Part of radiator cap presumably gone cave diving

Anyone ever had this happen? I opened my radiator cap to discover that the spring had separated and was sitting inside... i fished it out but the plastic bit from the other end of the spring is nowhere to be found. I'm guessing it has sunk into the depths. No idea how long it's been that way, no signs of overheating. Does anyone who knows something think it's likely to block the flow at some point? I would prefer not to pull out the radiator and attempt to shake this thing out

 

Ugh

 

It's probably in the bottom of the radiator, I don't think it will go anywhere since I believe that side is the outlet from the engine.
Pretty common for those to come off on older radiator caps, get a new cap and call it good.

 

This happened on my dads 07 Camry. Same cap, he needed a new radiator anyways. If no overheat, I would look for a new one, and maybe replace the rad too.

 

Yeah I had that happen to me, took my truck in to get the tires road force balanced specifically told them not to wash it or do their gimmick 29 point check, just balance the tires and give it back to me don't even look at anything else.

Of course they wash it, swirl it because it was covered in course rough sand clay mud and they use an RV brush, do their "checks" tell me I need a cabin filter, which I didn't, and air filter which I don't, my automatic transmission fluid is dark, I have a manual, my battery is weak, I have a Northstar AGM and it was only a month ish old at that point etc etc all down the line.

And at the bottom they say my coolant channels are clogged in my radiator, considered my radiator was only 6 months old I found that particularly odd but worth investigating especially considering I am a bit paranoid and having been a Toyota tech myself of course I pop the hood and double check everything before leaving.

I notice my radiator cap askew pull it off and low and behold the tip is broke off and sitting on top of the fins right down the hole.

So I drop the hood take my broken cap to the service writer and say; "Excuse me sir but... What the fuck?"

He pulls up the ticket and says you told us not to touch anything in the ticket right here so we didn't so we can't be responsible for that.

I tell them I also told them not to wash it which they most certainly did so again "What the fuck?"

I get the run around about how the porters don't see the service tickets and they are the ones whom handle the washes etc.

Long story short I decided I didn't want to due on that hill and had to buy a new cap which only reaffirmed my hadred and mistrust for stealership incompetency but ultimately I have had no issues after replacing the cap.

 

im thinking i might try to flush it out, presumably if it doesn't come out the other end or block the flow, its won't be a problem. if it is, i guess i'm getting a new radiator or trying to shake it out the top. just worried about it making it over to the other side

 

Was it an OEM radiator cap?

 

yes

 

love the dealership

 

Yeah I'm pretty sure they took one look at my heavily modded truck and went this guy's got money (which I don't) throw the upsell service book at em and see what we can milk.

 

The service center I go to I tell them the same thing. I have never once did anything they recommend. I have always been 100% up front. I tell them don’t waste their time on any inspection. I’m not doing it.

So you might ask why I even go to a service center? For oil changes. I can get mine down for less that $35. And some times it less than $30.

Beats fooling with used oil, arguing with the guy at the dump about not taking the old oil filter, and crawling around on a gravel drive way.

 

i drained the system, disconnected the radiator and flushed it out with a hose for like five minutes. nothing came out the other end and the flow seemed fine, so i think it's ok

 

Yeah you should be good, the only thing that separated from mine was the little end retaining nipple for the spring and the spring itself, I don't think either can make it through the radiator fins or end tanks.