Re: Metal coolant bottle

["David Teitelbaum <jtrealty@xxxx>" <jtrealty@xxxx>]

When I installed a metal coolant header bottle on my car I also 
thought it would be neat to have a sight gauge to see the fluid level. 
I couldn't find any clear tubing that would take the heat and 
pressure. What I ended up doing was running a tube from the overflow 
fitting under the pressure cap to an overflow bottle. Now the coolant 
system is always presureized so it cannot foam and I can always see 
the level and even add some without opening the coolant system. This 
is exactly how it is now done on all modern cars. My advice would be 
to plug the fittings that go to the sight glass hose and install an 
overflow bottle. Be careful with the fitting under the pressure cap. 
On my bottle it was only a press fit so it can come loose. I 
reinstalled it with some silicone for a leakproof seal since it is 
under slight pressure and vacuum.
David Teitelbaum
vin 10757



--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Mark Noeltner <mark@xxxx> wrote:
> I just got a metal coolant bottle in with some other parts that I 
bought.
> It's aluminum, with welded connections. It also has a piece of 
tubing
> installed that lets you check the level of coolant in the bottle 
without
> opening it. Picture:
> http://www.buffalochips.org/delorean/water-bottle.jpg
> 
> 1. Who sold this originally? Just curious, as it doesn't really 
matter.
> 
> 2. The tubing for the level check is getting pretty yellowed. Does 
anyone
> know where I can get some 3/8" ID clear tubing that will handle the
> temperatures and pressures of a cooling system? This is a fairly 
heavy
> walled tubing. Much heavier than what I'm finding at the local 
hardware
> stores. Plus, what I've located so far has a max temp of 165 deg 
(plus or
> minus a few degrees depending on who made it). I was figuring 250 to 
300
> deg with at least 25 lbs of pressure to be on the safe side.
> 
> It is only a 4" piece of tubing, so it may be that they used the 165 
deg
> stuff figuring that a short piece like that would hold up fine.
> 
> Anybody know anything about this bottle? My original plastic bottle 
has
> been holding up great, but I figured I would install this alum 
bottle this
> winter to play it safe.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Mark N
> VIN 6820