Do you guys use an overflow resevoir?

[Zorac]

you guys inspired me to finally mount mine today.  changed location to behind the headlight like everyone else.

[Mark42]

you guys inspired me to finally mount mine today. changed location to behind the headlight like everyone else.

Do you have a tube leading out of the container? I'm wondering if we really need to open another air hole even if we only have one tube into the container. Without being able to return the overflow to the radiator, dumping it right out to the street isn't much better than going straight from the radiator to street.

[Zorac]

Do you have a tube leading out of the container? I'm wondering if we really need to open another air hole even if we only have one tube into the container. Without being able to return the overflow to the radiator, dumping it right out to the street isn't much better than going straight from the radiator to street.

 

no, but the tube going in goes to the bottom of the container, so if i have the right cap it will suck it back through the same tube (vented vs non vented if i'm not backwards), if not, it will act simply as a catch can and catch the overflow.  the tank is vented to atmosphere.

[KFunk]

If you don't have an extra vent at the top of the container, then as it fills up, it's gonna expand and pop.  The Autozone tank doesn't have a tight enough lid to really cause this, but still it's not the best way.  These cheap expansion tanks aren't built for pressure like those on newer BMWs.

 

I still do connect a hose to the vent at the top and run it to the bottom of the car, because in the event that the car does overheat severely (water pump goes, headgasket goes, etc.), that coolant is gonna boil and push everything out the reservoir.  I'd rather not spray it all over the engine or even better the windshield.  Much better to just shoot it out the bottom.  It's the same deal as the original setup, just less likely when you have the extra unpressurized catch tank to buffer it. 

[zinz]

Here's one for you...

 

Spotted on a hotrod running a Rocket 88 at the local lunchtime, Friday Car Club gathering.

 

Sweeeeet...

 

 

 

Ed

 

[PaulTWinterton]

Here's one for you... Spotted on a hotrod running a Rocket 88 at the local lunchtime, Friday Car Club gathering. Sweeeeet...

I love hotrods! Cool coke bottle too.

[schwarz75]

I recently added this small overflow tank from a Honda Accord (late 90s-early 00s), that has just one hose opening. Two vent holes are under the cap.

[Roland]

To be more effective, you should have a "sealed" radiator cap.  Back in the 80s I found one at the auto parts house made by CRS (coolant recovery system?).  It was plastic, yellowish in color, and had several rubber seals on it that fit in the neck of the radiator, allowing the coolant from the reservoir/bottle (like many above, wedged in the space by the headlight) to be drawn back into the radiator after the car was run.

 

 

KarzNparts (?) sold them.     Unfortunately, over time, the plastic composite became brittle and portions that held the cap tight in the radiator neck broke off.

[visionaut]

KarzNparts (?) sold them. Unfortunately, over time, the plastic composite became brittle and portions that held the cap tight in the radiator neck broke off.

karznpartz waz greatz!

[Mark42]

I got mine done last weekend. I'm not happy with the bent over mounting plate not being attached to anything. I tried putting tension on it by pulling it back with a zip tie to something but that was ugly. Not sure it's going to move enough to require drilling mount hole. We'll see.

[John_in_VA]

 

What are the black overflow hose & clear tube doing together out of the picture?  Why don't you just run the clear tube from the top of the radiator to the overflow bottle?

[KFunk]

What are the black overflow hose & clear tube doing together out of the picture?  Why don't you just run the clear tube from the top of the radiator to the overflow bottle?

 

The bottle outlets at the top don't have a tube running to the bottom of the reservoir, like they do in some cars.  They're just open to air at the top of the bottle.

 

The black hose from rad should be going to the inlet at the bottom of the reservoir, where fluid can come and go without introducing air into the system.  The clear tube from the top should be the final overflow leading to under the car, in the event the bottle gets all the way full it can blow out there (plus allows air expansion).

Edited September 14, 2015 by KFunk

[John_in_VA]

Thanks for the clarification, KFunk.  Things were simpler in the 80s!

[Mark42]

The bottle outlets at the top don't have a tube running to the bottom of the reservoir, like they do in some cars. They're just open to air at the top of the bottle.

The black hose from rad should be going to the inlet at the bottom of the reservoir, where fluid can come and go without introducing air into the system. The clear tube from the top should be the final overflow leading to under the car, in the event the bottle gets all the way full it can blow out there (plus allows air expansion).

That's what I did. The black tube goes into the bottom. The clear tube comes out the top. I played around with several different routings for each tube until I was happy with it. It's not perfect but the clear tube comes back to the black tube and then drops down just below the chassis. I zipped tied the clear to the black to keep it from flapping into the fan.

[zinz]

Seems the local Hot Rodders use the overflow reservoir as a conversation starter...

 

Here's one I spotted at yesterday's Cars&Coffee at the Oasis in Austin.

 

   

 

As an aside... we had ten, 2002s show up for the event.  Nice showing, for sure.  

 

Ed