67 Cutlass
So I have no over flow tank.When did they start making them?
Recently I notice that The overflow tube running below the radiator leaks way more than usual,like maybe half the fluid leaked out all at once.So I fill it again.And monitor it while running and notice a steady drip from the overflow tube.Can I install a overflow tank? Is this an overheating issue? Leak?
I appreciate any wisdom here.And Thank You

 

EPA mandated them when every one was complaining that anti-freeze was killing their dear beloved pets. There is a full mark in your radiator and it's about 1/2 inch above your auto transmission cooling coil. If you overfill the radiator, it will keep on puking trying reach it's normal level.

Yes there are aftermarket coolant tanks from a simple cheap plastic one, to very hi $$ stainless and aluminum ones.

 

So the level may be 3/4 full? Which is what it was when I purchased the car a year ago.It seemed it only leaked when I filled it to the top,let it warm up and start revving the engine to 3-3500 rpm.

 

Even if you do have an overheating problm, an overflow tank won't fix that and I don't think it will even help. If it constantly leaks, I'd check to make sure the cap is good. If it isn't, and doesn't hold pressure, it will let the coolant to come out the overflow, which will lower the level. And it it doesn't hold pressure, it will boil and overheat.

 

Yes your overfilling it. Let it settle down to about 1/2 to 1 inch below the neck. I'll bet it stops.

On the questionable temp issue, do you know what temp it's operating at? Is there an idiot light on?

 

I think it depends what cap you run. I have a modern cap (and radiator) that would overflow some everytime time it heated up whether filled to the top or left down and inch or so. Eventually the radiator was about 6" and a half a gallon down. I installed an overflow tank and haven't had a problem since. I keep the radiator filled to the top, no air. I bought a universal overflow tank at NAPA for about $10

 

Look at the radiator tank.

The words "COLD FILL" are pressed into the metal with a line.

Fill it to there.

If it still leaks, then check your cap.

- Eric

 

i installed an overflow tank made out of an old prestone bottle on my first car, '69 cutlass s. i cut a hole in the cap and ran the overflow hose into it. it helped keep the cooling system cleaner, longer, and the radiator was always full. you need the correct radiator cap, if you were to perform this modification.


bill

 

The temp gauge is like the fuel gage.1/4 1/2 3/4 full.
The temp never goes over the 1/4 mark

 

Mine never ran hot either but the radiator was almost too low to run to the heater core

 

I just ran into this problem on my silver car...I couldn't keep it from puking. Then quite quickly I found out that I had a blown head gasket...of course it shows up quicker with higher compression.

Anyway, I chased that monkey for a week until one day the motor wouldn't turn over. The hot coolant filled the #8 cylinder and hydrolocked, fortunately it was after I turned it off.

 

so what temp is the car safe running at because im in alabama and my car has been running 180-190 but about a week ago we had 103 degree weather for three days straight and my car ran 210 and i also made an overflow tank out of an old prestone jug but for some reason the fluid the came out of the motor wasnt going back in the radiator causing me to have low coolant, now my car is running 200 all the time with straight water no valve rattle no compression lost just alot of heat and i priced an overflow bottle kit from (OPG) and its $249.95 whats the problem here?>

 

200-210 with an ambient outside temp of 103 is not out of the ordinary. In order to run an overflow bottle you need to be running a radiator cap for a closed system to allow fluid to return when the system cools and forms a vacuum.

 

Excellent point, and not one we usually think about.

Modern caps are "Pressure Vacuum," but an original cap might just be a "Pressure" cap with no vacuum valve.

They look like this:



For those unfamiliar with them, I encountered a nice little explanation of them here.

- Eric