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Hey all! I'm new to the C-3 and Vette world in general. (I did introduce myself in the newbie section). My car is a '70 w/ the 350/350 engine and A/C. The overflow hose from the radiator goes from the filler neck directly to the ground. Is this a total loss cooling system, or am I missing an expansion tank? All help appreciated and pics would help too.
That sounds like the correct radiator for your application. Not sure what you mean by total loss. If you look carefully at the radiator near the filler neck there is a line indicating the full mark, maybe two inches below the neck. That area has air in it on a fully cold engine.
My '70 was the same setup when I got it. I added an overflow container, why? 1. if you happened to overfill the radiator a bit coolant would come out the hose when the engine was hot, the fan then blew this around the engine compartment making a mess. Make sure the hose is long enough to minimise this issue if you don't want to fit an overflow container. 2. Coolant with antifreeze is toxic but tastes sweet, so appeals to cats and dogs, I didn't want any spilt coolant being licked up by one of our pets. 3. I read somewhere that it is better to exclude as much oxygen from the coolant circuit as possible to help minimise corrosion within the engine, heater core etc.
Thanks, Haggis. By total loss I mean that the coolant is lost and just drips on the ground. There is no overflow/ expansion tank in the cooling system at all. Should there be one?
Just do it. I put one on my 68 and it works wonderful. If it gets a little warm it no longer spills water. Probably been 20 years or so.
Originally Posted by Ray Romano
Thanks, Haggis. By total loss I mean that the coolant is lost and just drips on the ground. There is no overflow/ expansion tank in the cooling system at all. Should there be one?
Ray, I used a windscreen washer plastic container for the radiator overflow, $15 c/w bracket from a wrecker and its period correct lol. If you are not worried about complete originality there will be heaps of options available from a wrecker.
FWIW maybe we need sticky that list what parts from other GM models will interchange with vette parts.
Unintended Nancy, i '70 vette radiator overflow - non std.
f you think C3 parts are expensive try C4 parts they seem to be significantly more expensive overall.
A 350/350 was a copper radiator with no expansion tank. If the radiator still has the original Harrison side tanks there is a fill cold line on the passenger side. The line is several inches below the top of the radiator. That is your built in expansion most people over fill this type of radiator.
Cooling System Overflow Tanks
