Radiator question

[Minn-Tex Lee]

My Brassworks radiator came with an overflow tube.
My question is - Do you feel they are necessary?
My coolant temperature stays well in the "green" range.
Does it really syphon boiled out fluid back into the radiator?
It is a 6# pressurized system.
I just don't want any unnecessary hardware under the hood.
Lee

[Tom Wesenberg]

Pressurized or not the overflow tube was simply a tube to dump the water when it got too high, but if you connect it to the BOTTOM of an overflow bottle it will return the liquid back to the radiator. The overflow bottle isn't needed since the top tank is the expansion tank, and shouldn't be filled too high.

[Charlie Stephens]

I am not sure I understand your question. Did you mean to say "overflow tank" instead of "overflow tube"? Overflow tube is necessary, overflow tank is probably not is you can put up with a little coolant on the ground until the radiator finds its right level. With the overflow tank it run a little cooler but if you are not having a problem I would suggest not worrying about it. I would be concerned with the 6# pushing water out the water pump seals.


Charlie Stephens

[Minn-Tex Lee]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. My overflow tank is 1 1/2" diameter by 12" long so I called it a tube.
If a 6# pressure is a problem, do I just get a different cap?
Lee

[MikeK]

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Originally Posted by Minn-Tex Lee

Sorry, I should have been more clear. My overflow tank is 1 1/2" diameter by 12" long so I called it a tube.
If a 6# pressure is a problem, do I just get a different cap?
Lee

You do NOT need a pressure cap for an overflow to feed the coolant back when the engine cools. You do need an absolute air tight standard cap, and that means an elastomer (rubber) washer, not fiber or dry cork under that cap. The overflow tube connection to the bottom of the recovery tank must also be air tight and connect to the SHORT tube inside the tank. The long internal tube is the open vent and extends open ended. If you mix the two up it will not work.

Here's one I did several years ago. The fluid only goes up/dn a few inches in this 1.5"D tank. Never looses a drop, zero pressure cap keeps coolant from compromising head gasket and pump seals.