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Coolant Reservoir Tank Options

Shawn

Shawn

Nuckin Futz!
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Crap... went to fill up my coolant reservoir and the damn thing started to leak. It's been replaced in the past so this will be the 3rd tank. These tanks use to be $15-$20 but now everyone wants around $60+. For that price, I might just do an alum. rectangle tank in that same area mounted on the fender. I want something to hold more than a liter or more so the smaller round tanks is not an option. Has to look decent and secure. Tried to search and didn't much on this topic.

GM part #15531514
coolanttank.jpg

Need to check max height but something like this for the alum tank. It has a port on the very bottom.
coolanttank2.jpg

coolanttank3.png
 
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My truck has had a prestone gallon jug on it for a recovery tank since 2003..
I just made a hole in the cap and shoved the hose in it,ran the hose almost to the bottom of the jug..ain't pretty--but it serves the purpose!..

I looked in junkyards for years,never seen one worth pulling out,they were all brittle or already broken..
 
diesel4me said:
My truck has had a prestone gallon jug on it for a recovery tank since 2003..
I just made a hole in the cap and shoved the hose in it,ran the hose almost to the bottom of the jug..ain't pretty--but it serves the purpose!..

I looked in junkyards for years,never seen one worth pulling out,they were all brittle or already broken..
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Yeah mine was brand new and just sitting over the years in a garage, it went bad. They must be making the plastic tanks out of rice paper or something. I could probably plastic epoxy it but I'm afraid it will just leak again. Many people that bought new GM tanks reported leaks shortly after if you look at the reviews. Its a bad design. Not really into doing the no cost solution such as the prestone jug plus it has no mounting brackets so chicken wire or something must be used.

runamok151 said:
canteen.

View attachment 297975
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That would be cool on my M1008. How much does that hold?
 
My brand new GM reservoir leaks. I'm just going to deal with it until I swap all kinds of other stuff around. The second aluminum tank is what I would choose.
 
I'm running a generic plastic tank I bought on summit that's shaped like a 2 litre bottle. Works fine but it sounds like you want something with some bling.
 
Shawn said:
Crap... went to fill up my coolant reservoir and the damn thing started to leak. It's been replaced in the past so this will be the 3rd tank. These tanks use to be $15-$20 but now everyone wants around $60+. For that price, I might just do an alum. rectangle tank in that same area mounted on the fender. I want something to hold more than a liter or more so the smaller round tanks is not an option. Has to look decent and secure. Tried to search and didn't much on this topic.

GM part #15531514
View attachment 297950

Need to check max height but something like this for the alum tank. It has a port on the very bottom.
View attachment 297951

View attachment 297952
Click to expand...
If you have the resource you could make one, I bought the bungs from Summit Racing

IMG_0932.jpg

IMG_0931.jpg
 
skunked said:
I'm running a generic plastic tank I bought on summit that's shaped like a 2 litre bottle. Works fine but it sounds like you want something with some bling.
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I just wanted something I can easily mount to fender close to where the stocker is. I like the look of the raw alum and it matches the radiator but not necessary. Don't care much for polished alum but that might be all they have. I know they have the Jazz bottles or similar but didn't realize they hold 2 liters.


Rick Capito said:
If you have the resource you could make one, I bought the bungs from Summit Racing

View attachment 297984

View attachment 297985
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Looks good! I have a fabricator that can do something but I have no tig welder yet. I see some similar in size like that are already built with the cap and bungs. I would just need to have some alum tabs welded on. Thanks for sharing.
 
Shawn said:
I just wanted something I can easily mount to fender close to where the stocker is. I like the look of the raw alum and it matches the radiator but not necessary. Don't care much for polished alum but that might be all they have. I know they have the Jazz bottles or similar but didn't realize they hold 2 liters.



Looks good! I have a fabricator that can do something but I have no tig welder yet. I see some similar in size like that are already built with the cap and bungs. I would just need to have some alum tabs welded on. Thanks for sharing.
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This one holds just short of a gallon.
 
