Pressurising coolant

[8v-of-fury]

Andrew, would you mind disclosing a few of these hidden Oysters? I currently have a coolant leak as well, and am blaming it on the failing HG and a bad lower rad hose.

thanks MAN!

[Rabbit on Roids]

there is no mistaking hot coolant either. you can damn near "taste" it with your nose. it has such a sweet smell.

[bajacalal]

"if you must, wear gloves, drape a big rag over the rad cap, and prepare to still get burned."

The proper way to do this is to remove your shirt and use it to open the cap.

I'm kidding but as far as the original post, does that car have a water cooled turbo?

I have never actually seen this happen but I've heard of water cooled turbos cracking and allowing pressurized gases to enter the cooling system but I think it would also go the other way.

[anto]

Excessive pressure would lead me to assume your pressure cap is not releasing properly at 14 or 15 psi (or whatever your particular cooling system is designed for).  If, however, you had coolant routinely blasting out the vent for the pressure relief cap, then I would assume some other issue.  There are lots of hidden places that your coolant loss could be going and not necessarily related to the pressure of the system. 

Libby - i replaced the rad cap with a new one to eliminate it from my list of possible pressure causes. I may swap it again for a "known good" cap just to make sure the new one i bought wasnt faulty.
My coolant loss seems to have ceased.