HELP! WHAT IS THIS THING?

[island03gst]

hey guys I'm new here and a real noobi to engines, anyway i had smoke pouring from my hood today. I opened the hood http://pr.erau.edu/~benz925/ss/IMG_4315.jpg

and there was smoke pouring out from this black nipple looking thing under the radiator cap shown here http://pr.erau.edu/~benz925/ss/IMG_4317.jpg

Currently the thing is melted half off. Does anyone know what it is and is it safe to drive it to a mechanic shop 2morrow with it melted like that?

Thanks

 

[loweperf]

It's just a cap used to block off the coolant outlet. No real need for a mechanic,just pick one up at a part store and use a screwdriver to change it. Be sure to refill the coolant after your done!

 

[island03gst]

thank you so much. Do you have any idea why it melted (Like do you think it will do it again is what im asking?) And I'm assuming this is the reason coolant sprayed all over the engine bay?

 

[tstkl]

id say it overheated, but dont hold me to that,... did you by chance watch the temp gauge?

 

[TalonD27A]

If it is just a rubber cap they usually go bad within a year or so. They don't last long trough all those heat cycles. Your best option is to take the housing off and pull the steel nipple out and have it welded in or if you know AN fittings well you can take a steel weld on -4 or -6 male fitting and weld it on instead. Then just buy the matching AN cap. Earls has all the parts for the job. Both are the permanent fix.