Older pic....I had a couple of tabs tig'd to the side of my radiator. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-299993/overview/


IMG_1893_zpsmwnjimj0.jpg
 
AJs72K5 said:
Older pic....I had a couple of tabs tig'd to the side of my radiator. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-299993/overview/


IMG_1893_zpsmwnjimj0.jpg
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I have the same one on my Camaro and T-bucket. Looks good but doesn't hold much as I'd like.

Came across this article today which makes sense to go with something thats around 2.5 liters. With my tall 4 core radiator, heater core, I used around 14 quarts.

quote-

The main job of an expansion tank has to do with, not surprisingly, expansion. As a basic requirement, expansion tanks should allow enough space for coolant to expand at normal operating temperature and not be pushed out of the pressure relief fitting in the neck.

The general rule of thumb for proper capacity of expansion is 12% of total coolant volume for draw down and 6% of the total volume for thermal expansion.

Drawdown capacity is the amount of coolant that can be lost before air reaches the water pump and is introduced into the system. Air bubbles in the coolant system can cause inconsistent cooling and can also prevent the thermostat from opening if an air bubble gets trapped underneath it.

Thermal expansion occurs as coolant accumulates heat from the engine. The 6% of the expansion volume is calculated from the amount that the coolant level will rise at 212 degrees F. This takes into account the density change of the coolant itself and all the components that are in the coolant system. If the volume is calculated incorrectly and an inadequate expansion space is provided coolant will be discharged from the system at operating temperature. To prevent the possibility of spilling coolant a catch tank or a recovery tank can be used.

To get the proper expansion tank volume we need to add together the draw down capacity requirement and the thermal expansion requirement to get an additional 18% total volume required for the expansion tank. Most coolant systems are designed to operate with about 13 qts in the system. If we use a 13 qt system as our model. We would use the calculations below:

Drawdown = 12% of 13 qts = 1.56 qts

Thermal Expansion = 6% of 13 qts = .78 qts

Expansion Tank Size Required = 2.34 qts

In a 13 qt System a 2.34 qt expansion tank would be required. In a situation where a large enough tank isn't available a recovery tank can be used in order to take up some of the expansion volume needed. A recovery tank will collect any coolant that is expelled from the pressure relief. In a set up with a recovery tank it is important to make sure that the coolant system is still full enough to allow for drawdown.

http://blog.cantonracingproducts.com/blog/calculating-expansion-tank-size-requirements
 
Yep looking there too. Ebay seems to have the best deals. Its just a holding tank so as long as the welds hold fluid, we are good.
 
i tried these aluminum ones the aftermarket ones and finally broke down and bought a stock one cause they never worked like it was supposed to , when it spits it out is sucks it back in when needed the aftermarket never did
 
Kain said:
i tried these aluminum ones the aftermarket ones and finally broke down and bought a stock one cause they never worked like it was supposed to , when it spits it out is sucks it back in when needed the aftermarket never did
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Which one did you get and how big was it? I think the smaller aftermarket ones don't work well due to the small size as stated in the article above. If you get the larger 2.5 liter tank then I don't see it would have an issue. 1 liter or less is too small like the alum. ones pictured in the first post. It also should be vented like factory is.

This one is 2.5 Liters
res.jpg
 
2 liter from jeg's aluminum one from eBay and 2 liter from summit.
By the time I did that you can buy a stock one. I gave 2 away for catch cans on race cars 1 from jegs I still have.
It didn't matter vented sealed it didn't work
 
Yes one was aluminum was like one posted above that had connection on the bottom the jeg's plastic one had connection on bottom as well
 
Shouldn't be any difference between the stock plastic and alum tank similar in size with port on the bottom especially if it's in same location on fender. Nothing special about it. It's just holding fluid. If it's too low then maybe thay would hamper fluid to go back in radiator. I used one on my Evo with no issues and it was in stock location.
 
I tried several different positions maybe thought was too hi mounted it lower than tad mounted same hight then me with all 3 have stock one have no issues now
 
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