tt455

So like the title states looking for coolant overflow tank for my 69 442. Ty

joe_padavano

I'm afraid you'll be searching for a very long time. They don't exist. The first factory overflow tank was used in the 1972 model year. It was sold as a kit for retrofit to earlier cars, but there never was a specific tank designed for or used on the 1969 cars.

rocketraider

Keep the coolant at the correct level in the radiator with a properly functioning pressure cap and doubtful you'll need an overflow jug. OE radiator is clearly marked "FILL COLD" on the tank.

joe_padavano

Something like this.

tt455

LOL, interesting. I saw on eBay Fusick had one for like $229 so I figured they where a 1 year part because nothing really came up in my search. I should have mentioned the car has a 71 455 in it. There is a make shift plastic soda bottle hooked up in the engine bay now with coolant in there. Thanks for the information, so I guess I can put something in there.

joe_padavano

That's irrelevant. A properly operating cooling system in your car never needed an overflow tank. Today most people who have overflow problems either overfill the radiator (see post above) or have other issues (improper timing, lean mixture, undersized radiator for the engine swap).

If you're talking about this kit from Fusick, this is a reproduction of the 1972 tank. As I said, Olds marketed this as a retrofit for the 71-72 cars. Fusick is just trying to increase profits by claiming it's for the 68-72 cars.
The one thing to note in this kit is that if you DO install an overflow tank like this, you need a different radiator cap to allow the system to draw coolant back in from the tank as the radiator cools. The kit includes that cap (which you can also buy at any auto parts store).

tt455

Ok thanks Joe, I appreciate the response and information. I've had the car over a year but really I'm just getting into it now, between winter and covid it's been on the back burner. I'll go through the cooling system and figure it out. I just registered the car so I"ve been driving it around feeling it out. She runs really well the only problem so far is the gas gauge, I ran out at half a tank, lol. I filled it up and the needle is pointing at the hot light, oh well. Ty, Tom

cfair

If you have a decent junkyard nearby, these overflow tanks come in many shapes and sizes from early 70’s on. I’m using one from a 74 Eldorado in my ‘66 big cars and you’d never know they aren’t factory

RAG

I bought the '72 overflow tank kit for my '69 H/O which would boil over once in a while. I recored the radiator and use the clutch fan and shroud also. But better safe than sorry and the kit fit fine and I've never had a problem again. I also bought one for my '68 H/O.

Koda

I hung the 72 kit from fusicks on my 72 and used nuts and bolts for a cleaner install and it was a beeeehotcha to get wrenches back there.

I also have a Stealth Ghetto Bottle kit that was there previously. There may be a good black stealth bottle kit out there to make it look like it doesn't have one.

tt455

Thank you, I just bought a 72 overflow tank from a member.