling point = 234 degree FOR JUST WATER!! now when you add in coolant (which starts at about 235) + our 32 degree rise with pressurized cap...= 267 ..ish.

 

Just because it's plastic, that doesn't mean it can't take the pressure. Many radiators now have plastic end tanks. Yeah, sounds weird to us old fogies.

 

So I live 1,500feet above sea level in the Appellation mountains and in the winter we can go down to 0F degrees so what does this all mean.

FORD Did away with the conventional radiator cap. Still, don't understand how it works.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...iator-cap.html

 

The cap on the degas bottle is a pressure cap, that's the only cap on the system. You are making a big deal out of nothing.

 

it just doesn't have a "pressure release lever" like the OLD caps

 

means you are about 13.5 psi atmospheric pressure......so your water will boil around 210 ..so YOUR perfect 3 minute egg....will take about 3 min 15 seconds...lol....freezing point is a DIFFERENT story....almost negligible difference (we sure cant measure it close enough)

 

Freezing level is totally dependent on the strength of your antifreeze. The recommended 50/50 mix freezes at -34F. Your boiling point with 50/50 and 16 psi is around 265F.

 

Any anti freeze material mixes with the water and gets between the water molecules so they can't stick together.
Pressure is a separate function.
Both are present in the same system at the same time.
The bottle cap is a pressure cap both ways same as any other cap.
The total system design is dependent on how much heat has to be passed to air through the core.
This depends on the amount of heat the engine generates under max load, road speed, system pressure, worst case ambient temps and at what engine temperature range the engine is designed for, fan CFM, clutch cut in and out etc.
Then add to all this the automatic transmission heat that is sent through a separate coil on the driver side of the core.
All the trucks are built with the same systems for the last 25 plus years.
Unless you can accept factory engineering, don't worry about it.
If there is an issue, it will let you know.
Good luck.