Hot Coolant Expansion Question
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,955
Likes: 161
From: PNW
Don't overfill the surge tank. Adjust the coolant level per the owner's manual and you won't have to worry about it.
I put the level at the "FULL COLD" mark, located at the front of the surge tank ... never have a problem with it.
I put the level at the "FULL COLD" mark, located at the front of the surge tank ... never have a problem with it.
Last edited by ZeeOSix; Feb 6, 2011 at 09:39 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,955
Likes: 161
From: PNW
The tank is designed to be able to take all the expansion IF you have the level adjusted correctly in the first place, like I've described above.
If the coolant gets any hotter to cause the tank to fill it's volume completely when it was originally adjusted correctly, then you're gonna have bells and whistles and gauges pegged telling you to stop driving!
If you fill it too full and get it too hot, then I think hot coolant is going to puke out the pressure cap. Remember, it vents to ATM to maintain the correct pressure in the system.
Make sure the level is correct when the coolant is cold and you will never have a problem.
Last edited by ZeeOSix; Feb 6, 2011 at 09:52 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,820
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
The tank is designed to be able to take all the expansion IF you have the level adjusted correctly in the first place, like I've described above.
If the coolant gets any hotter to cause the tank to fill it's volume completely when it was originally adjusted correctly, then you're gonna have bells and whistles and gauges pegged telling you to stop driving!
If you fill it too full and get it too hot, then I think hot coolant is going to puke out the pressure cap. Remember, it vents to ATM to maintain the correct pressure in the system.
Make sure the level is correct when the coolant is cold and you will never have a problem.
If the coolant gets any hotter to cause the tank to fill it's volume completely when it was originally adjusted correctly, then you're gonna have bells and whistles and gauges pegged telling you to stop driving!
If you fill it too full and get it too hot, then I think hot coolant is going to puke out the pressure cap. Remember, it vents to ATM to maintain the correct pressure in the system.
Make sure the level is correct when the coolant is cold and you will never have a problem.
Bill
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,100
Likes: 17
From: Somers, CT and Clermont, FL
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
The pressure cap is designed to release excessive cooling system pressure. It will also eliminate overfilled coolant as well, if the system pressure exceeds 18 PSI, with the surge tank in an overfilled condition.
