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Posted By Discussion Topic: Radiator overflow tank -- page: 1 2     MOXIE 11-09-2009 @ 5:51 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 102 Joined: Oct 2009 They make a universal overflow radiator tank that I'm thinking about putting on my 33. You guys ever use one. It's a tank the is 2 inches diameter and 13 inches tall. Looks like the overflow water will go in the bottom of the tank pushing air out the top. Than as the engine cools, the fluid will be sucked back into the radiator. I do not think it would work on a system that has a relief valve on it. trjford8 11-09-2009 @ 7:58 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 4214 Joined: Oct 2009 I don't know how well that would work on your 34. I think you would be better off using Skip's valve system. TomO 11-10-2009 @ 6:36 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7252 Joined: Oct 2009 Moxie, I don't know how well those tanks work,but they will not work if your have Skip's valve installed. Skip's valve will (1) pressurize the system, which reduces foaming of the anti-freeze and raises the boiling point; (2)keep the coolant in the radiator and engine where it will continue to remove the heat. The recovery tank will handle the expansion of the coolant, but some of the expansion is due to foaming. Foaming coolant does a poor job of transferring heat. Tom 39Fordfan 11-10-2009 @ 7:42 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 192 Joined: Oct 2009 Hi Moxie, I took an old plastic 1/2 gallon orange juice bottle and fed the overflow line into the bottom of it. I left the top open and it works great. I did all of that before I knew of Skip's overflow valve. Plus it certainly doesn't look original. I installed Skip's valve and I don't worry about the overflow anymore. One thing I don't like about the pressure Skip's valve and a good fitting radiator cap creates is that my upper hoses collapse after the engine cools down. Skip said to just add more coolant to the system, but that doesn't seem to correct the issue either. I'm not sure if this is exposing some other hidden problem in the system or if I just need to replace the upper radiator hoses and maybe put some anti-collapse springs in them. wmsteed 11-10-2009 @ 10:04 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 613 Joined: Oct 2009 I have installed overflow tanks of one form or another for the past 30 + years, with great success. In some cases the after-market billet tanks look great, especially if the engine compartment is dressed up with a lot of shinny stuff. I don't care for the retro tanks that are sold by the parts houses so I came up with a design of my own: I use a length of 2-1/2" black ABS pipe and two caps for same. I glue one cap onto one end of the pipe, I then drill and tap the cap for a 1/4" tubing connector. I drill another hole in the plastic pipe about 2" from the top, threading in a 1/4" 90 tubing connector. I connect the radiator overflow to the bottom of the overflow chamber using clear plastic tubing, I then connect a piece of tubing to the upper fitting. I attach the tube to a location near the radiator, keeping the tube vertical using plumbers tape or large radiator clamps. The upper cap is left loose so the tank can be filled with coolant. You will have to use a pressure type cap, probably 3/7 lbs on the older radiators. The normal old radiator caps don't have the necessary "valve" system to allow coolant to pass and/or re-enter the radiator like a pressure cap does. Bill 36 5 win delx cpe MOXIE 11-10-2009 @ 1:54 PM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 102 Joined: Oct 2009 Why would they collapse. Does skip's valve not let air back into the system when the system cools down. Isn't his valve like a check valve. TomO 11-11-2009 @ 7:26 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7252 Joined: Oct 2009 His valve is a pressure relief valve and has no provisions to let air back into the system. Tom 39Fordfan 11-11-2009 @ 7:47 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 192 Joined: Oct 2009 Understood. After the engine cools down I can take the radiator cap off and the top hoses will expand almost back to normal from being collapsed. So why is it that the upper radiator hoses collapse when using Skip's valve and a good sealing radiator cap? Thanks. MOXIE 11-11-2009 @ 3:54 PM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 102 Joined: Oct 2009 They collapse because when the engine cools down it creats a vacuum and since air can not get into the engine, the hoses suck in. That's why I'm not a fan of skip's valve. I rather have an overflow tank. I've tried it already by sticking the end of the overflow hose in a jar. When the engine heated up, fluid filled the jar and sure enough when engine cooled, the fluid sucked back into the engine.. Now yes I know it's better to have the water in the engine than a jar but I'm not losing that much water to make a difference and there is something about having pressure in the radiator and engine that I do not like. Now if I can just get my cap to be leak tight. t35 11-11-2009 @ 6:38 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 34 Joined: Oct 2009 i installed that overflow tank on my 35, and installed skips valve at outlet of overflow tank. it keeps the pressure in the system and increases the capacity. i used it all this past summer and it worked great. tom

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