Apparently, 1964 Olds 98's did not come with coolant overflow reservoirs. Has anyone installed one that looked like it belonged there? It looks like there is plenty of room on the passenger side of the radiator for one, next to the washer reservoir.

Looking for thoughts and opinions.
Thank you

 

I installed a coolant recovery system on my 63 like a modern car. I put the tank in place of the washer fluid tank because I never use the washers, if your car doesn't have A/C there should be room for both. See my project thread, posts 128 & 129.


https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...rogress-4.html

 

Thanks Don- That jump started my brain. That might work, but eventually, I'd like to make my W/washers work again- although currently there isn't a wire or anything running to the washer pump.

I am going to look around at some aftermarket ones, in a perfect world, I want a round, semi transparent tank that will fit comfortably next to a working washer bottle.

 

There is only about a million different recovery tanks available, start looking on Ebay. I put the same recovery system on my Plymouth GTX hobby car and wound up using a long thin tank from an Isuzu!

 

Guys, I have 5 old cars with no recovery tanks and I rarely have seem any overflow on my cars?

So why is a tank needed? I know it can overflow but how often does it happen. I guess unless you have a compromised cooling system that is overheating a lot?

 

It isn't needed on an older car, as evidenced by the fact that the factory didn't install one. Older cars were not constrained by fuel mileage laws and tight engine compartments. Radiators were typically oversized and the radiator tanks were sized to provide the necessary expansion volume inside the radiator itself. Newer cars have less space, run at hotter temps for emissions reasons, and have smaller radiators to reduce frontal area and aerodynamic drag for improved fuel economy. The smaller radiator end tanks don't have this extra volume, thus the need for an overflow tank.

The problem with older cars comes when an owner who only knows new cars fills the radiator to the very top of the opening. This eliminates the designed-in expansion volume. The radiator pukes coolant when the car is shut off and the owner thinks he needs an overflow tank. If you actually look at the radiator, a factory radiator will have an embossed FILL LINE mark on the end tank near the radiator cap.

 

And then the owner is wrapped up in the never ending cycle of refilling the radiator to the top and having the radiator puke on the ground each and every time they turn off a hot engine thinking they are overheating.

 

Two advantages I see to a coolant recovery system add-on:


-filling that big factory expansion space in the radiator with more coolant to improve cooling capacity.
-eliminating the possibility of spilling poisonous ethylene glycol on the ground.

 

Well, the cars didn't overheat from the factory, so why does the cooling system need to be "improved"? Also, the ability of the cooling system to reject engine heat is a function of the area of the radiator core. I don't see how adding an additional quart of coolant to the system is going to make a measurable difference. As for spilling ethylene glycol, if the system is properly filled, nothing comes out. Frankly, I spill more when adding coolant to the radiator.

Look, if adding an expansion tank lets you sleep better at night, go for it. I haven't found the need in my older cars.

 

Maybe it will run cooler, but I have never dropped any coolant on the ground except for my error in over filling the system on a coolant change.

Once you have the correct level in your radiator it hardly ever spills over. I may be fortunate enough to own cars without impaired cooling systems.

But a well functioning maintained system should not overflow on a consistent basis. Well around here where I am at least. I cannot attest to what happens in warmer climates.

I think many overheating systems may be due to radiators that are clogged and not operating correctly.

 

The other thing that many people do not realize is that these engines are set up for the fuel that was available when they were new. Today's ethanol-laced gasoline effectively causes the engine to run lean, which causes it to run hotter. Rejetting the carb for today's fuel can help that. Similarly, using ported vacuum for the vacuum advance also increases engine temps. Try straight manifold vacuum. The factory incorporated a thermal vacuum switch on some cars to change from ported to manifold vacuum if the temp went up too much.

 

Reminds me of the talk when guys want to put a lower temp thermostat on a car.

I always thought that the lower temp was when it opened up all the way, it had nothing to do with the eventual operating temp of the car.

So for the 98 the OE temp was 180 deg but people think a 160 deg will make the car run cooler. I thought all that does is make the thermostat start to open at 160 deg and once open it's open.

For those who insist I am wrong read this:

http://www.tuneruniversity.com/blog/...the-advantage/