[dmitchel1981]

My Dad bought a coolant return system from Oreilly and I wasn't sure if I could even use it. My mechanic used an antifreeze bottle temporarily but that obviously won't last long. I don't want to give up my washer fluid container if I don't have to. The main issue is this car has been torn apart for over 4 years and we are slowly putting parts back in and I can't remember how everything will look put together. Will you all please look at the attached images and tell me if you think I could use it and where?

Thanks!

 

[Radcannon]

I don't have one, personally I think it is an unnecessary clutter. Just take a small line and run it to the ground. If its getting a little more warm just add. We don't do this today because of "environmental" issues. A little won't hurt on your antique that isn't driven as a primary.

If you want you can put that think in the engine compartment. Just looks trashy IMO, and I wouldn't want to drill for it, but when I had one it was on my passenger fender well. Maybe try on the front of the core support kind of out of eye sight (front of battery?).

 

[Gary L]

Coolant overflow systems are to keep from having air in the system and to keep from spilling coolant which is basically toxic. Air in the system lowers the boiling point and will cause rust. There are nice overflow bottles made of tubing that will look good under your hood.

 

[dmitchel1981]

Coolant overflow systems are to keep from having air in the system and to keep from spilling coolant which is basically toxic. Air in the system lowers the boiling point and will cause rust. There are nice overflow bottles made of tubing that will look good under your hood.

any suggestions on where I could find one for my car? I have been looking and haven't had much luck that why my Dad picked up the one he did from Oreilly.

 

[77thor]

Try Summit Racing....

 

[Radcannon]

Coolant overflow systems are to keep from having air in the system and to keep from spilling coolant which is basically toxic. Air in the system lowers the boiling point and will cause rust. There are nice overflow bottles made of tubing that will look good under your hood.

Air in the system would have to be pretty significant to lower the boiling point since you have a pressurized cap. Antifreeze is extremely corrosive so yes it causes rust, he is right though it is more reactive in the presence of air. Still though this is minimal its rusting the inside of your block which the only real place that will see air is your radiator because its higher which won't care to much (unless dexcool). Air will not flow through the system just collect around your fill cap so if you check it often no problem. Hell I run my car about an inch low maybe more before I fill it back up. It hurts nothing my car stays below 190 and quiet frankly I could care less what my car does to the environment its a collectible and after all back in the day no one controlled this.

Main reason we have overflow tanks is as stated above toxicity and people today are just to lazy to do any maintance to their car. Heck we have to put sensors to tell people to stop and help them park now. Whats next?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G1472/

I would mount this in front of your batt tray though if you insist on one. A flashy catch can for coolant overflow is a little overkill. Not like you running braided stainless line to it.

 

[Vegas69]

Don't waste your money on a catch can. Buy a recirculating set up and be done. It will keep your cooling system at the right level. I don't want the mess in my engine compartment that a catch can or overflow line causes.

 

[Gary L]

any suggestions on where I could find one for my car? I have been looking and haven't had much luck that why my Dad picked up the one he did from Oreilly.

This is the one I was referring to. Evidently Moroso makes one too.

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Daniel, consider a couple of points. First, there is NO car built in the world without a coolant recovery system. And you can't drag race without a catch can. The recovery system precludes the catch can.
Back in the sixties it was common to see antifreeze under an engine in a parking lot. I thought even then that it was not classy. Kinda like oil leaks. Besides, running with air in your engine allowed rust to form. It was a common maintenance chore to boil out the rust with acid.
Then in 1970 GM came out with Closed Cooling. I bought one the next day. End of spills, and dead pets too.
Of course that system was a little different than the ones out there today. And even my sailboat diesel came with a recovery tank and that was 25 years ago. There's a reason for that. Here's my Moroso.

Wanna see the one on my sailboat? Sure you do,,,,,,, the engine is on the otherside of the mounting bulkhead. This is from Summit.

 

[Radcannon]

Wanna see the one on my sailboat? Sure you do,,,,,,, the engine is on the otherside of the mounting bulkhead. This is from Summit.

Don't boats use that water they are submeresed in for cooling?
Maybe the sail boat is different because they don't want to mess with the hull shape for something like that because of effects on speed?

Nice set up though, mighty 1 cylinder diesels.

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Michael! Sorry, I missed this.
No sail boat with an inboard engine uses raw water cooling. It will ruin the block in a short time when in saltwater. I learned that the hard way in 1972 with my SBC ski boat. Then my first inboard sailboat engine came raw water cooled because I wouldn't pay the factory the outrageous asking price for a closed system. I did it myself for 1/5th the cost.
Also that black cylinder is not a diesel. It's the oil separator for my refrigeration system. (The engine is a 3 cylinder Yanmar.) Probably didn't need the separator but what the hell, it's my boat and I want it. Wanna see more of the refer system? There's lots. (built it myself. Horrible mistake, but I learned a lot.)

 

[1971BB427]

I just use a catch can that was $15 from Summit. Every once in awhile I drain it into a container and pour it back into the radiator when it's cold. Only gets maybe 1/4 cup in a month or more of pretty constant driving.
That's it over on my driver's side fender. (decal optional)

 

[Mkelcy]

What radiator caps are folks using with a coolant recovery system?

 

[Vegas69]

Mike, I'm using a 17-19lb cap. I tested my system at that pressure to make sure it was compliant.

 

[Mkelcy]

Mike, I'm using a 17-19lb cap. I tested my system at that pressure to make sure it was compliant.

So just a regular radiator cap? I figured you'd need something a little different that would allow the vacuum from the cooling coolant to refill the radiator from the overflow tank.

 

[novaderrik]

I just use a catch can that was $15 from Summit. Every once in awhile I drain it into a container and pour it back into the radiator when it's cold. Only gets maybe 1/4 cup in a month or more of pretty constant driving.
That's it over on my driver's side fender. (decal optional)

all you have to do to make that catch can into a self contained coolant recovery system is to hook the hose from the radiator to the bottom fitting and leave the top fitting open to vent to the atmosphere. then just make sure you have a proper radiator cap with the dual seals to allow the coolant to be sucked back in as the engine cools, and you have a modern coolant recovery setup that you never need to mess with.

it is so stupidly simple to setup a coolant recovery system that there really is no reason not to- and actually, it can look cleaner than just having a catch can since the hose gets routed down and out of sight. and with even cheap antifreeze costing around $10 a gallon, it just makes sense to try to hold onto as much of it as you can.

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Mike and Dan, and others who aren't convinced about closed cooling, Here's a picture of the INSIDE of my 42 year old block. It was cheater-raced in '68, disqualified and been mine since '68. It's not been run with an open system since. Oops, the first one has bad color-temp. Let's try again. Well, the bluish color is right, just fuzzy.

 

[1969ProStreetCamaro]

all you have to do to make that catch can into a self contained coolant recovery system is to hook the hose from the radiator to the bottom fitting and leave the top fitting open to vent to the atmosphere. then just make sure you have a proper radiator cap with the dual seals to allow the coolant to be sucked back in as the engine cools, and you have a modern coolant recovery setup that you never need to mess with.

I'm interested in converting my catch can....anyone have a pic of the proper type of radiator cap mentioned above ????????

David F.
www.firstgens.com

 

[1969ProStreetCamaro]

I'm interested in converting my catch can....anyone have a pic of the proper type of radiator cap mentioned above ????????

David F.
www.firstgens.com

.

 

[1969ProStreetCamaro]

I'm interested in converting my catch can....anyone have a pic of the proper type of radiator cap mentioned above ????????

David F.
www.firstgens.com

.