The Expansion Tank.........

Trez

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Joined
Mar 20, 2006
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Winter Springs (Orlando) Florida
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EAB 503 Powered UltraWhite-like Dom
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OK, I know the diff between an expansion/recovery tank and an overflow tank.
What I don't know is WHY we use an expansion tank on something like a 582.
Can a 'filler neck' , with a 'radiator cap', be installed inline, along with a way to 'recover' the overflow in an appropriate tank, and just forget the expansion tank? (The 'filler neck' would have a nipple for a hose to the recovery tank). There! I've said it!
Now let the bombs fall.
I'd like (I think) to hear from those who know about these things, 'cause I don't!
I'll wait to hear from you guys.........
 
HI Trez

Both do the same thing , yes you can use a filler neck with a nipple and a hose to a recovery tank

Tony
 
One VERY IMPORTANT point to bring up, a recovery bottle/tank made of plastic will deteriorate very quickly in sun light, just go to the salvage yard and check out some of them in the scrap cars that have had the hood off for a few months, you can poke your finger right thru them.

Tony
 
Trez, on my gray-head, the "expansion" tank is mounted at the highest point on the engine. I think it acts as a reservoir to provide extra coolant to keep the engine full. The radiator cap is a fill point, and a pressure relief valve. The lower, small hose nipple on the expansion tank is a steam return, from the cylinder head, to the tank. The small upper hose nipple, is the overflow water, plumbed to the overflow tank, wich is vented to the atmosphere. If the cap vents, the water is stored in the overflow tank until the engine cools. At this point it is drawn back into the expansion tank, and it starts over again.
I mounted my OVERFLOW tank on my mast, 4 inches above the engine. The o-flow tank stays dry. Check out my photos on the 'Thank You' thread under my name. Mike.:wave:
 
Trez

A long time ago I saw a neat set up on a radiator on a Subaru, it had a "T" in the radiator hose up near the thermostat and the "T" had a radiator cap and a overflow nipple, I think is was made by Rotax and had a paart number.

Tony
 
Ah, this is all Good Stuff!
Mike, I guess I just have trouble understanding why you even need the exp/tank. If a fill/neck with cap and overflow is ABOVE the engine and operating properly, why the need for the exp/tank?
Not to be argumentative, you know............:noidea:
 
Some call it an expansion tank, some a swirl tank, it's purpose is to filter out any air bubbles in the coolant lines so it needs to be at the highest point in the cooling system.

.
 
Trez

A long time ago I saw a neat set up on a radiator on a Subaru, it had a "T" in the radiator hose up near the thermostat and the "T" had a radiator cap and a overflow nipple, I think is was made by Rotax and had a paart number.

Tony

I've seen that too but it was custom made for someone with a Subaru. If the "T" is tall enough then that will work fine as a bubble separator.

.
 
KTrez

post #8 is mandatory, this bleeds the water jacket and entire system of air.

Tony
 
Trez, on my gray-head, the "expansion" tank is mounted at the highest point on the engine. I think it acts as a reservoir to provide extra coolant to keep the engine full. The radiator cap is a fill point, and a pressure relief valve. The lower, small hose nipple on the expansion tank is a steam return, from the cylinder head, to the tank. The small upper hose nipple, is the overflow water, plumbed to the overflow tank, wich is vented to the atmosphere. If the cap vents, the water is stored in the overflow tank until the engine cools. At this point it is drawn back into the expansion tank, and it starts over again.
I mounted my OVERFLOW tank on my mast, 4 inches above the engine. The o-flow tank stays dry. Check out my photos on the 'Thank You' thread under my name. Mike.:wave:

Earthbound has pretty much nailed it Trez. Many times I cussed coolant system designs and wanted to outsmart everybody. One time the engineer in charge let me do what I wanted. He knew what he was doing , and he knew I did not know everything. It was the best learning experience I ever had. When I ran into trouble , he was the first person to bail me out and help me. He never once said "I told you so" . I found it very hard to accept the fact that some designer in an office actually knew what he was talking about.

I always thought it was us guys on the shop floor building things that knew everything. I still think we are , but I now listen a bit more to the design engineer. I am a slow learner.

Earthbound has given us an engineers explanation from the shop floor that makes sense to me. Thanks. Arnie.
 
Earthbound has pretty much nailed it Trez.

Earthbound has given us an engineers explanation from the shop floor that makes sense to me. Thanks. Arnie.


******

OMG! Now you've done it! We have to live with this guy! How could you!
Do we now need to salute? Wash his shiny machine? Fix him breakfast?
I'll certainly heed what he has said but, please, don't make me have to bow!
Now I almost wish I hadn't asked.....................:eek:
 
Scott

That's exactly what I saw, thought it was a Rotax part.

Tony
 
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