I’m having trouble finding what is supposed to cover the hole in my coolant overflow tank. I made one out of a rubber stopper but was wondering what the original looked like. The truck is a 1985 F150.

 

I have an 81 and from pictures, to lazy to go out to garage, it looks like yours is a little different.
My hose looks like it goes in at the top/side about were that hole is.
Now thinking of it how would I fill it or clean it out?
I have 2 and 1 has the top lid not fasten that I installed for now but when I was looking for other parts thru bins I found the 2nd but has paint on it but the lid is fasten.
I will have to look them over better to see just how you go about filling/cleaning it out.

Dave ----

 

To clean mine I used purple power degreaser and wrapped a paper towel around a coat hanger and scrubbed the sides through the hole on top. Cleaned up easy. The reason for the original post is because I have never seen the type of jug I have. All the ones o have seen are like yours where the hose goes through the top. My over flow hose attaches at the bottom of the jug.

 

The overflow jugs are strange on these trucks. In fact, that is just what they are, overflow containers. They are not really coolant reservoirs. That round hole you are asking about had a permanent type black plastic plug glued in place, that looked much like a freeze plug. And the top is glued in place also. The only thing it's for is to contain any overflow from the radiator so it doesn't go on the ground.

Unlike a coolant reservoir, which has a fill cap, and has hot and cold fluid levels, and can be filled. I pulled my plug out just like yours is, and use a funnel to fill it so I can use it like a reservoir. I had another on my earlier truck where I broke the glue loose and could take the whole top off.

 

Have you looked at LMC or Dennis Carpenter or maybe Rock Auto to see if they have any and what they may look like?
I wonder if the jug changed when they went from copper to alum/plastic radiators?
Dave ----

 

Here are some photos of my 1986. The top cover is glue on.
Jim
.

 

Thanks for the replies. Guess ill just keep the rubber stopper in it. It doesn't leak and the washer pump works just fine so i couldn't justify replacing it. Especially with all the other fixing i need to address first. Jimrebel that is actually the first time i have seen one with the plug in it.

 

Thanks Jimrebel for posting a picture.
That plug looks like a body hole plug, might be able to find one in the parts store to fit.
Dave ----

 

Here's a look at what I've found at my JY regarding the reservoirs:

 

My 81 is like the one on the left/diesel one.
Now I see it has a 90* fitting where I thought the hose just went in and to the bottom?


Now it brings up a question of the one on the right.
When the system builds up pressure and the cap lifts it sends that pressure to the over flow how does it get out if it is sealed?
Dave ----

 

The reservoir on the left is the style that was used on the 1980 - 1984 gas trucks.

The reservoir on the right is the style that was used on the 1985/1986 gas trucks.


The 1987 - 1991 models used a completely different style.

 

Mine has the same cap missing. My current solution has been to shove paper towel in the hole. Very stupid because fires n stuff

 

Just ran out and took a photo of the yellow cap I put in the tank on my 86 F150 with a 302FI.