Re: radiator overflow

Posted by Marith McCoul on April 28, 1997 at 10:18:27

In Reply to: Re: radiator overflow
posted by Parnell Kelley on April 28, 1997 at 00:47:59

What comes immediately to mind is this - are you overfilling
it?General practice is about 2 inches over the top of the
core - not all the way up the neck.If you're overfilling it,
you're losing it out on the road - not just in the garage.
It's just that you don't notice it 'til then.I've been
running plain old antifreeze for many years and never had
any foam.That's a chemical re-action to chemicals present
in the system such as hot-tank soap left over from a rebuild
or chemicals in the water you're using such as a high concen
tration of chlorine.You'd definitely know it if you had
foam - I have seen the condition.It's like dirty soap suds -
which is sort of what it is.Like something on top of the
Love Canal.If you want to run the rad really full, you'll
have to build yourself an overflow system.You can buy an
elegent stainless tank (what I've done) or just a little $5.
plastic bottle from Napa or whoever.Seal up the cap really
good (much easier to do with 28-9's than 30-1's) and run the
hose to said recovery tank.Most of us who tour places with
nice steep passes use some variation of this.Definitely
saves on the anti-freeze bill.Thermostats will also help
keep the water in the block longer and keep the upper tank
from overfilling.People also cut down the water pump impeller
fins so they move less water.

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