Re: Coolant recovery container

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Ken Stevens
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Coolant recovery container

Post by Ken Stevens »

Any recommendations on fitting a coolant recovery tank in lieu of, or addition to, the existing overflow tank?
Ken Stevens
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TonyC
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Re: Coolant recovery container

Post by TonyC »

Yes. First of all, a debunking of a popular misconception is in order: What is mounted on the front of your intake is an expansion tank, not an overflow or recovery tank. It was meant to bleed off any excess air pressure that could build up in the engine, but that bleeding-off does tend to expel coolant as well. There was no such thing as an overflow-recovery tank in these cars until the 460 fittings of '69, possibly '68. That expansion tank cannot just be discarded, because the cap is located there; you'd need to replace the radiator as well, plus find a thermostat adapter a-la 1968 462 application, plus a new bracket for the ignition coil, to delete the tank.

That established, you can upgrade the system with a fairly simple addition. There were two designs of aftermarket overflow-recovery tanks made; one is a rather large, cube-shaped tank for vehicles with plenty of room under the hood, the other is a smaller, octagonally-shaped tank best suited for cramped quarters. The latter is what you need. I mounted mine right to the back of the battery tray, very close to the expansion tank, and tapped it to the overflow pipe with an extra hose running down where the factory overflow hose would go. Being that you have a '61, you may have to explore to find the best mounting point for the tank, due to the horns cluttering the right-side inner fender. But, it should be doable, especially if you run on a battery that's dimensionally smaller than the original-original.

The part-store chains used to sell them on the shelves years ago, and they still may; that was where I got mine. But, if that's changed, you can still find them on an E-Bay search, and they aren't expensive.

---Tony
Last edited by TonyC on Mon May 23, 2022 4:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
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Re: Coolant recovery container

Post by TonyC »

I don't know what the Hell I did wrong, but somehow the thread doesn't show me as having responded, but it modified your original thread title by adding a "Re:"...dat be whack! Hopefully you'll see my response, Ken.

---Tony
"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet, just because there is a picture with a quote next to it." (Abraham Lincoln, 1866)
"Question Authority!"

1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
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Ken Stevens
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Re: Re: Coolant recovery container

Post by Ken Stevens »

Got it! Thanks for the info.
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Re: Re: Coolant recovery container

Post by Ken Stevens »

Got the coolant recovery tank installed and wouldn’t you know it, the expansion tank started leaking at the soldered top seam. I have a spare tank (this will be #3) but it has been a long time since the current one was installed so I have some questions.
1) any installation magic tricks of which I should be aware to avoid any leakage?
2) do I really need to drill the two 3/32” holes in a new thermostat to release any trapped air?
3) any additional sealant needed at the thermostat besides a new gasket?

I did not want to do this now, but the Lincoln had other ideas. (It always does…)
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Re: Coolant recovery container

Post by TonyC »

Ken,

Glad you got the recovery tank; very sorry you had to deal with an expansion leak. I too have gone through about three tanks, two of them supposedly new...! I lucked out finally with a used one that so far is still holding. I just wish that radiator shops wouldn't be so difficult with trying to repair these tanks; it should not cause such a hassle for them! :smt011 Nick once mentioned a shop in Indiana that specializes in repairing these tanks, a long time ago; I'm not sure if they still operate, as I never followed up on that, having to deal with other distractions the car decided to cause for me.

As for your questions...

(1) Make sure that the thermostat and gasket stay in place while you're wrestling the expansion tank into place. Remember that you have to line up not only the inlet to the intake, but also the support bracket below with one of the water pump bolts, which needs to come off before the tank can come out. I also recommend removing the ignition coil from its support bracket, just to make it easier to position the tank; you can reattach it after the tank is secured. The torque limits to the mounting bolts are about 25 foot-pounds. Torque to that amount, then check for leaks. At that amount, there should not be any leaks.

(2) I've always advocated drilling at least one hole into a new thermostat as a minor bit of insurance, not so much to release trapped air, but to keep a free flow of coolant, however small, in the event the thermostat seizes up, to mitigate overheating and blowing out of the cooling system. Some thermostats I've come across already had a hole in them, with a small valve-like thingie in it, for just that purpose. I'd say it's recommended, but not necessarily required. It doesn't seem that a small, 3/32" hole would make any real difference; but, with pressurized coolant involved, it could. I mean, it made a world of difference in the installation of the heater valve, as I learned earlier this year after over a year of wondering why my hot air went cold on its own.

(3) If you get a gasket with an adhesive side to it, place that side towards the intake to hold the thermostat in its cast spot there; that should suffice to hold the two in place. If it's just a straight gasket with no adhesive, use a thin coat of sealant (either blue or black) to glue the gasket in place. In either case, brush off the surfaces of both the intake and the expansion tank to ensure a clean mating surface. If you notice any pitting to the inlet spot of the expansion tank, which can happen, apply sealant to the tank's inlet pipe to smooth it out. You can also try filling in the pits with JB Weld, but that will mean an overnight wait for it to cure; but if the 'vert is not your primary (or sole, as is my case) means of transpo then the wait time is a minor inconvenience. When cured, file it smooth, then attach the tank.

I know exactly what you mean about these cars having their own ideas, believe me. :roll:

---Tony
"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet, just because there is a picture with a quote next to it." (Abraham Lincoln, 1866)
"Question Authority!"

1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
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Re: Re: Coolant recovery container

Post by papawayne »

Many years ago there was a radiator shop in Putnam Ct that rebuilt these gizmos for Baker's. Saw a bunch of them lined up on a shelf in their shop all paint6ed pretty black. Wayne
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