I am considering adding a pressurized overflow coolant tank to all my Fulvias. The local radiator shop can weld in some new pipettes out of the standard Fulvia radiator, as well as blocking the current overflow pipette.
What have other people done in this regard? And I mean a metal tank, with a pressurized cap to contain pressure, not a plastic overflow tank that would be connected to the current overflow fitting.
Coolant overflow fixes
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Huib
Re: Coolant overflow fixes
What would be the advantage, Jay? Apart from withdrawing funds and time from restoring thus rescuing another Fulvia and thus possibly keeping me out of misschief.
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P. de R. Leclercq
Re: Coolant overflow fixes
Well, a bit off topic, but in my Fulvia, I fitted a crossflow radiator, which is a about a third of the weight of the rather silly standard item. Many of these appear to have steel fins (!!!) I have certainly seen plenty of rotten ones. I used a header tank from an old Jaguar which fed a T-piece situated between the "bottom" of the radiator and the water pump inlet.
The system is completely reliable and the car uses virtually no water (quite unusual for a Fulvia).
Paul
The system is completely reliable and the car uses virtually no water (quite unusual for a Fulvia).
Paul
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Jay Hinton
Re: Coolant overflow fixes
Huib, the reason to add a overflow container of some sort, is that inevitably, I either add one or have to carry additional coolant in the trunk.....its better to solve the problem directly, wouldn't you think? I don't think its going to be very expensive, so you can still locate and restore all the Fulviae you can find. Plus, you can have bragging rights when selling these cars, as featuring "New and Improved cooling systems by Huib".......
Paul, so you just added a alloy, (alluminum) T-fitting inline with the lower tank fitting and then a single line up to the header tank, which I suppose you must have mounted to the left front area, as there wouldn't be much space or sense in placing it on the right front side. Actually, that arraignment is similar to Alfa 1750-2000 series 105 cars....
Paul, so you just added a alloy, (alluminum) T-fitting inline with the lower tank fitting and then a single line up to the header tank, which I suppose you must have mounted to the left front area, as there wouldn't be much space or sense in placing it on the right front side. Actually, that arraignment is similar to Alfa 1750-2000 series 105 cars....
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Huib
Re: Coolant overflow fixes
A T fitting in the heater return line or mounting the later bleed thingy with the M12 plug upside down and use an M12 banjo might do the trick.
I have put a half full 5 liter coolant container behind the head lights and put the overflow hose in there. The hose goes to the bottom. Any steam coming from the radiator condenses immediately. Also coolant coming from the radiator is collected in the can. When the coolant cools down, coolant is sucked back into the radiator as the radiator cap has a two way valve.
I have been told field marshall Rommel used this on his tanks in the North African desert. Did not help him much in the end but in my Fulvia's case it works very well. It does not use any coolant and the radiator is always full to the rim.
On modern cars which have a thermostat that opens at a much higher temperature it might be different as the coolant temperature is nearer to the boiling point.
I have put a half full 5 liter coolant container behind the head lights and put the overflow hose in there. The hose goes to the bottom. Any steam coming from the radiator condenses immediately. Also coolant coming from the radiator is collected in the can. When the coolant cools down, coolant is sucked back into the radiator as the radiator cap has a two way valve.
I have been told field marshall Rommel used this on his tanks in the North African desert. Did not help him much in the end but in my Fulvia's case it works very well. It does not use any coolant and the radiator is always full to the rim.
On modern cars which have a thermostat that opens at a much higher temperature it might be different as the coolant temperature is nearer to the boiling point.
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Peter Cripps
Re: Coolant overflow fixes
I have a similar arragement to the one Huib describes, although my overflow container is only about 1 litre. There is no need to seal the container; in fact it should *not* be sealed.
When cooling system pressure exceeds the cap rating, water is forced into the overflow container. As the engine cools down, negative pressure in the cooling system draws water from the container back into the radiator. Works well, and as Huib says, the radiator is always full to the brim.
You do have to have a cap with a 2-way valve, although I think most caps these days are like that.
Peter
When cooling system pressure exceeds the cap rating, water is forced into the overflow container. As the engine cools down, negative pressure in the cooling system draws water from the container back into the radiator. Works well, and as Huib says, the radiator is always full to the brim.
You do have to have a cap with a 2-way valve, although I think most caps these days are like that.
Peter
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Huib
Re: Coolant overflow fixes
All caps I have seen have a 2-way valve. I think it is necessary as underpressure can be as harmful as overpressure.
I can only see one reason for increasing the pressure rating of the system and that is to increase boiling point. The system was designed for plain water with possibly anti freeze. Modern coolants already have a higher boiling point.
I can only see one reason for increasing the pressure rating of the system and that is to increase boiling point. The system was designed for plain water with possibly anti freeze. Modern coolants already have a higher boiling point.
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P. de R. Leclercq
Re: Coolant overflow fixes
Hello Jay.
Actually, I have a steel T-piece that I made out of some old FIAT parts - too poor for aluminium!
No lower tank. The Jag header tank is mounted on the right-hand side flitch (!) the Fulvia is not a big car and I have other stuff for the fuel-injection on the left-hand one. When I win the lottery, I will replace the horrid steel Jag tank with a specially made aluminium tank - and of course replace the steel T-piece too. Also I will do another thing I have wanted to do for ages, that is to fit an electric water pump (you can find them on Renault buses in the scarp yards I am told). This would be thermostatically controlled and save more power. I will convert the original so that I have a mechanical Lucas fuel pump for the injection etc., etc., etc...
Paul
Actually, I have a steel T-piece that I made out of some old FIAT parts - too poor for aluminium!
No lower tank. The Jag header tank is mounted on the right-hand side flitch (!) the Fulvia is not a big car and I have other stuff for the fuel-injection on the left-hand one. When I win the lottery, I will replace the horrid steel Jag tank with a specially made aluminium tank - and of course replace the steel T-piece too. Also I will do another thing I have wanted to do for ages, that is to fit an electric water pump (you can find them on Renault buses in the scarp yards I am told). This would be thermostatically controlled and save more power. I will convert the original so that I have a mechanical Lucas fuel pump for the injection etc., etc., etc...
Paul
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Tony Kovacevic
Re: Coolant overflow fixes
My HF has a simple overflow system as per Peter's description. It has worked perfectly for the 10 years I have owned the car. My car has a 13lb coolant return radiator cap, then, from the original radiator overflow fitting, a rubber hose which runs to a 1litre container, which is fixed to the right hand inner guard behind the headlight. I have had no coolant loss. A final point, I drain and flush the cooling system every 2 years and add fresh coolant, as all coolants break down over time and this in turn, promotes corrosive electrolysis.