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Got it done today, relatively smooth project. For those that are planning to undergo this endeavor, here's some advice...bolt the bracket to the support then bolt the reservoir to the bracket. Otherwise you'll be fighting to get the bolts installed that hold the bracket to the lower support cuz the reservoir doesn't give you the room to get the lower bolts in.
I do have two questions though...first of all, how is one supposed to get the nut on the bolt that holds the reservoir to the fender?? I tried six ways to Sunday, and there is no way (that I could figure out anyway) to get your fingers up inside the fender to get the nut onto the bolt. I finally gave up and pulled the reservoir out away from the fender just enough for me to get a bolt through from the fender and then pushed the reservoir over the bolt and put the nut (and washer) on from the reservoir side. If anyone has way to do it with the nut on the fender side, I'm all ears.
Second, I bought the kit from OPGI with the original style radiator cap, and it wouldn't fit on the radiator. (Too tight and wouldn't fully close). Little disappointing, but not a deal breaker. I just used the cap I had.
So, enough babbling...here's some before and after pics...
Dave,
The reason you're having so much trouble is you're using the wrong approach. Check your assembly Manual and you'll see that the overflow reservoir is mounted to the side fender with a self tapping screw. Problem solved without having to mess with bolt/nut. Honestly, the installation is much easier than what you've described, maybe we both suffer from 'fat fingers' though Using a 3/8" extension to put in the bottom 2 bolts of the bracket is easy. Start by finger tighten, then finger tighten the ones holding the reservoir, finally loose fit the side fender one. All should line up - then tighten them down starting in the same order. Just an FYI, I didn't want to use the metal spacer just to avoid any possibility of rust so I cut a small section of fuel hose and used it instead. It's not an area most people will focus on either.
BTW the hoses from the rad to the reservoir aren't supposed to have clamps on them. Looks like you have a 4 row rad? From the last picture it appears you have a leak. I'd suggest getting it looked at fairly soon. After 47 years my old 2 row OEM one finally came apart at the seams. I had it re-cored with a 3 row brass core. Cost me around $750.00. Rads are not cheap. Interestingly enough the tank markings on my rad are correct for 2 and 3 row rads, so no one would be the wiser if they looked at the rad and the tank stamps.
Dave, look at your current cap where it attaches and look at the replacement cap. most of the time you have to use pliers to bend the ears down on replacement cap to get it to go on smoothly, I'v done a few of these and all were super tight.
Dave, look at your current cap where it attaches and look at the replacement cap. most of the time you have to use pliers to bend the ears down on replacement cap to get it to go on smoothly, I'v done a few of these and all were super tight.
I saw that also on an OEM R29 cap box. Only they called them 'tabs'
Dave,
The reason you're having so much trouble is you're using the wrong approach. Check your assembly Manual and you'll see that the overflow reservoir is mounted to the side fender with a self tapping screw. Problem solved without having to mess with bolt/nut. Honestly, the installation is much easier than what you've described, maybe we both suffer from 'fat fingers' though Using a 3/8" extension to put in the bottom 2 bolts of the bracket is easy. Start by finger tighten, then finger tighten the ones holding the reservoir, finally loose fit the side fender one. All should line up - then tighten them down starting in the same order. Just an FYI, I didn't want to use the metal spacer just to avoid any possibility of rust so I cut a small section of fuel hose and used it instead. It's not an area most people will focus on either.
BTW the hoses from the rad to the reservoir aren't supposed to have clamps on them. Looks like you have a 4 row rad? From the last picture it appears you have a leak. I'd suggest getting it looked at fairly soon. After 47 years my old 2 row OEM one finally came apart at the seams. I had it re-cored with a 3 row brass core. Cost me around $750.00. Rads are not cheap. Interestingly enough the tank markings on my rad are correct for 2 and 3 row rads, so no one would be the wiser if they looked at the rad and the tank stamps.
Using a self tapping screw was not an option for me Allan. Remember the braces that were bolted to the fender and the upper rad support? Well , when a PO installed those, he drilled the hole bigger for where the self tapping screw would go so he could use a bolt for the braces. I "modified" a speed nut and am going to give that a go this weekend. If it doesn't work, than I'll stay with what I have.
As far as the leak, the residue you see in that last pic is from when coolant was running down the rad instead of into the reservoir. This was because the nipple on the rad where the overflow hose connected had a small crack, and the coolant was oozing out around that crack. I have long since fixed this. (I guess I need to clean up the rad.)
And btw, I'll remove those clamps, but I need to keep the one by the filler neck...it's what is holding my new nipple to the overflow hose.
As always, your advice and comments are welcome😀
Dave, look at your current cap where it attaches and look at the replacement cap. most of the time you have to use pliers to bend the ears down on replacement cap to get it to go on smoothly, I'v done a few of these and all were super tight.
Dave,
The reason you're having so much trouble is you're using the wrong approach. Check your assembly Manual and you'll see that the overflow reservoir is mounted to the side fender with a self tapping screw. Problem solved without having to mess with bolt/nut. Honestly, the installation is much easier than what you've described, maybe we both suffer from 'fat fingers' though Using a 3/8" extension to put in the bottom 2 bolts of the bracket is easy. Start by finger tighten, then finger tighten the ones holding the reservoir, finally loose fit the side fender one. All should line up - then tighten them down starting in the same order. Just an FYI, I didn't want to use the metal spacer just to avoid any possibility of rust so I cut a small section of fuel hose and used it instead. It's not an area most people will focus on either.
BTW the hoses from the rad to the reservoir aren't supposed to have clamps on them. Looks like you have a 4 row rad? From the last picture it appears you have a leak. I'd suggest getting it looked at fairly soon. After 47 years my old 2 row OEM one finally came apart at the seams. I had it re-cored with a 3 row brass core. Cost me around $750.00. Rads are not cheap. Interestingly enough the tank markings on my rad are correct for 2 and 3 row rads, so no one would be the wiser if they looked at the rad and the tank stamps.
Allan, according to the assembly manual, the hose coming from the radiator has a clamp, but the dump hose doesn't.
You're right. But those are the tiny spring clamps like the ones used on the fuel lines from the factory. I got a bunch of them I can use to make mine look perfect too. Thanks for keeping me on the straight and narrow
Using a 3/8" extension to put in the bottom 2 bolts of the bracket is easy. Start by finger tighten, then finger tighten the ones holding the reservoir, finally loose fit the side fender one. All should line up - then tighten them down starting in the same order. Just an FYI, I didn't want to use the metal spacer just to avoid any possibility of rust so I cut a small section of fuel hose and used it instead. It's not an area most people will focus on either.
