I believe I started a thread on this topic a few days back, but I cannot find it, though I can find every other thread I have ever subscribed to.

I have added a 3" diameter X 16" stainless steel coolant recovery tank to my radiator, to stem the tide of embarassing spills. I searched the Stant website and found that the P/N for a cap in this application is 10328 (7#). I purchased one to learn that it is diameter 1-1/2", and my radiator is diameter 2". I currently use a Stant 10282, which is for closed systems. Stant has not returned my emails or phone messages. I tried Obsolete Ford Parts (Green Sales Co.). According to them, you can't get there from here. Help! They suggested finding a Walker radiator, which is approximately $600. My threshold for radiator pain is about $200. What to do?

 

Correction: The cap I have now is for open systems.

 

1. Try a radiator shop go in person with the old cap and explain what you would like to do. They should be able to help you.
2. You can still put a container there it just will not get sucked back in when the engine cools off. You can pour it back in yourself later.
3. If you were really up to it you could mount a tank up higher then the overflow. Have the overflow hose connected to the bottom of the overflow. Then as the coolant heated up it would expand and flow into the expansion tank. Then as the coolant cooled off and the level in the radiatior dropped the excess would flow back into the radiator. Maybe an aluminium tube mounted width wise above the radiator for something different. I bet you could get a tube made fairly cheap.
4. If you were really feeling cheap and wanted to experiment you could use plastic plumbing pipe with end caps. Maybe a flat cap on one end and a 90° angle on the other. Put a fitting on the flat end and use a piece of clear hose so you can tell when the radiator is full.

 

I am also looking to add a radiator overflow collection bottle, I like the idea of using some PVC tubing. My question: Does there need to be a small breather hole in the overflow bottle since the hot radiator fluid/steam will be creating a pressure. A small hole would allow the hot air pressure to be relieved. I like the idea of connecting the hose to the bottom of the bottle so that it flows back into the radiator.
Thanks

 

I went the quick and cheap route a couple of years ago on my F250 with a 460 and original radiator. I didn't have an overflow tank and needed something quick for when things got too hot. I clamped a rubber hose to the bottom of the overflow tube and ran it through the top of antifreese jug cap that I punch a hole in, and into the jug. Then I tied the jug with a small rope through the jug handle to the front of the inside of the air deflector next to the radiator. Used a clamp on the hose inside the jug to keep the hose in the bottom of the jug. I should have done something more permenant, but have run it that way for a couple of years and works fine. The radiator overflows into the jug when hot and sucks the fluid back into the radiator when things cool down. I use a 7# cap of unknown make, but must be a two way and it is only a couple of years old.

Husker

 

The way I have it set up with the current cap, the coolant will flow through the tube connected to the radiatior neck and into the bottom of the coolant bottle. But, the cap will not allow the vacuum formed in the cooling radiator to draw the coolant back into the radiator. A cap with a vacuum valve (made for closed systems) is required to allow the two-way exchange. I don't know of anyway to get the coolant back in with out manually pouring it. At the temp the coolant contracts, the radiator cap closes off the flow through the overflow tube

For overflow of the coolant bottle, there is a pipe out the bottle bottom that extends inside the bottle nearly to the cap. If the coolant bottle fills up, the coolant will reach the top of the pipe and flow down and out the bottom of the coolant bottle.

 

I mounted the coolant recovery tank on my F3 and got it plumbed to the overflow tube, which was hidden from sight and access. I installed the Stant cap that is designed to work with recovery tanks (allows coolant to get sucked back into the radiator).

I topped off the radiator and fired her up. I drove it a half mile from where I store it to home. Because it was loosing coolant and the dash gauge indicated high temps, I wanted to measure the engine temp. I left it idling and measured the surface temperature of each head using an infrared non-contact thermometer at 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 minutes. The ambient temp was 80 F. The driver's side temp was consistently and 160 F at each measurement point and the passenger's side was 165 F. I interpreted these temps as good news.

At the 30 minutes, coolant started to drip off the frame onto the ground at a fairly quick rate. I cut the engine and started to look for the source. I check the recovery tank and found it to be dry. I thought that if my connection to the overflow tube was bad, some coolant would still reach the recovery tank. I ragged it all off and it stopped flowing. I fired it back up after having it off for about 15 minutes, and ran it for 20 more minutes. It would not leak again. I cut it off and searched some more. I found that the clamp on one of the lower radiator hoses (the one near the exit of the overflow tube) had some greeenish white crust on it. I loosened the clamp to the point that it leaked, and the coolant dripped off the same points on the frame that it had previously. So, I tightened the clamp, and so far no more leaking.

I guess I took the long way to tightening a hose clamp.

SteV8e

 

in the latest issue of old school rodz, someone used a jack daniels bottle and clearcoated it.

 

No need for a sight glass on the Jack Daniels set-up. I think I would use a Midori bottle. It is that melon liquer that is the color of Prestone.