c3 expansion tanks
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 935
Likes: 20
From: Indianapolis Indiana
c3 expansion tanks
I was reading online that the 68-72 big blocks all had an expansion tank. Either the silver aluminum one or the brass one for AC cars.
Why did they have them in the first place?
Is it because of the mounting angle of the radiator?
Do any other cars have this expansion tank also?
All the classic cars I had all had a radiator cap on the radiator.
thanks, was just wondering
jim
Why did they have them in the first place?
Is it because of the mounting angle of the radiator?
Do any other cars have this expansion tank also?
All the classic cars I had all had a radiator cap on the radiator.
thanks, was just wondering
jim
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
Likes: 315
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
All radiators need an expansion tank. Most of the time the tank is an integral part of the radiator, thus the pressure-rated cap is on the radiator. Big block and high performance small blocks needed more square inches of radiator tubes to dissipate the engine heat generated. There was no room on top of the radiator so the tank with cap was remotely located. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.
Last edited by Faster Rat; Jun 26, 2017 at 01:42 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,729
Likes: 2,579
All radiators need an expansion area, not necessarily a tank. The corvettes without a tank had a radiator fill line about 2" below the neck thus the top rows of the radiator were the expansion area. No other GM cars used tanks, they did have expansion areas, until 1973 when they went to a sealed radiator cap and return bottle.
Last edited by MelWff; Jun 26, 2017 at 03:25 PM.
