Bill,
1) You should not be filling up the radiator on your car. Check the
owners manual. I think you'll find that the coolant level should be
about 1.5" below the filler cap neck. This airspace is there to allow
coolant expansion and prevent coolant overflow. Filling the system up
right to the bottom of the filler cap neck WILL cause coolant to leak
out the overflow when the engne heats up following shut down.
2) Adding a coolant overflow tank to any coolant system is a great
idea. Not only will it prevent spewing of coolant onto the pavement, it
will reduce corrosion in the cooling system. This is because the system
can be totally filled on a recovery tank-equipped vehicle, while
"ordinary" systems do contain air (for the reason given in 1). The air
contains oxygen, which allows oxidation/corrosion. No air -- greatly
reduced oxidation/corrosion. Most auto parts stores will carry a
universal recovery tank setup.
If you do add a recovery tank, be sure to install a recovery tank
compatible radiator cap, too. Or the system won't work. And I'd use a
low pressure cap like 7psi or so. Modern systems routinely run at 16
psi or so but I'd rather loose some coolant via overflow than have my
heater core blow out and drench the carpet!
Pete in PA
Subject: IML: coolant canister on old Imps.
Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I was wondering if anyone had tried to put a coolant overflow canister
on an older Imperial. Today was a pretty hot day here in So. Cal., and I
drove my '59 to work. I had a few associates tell me my car was leaking
coolant, but I told them the older cars just have a tube running to the
street, which is why you had to check the water every time you gassed
up. Today I had quite a bit boiling out in a river through the parking
lot, since I just topped off the radiator the last time I drove it.
After seeing how much went out, I will have to check it for coolant
before I drive to work tomorrow, and when we get some of the really hot
100 degree days in summer, I'm afraid I will have to carry around a jug
of coolant in the trunk. It would be easy to put in an
overflow canister, and there is plenty of room. I was just wondering if
it
would work?
Bill '59 Crown
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