Little update on coolant and heating...

[david-b]

As you all know I had a problem with the car under heating and all. Replaced thermostat and then the heat didn't work. Flushed system and installed new coolant tank and it worked fine. Yesterday, the heat stopped working.

I figured it all out then. I've noticed after I drive and I park somewhere, there is then a puddle of coolant under my car on the coolant tank side. I didn't think anything of it considering I overflowed it a lot when I did it. Then the heat went out, so I knew something was up.

On the new tank, there was no pipe inside the tank to suck it back inside the radiator. I thought because the thing was so air tight, that it became like a vacuum and would suck it back in. Well, it didn't do that. So the overflow tank would fill up, and then spill out because it wouldnt get sucked back inside. So i took a little piece of pipe and put inside the tank going to the botoom and connected it to the pipe going to the exit pipe from coming from the thermostat housing. It was a perfect size, filled it up, and now it works perfect.

So basically, if you buy an aftermarket coolant tank, make sure you put something in there that will help the engine suck the coolant back in from the tank to the engine. That was my story.

[Mikelb]

glad you got it figured out

[david-b]

New question now. I've got the little hose going from the input into the tank. However, the hose that I used keeps getting blown out of the input hole. It fits great, but the pressure shoots it out. How do you think I could get it to stay in there. I keep having to open the tank and fish it out and stick it back in there. Any suggestions.

[Mikelb]

small clamp, or ziptie... I b/l the ziptie would be the best way

[david-b]

But it's inside the tank. I'll try to get a pic up by later today. Hard to explain.

The hose comes from the thermostat housing to the overflow tank. I took the little hose and stuck it into the tank and the other end into the hose coming from the thermostate. I'm thinking as I'm writing this that I may want to try a longer hose so that the little hose is right up to the thermostate housing. Then it'll be wedged between the bottom of the overflow tank and the larger hose and housing. Again, hard to explain but I think I may try that when I get home.

[Mikelb]

oh ok, I'm sry... I thought you meant the one connected to the reservoir cap. hm... I b/l you could still ziptie it in there...

Take one and attach it to the reservoir neck, another to the hose, and one to connect the two,

(I don't know how to explain that anymore... I'm sry if you don't get it, but it makes sense in my head)

[david-b]

Yeah, it doesn't make sense much there. But I know my situation is hard to explain to. I'll take a picture later and show you what I mean. I think the longer hose will work so that it goes INSIDE the hose coming from the thermostat. It'll be wedged between the housing and the bottom of the overflow tank.

Will there a problem using a smaller hose like that? The small hose will block a lot of flow of the larger coming from the housing to the overflow tank. Is that going to cause a problem??

[Mikelb]

Yeah, I'm trying to think of something... but I can't without seeing it... if you could post some pics, maybe I could help ya out

[david-b]

Ok, my idea worked. Just tried it out. I ran a little hose inside the bigger one from the thermostate housing to inside the over flow tank. Haven't tested it yet, but it's tight in there so the pressure isn't going to shoot it out or back in. I actually had to muscle it to get it where I wanted it to. Here's the pictures. Sorry for the bay being so dirty. It's cold outside.

Little hose I put inside the overflow tank.

Little hose (white ring) coming up into the thermostate housing sitting flush with the opening.

Adds a little something to the bay.

[Mikelb]

Niiice... I wish you luck...