Board logo

header tank question again
02GF74 - 4/1/08 at 11:31 AM

crossflow with cortina rad, looking like this (no heater, only other connection is pump to manifold and expansion bottle coming off radiator neck).:
thermostat to radiator hose
thermostat to radiator hose


highest point is radiator filler.

now if I fit one of those fiester radiator cap filler thermostat housings,

would be ok to block off radiator filler - thermostat becomes the highest point?

and have the tube coming off the fiester housing going to expansion bottle ... or is it better to fit that to an expansion tank?

[Edited on 4/1/08 by 02GF74]


D Beddows - 4/1/08 at 11:42 AM

The easiest way is to fit the taller thermostat housing, block off the filler cap on the rad and fit an expansion tank/bottle (surely they're both the same thing!?)

The other way to do it is to fit a remote header tank, which is the way I'd do it but that's not as straightforward (not exactly difficult either mind you )


nitram38 - 4/1/08 at 11:44 AM

Will the fiesta housing actually be higher than the radiator?


02GF74 - 4/1/08 at 11:46 AM

quote:
Originally posted by D Beddows
an expansion tank/bottle (surely they're both the same thing!?)




Not in my world; bottle is vented to air whereas as tank has its own pressure cap.


02GF74 - 4/1/08 at 11:48 AM

quote:
Originally posted by nitram38
Will the fiesta housing actually be higher than the radiator?


dunno for sure - but since I am looking to fit 1600 engine, cylinder head will go up about 10 mm (will drop engine mounts so that exhaust hole can still be used) and when radiator neck is chopped off and sealed. it may well be.


D Beddows - 4/1/08 at 12:10 PM

Ah, in my world if it has a pressure cap it's not an expansion anything it's a header tank


David Jenkins - 4/1/08 at 12:14 PM

You're talking about the sort of setup I've got - no cap on the rad (it's ex-Polo) and an expansion bottle from the Fester thermostat housing. It works really well.

I used an expansion bottle from a Dihastu (sp?) saloon - one of the last reasonably modern cars to use an expansion bottle rather than a header tank.

I can do pictures once I get back home, if required...

David


pewe - 4/1/08 at 12:24 PM

If you have the later F27 bonnet with the bulge in it you can consider mounting the header tank on the bulkhead and plumbing it in from there. I used one from a Volvo 7 series (other Volvos use similar) as it's cylindrical and has its own mounting bracket.
Pics if you want them - let me know and I'll take some.
Cheers, Pewe


David Jenkins - 4/1/08 at 01:04 PM

Just had another look at your picture - and I can see that you may have an 'issue' if you fit the Fester thermo housing... the outlet points in a different direction to the one you've got now.

You have a choice of almost straight forward and slightly to the passenger side (leaving you with a VERY sharp s-bend in the pipe), or straight back and slightly towards the rocker cover (leaving you with an awkward u-bend.)

If you look at the mounting holes in the picture you'll see what I mean.

On my car the rad is a lot further forward (or the engine's further back!) so I was able to deal with the hose layout.


David Jenkins - 4/1/08 at 07:21 PM

Hopefully the picture below shows what I mean about where the thing points. It also shows how my expansion fits. Rescued attachment 00001.jpg
Rescued attachment 00001.jpg


Uphill Racer - 4/1/08 at 11:34 PM

Is the bowl there to bleed the radiator David? From the pic the top hose looks like it is the highest point of the system.


David Jenkins - 5/1/08 at 10:56 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Uphill Racer
Is the bowl there to bleed the radiator David?





Actually it was there so that I could drain all the coolant out so that I could replace the inlet manifold.

quote:

From the pic the top hose looks like it is the highest point of the system.


Yes it is, pretty much (still have fun getting all the airlocks out though... not looking forward to the re-filling.)


02GF74 - 7/1/08 at 09:59 AM

well, I had a closer look last night and currently the radiator neck is highest point; I could raisethe radiator by 20 mm as there is space so it seems I may be ok as is - thnaks for the replies - given me some ideas.

One more Q. though.

Should I find that the thermostat is slightly higher than the radiator neck, if I were to jack up the front end and fill up, run engine etc. does that mean there is less likely to be air trapped?

And once on the level, will there be possibility of an air lock? (can't see why as there should be no way for air to enter the system).