Radiator overflow/reservoir prototype: Nalgene bottle

[wantatlc]

might find the reason why.....

true that...... or I could be breaking new ground ;p

but if so, I will be the first to post up about it (kinda like my failed attempt to paint my headers several months back). but as I said, confidence is high on this project.

 

[wantatlc]

UPDATE

First, I ran my tests (as per above) and had NO problems with any carrying of water or straight antifreeze in the V1 homebrew setup I built. No leaks, no noticable damage or decay, no issues.

Second, after thinking more about it, I went to the more friendly (and easier to mount and work with) square bottle rather than the round. both same size, etc.. But mounting and making my holder (already designed, half built and in the works and coming next) are sooooo much easier with a square bottle than a round one. This square option opened up some new possibilities for running the ports.

here are photos of V2 of my concept.

Actual bottle with the in port at the bottom (see it at lower right corner). Notice, on this model I did not do the overflow port. I have not decided if I am going to. Easy to add (also with 90 degree option) if I do as I might just put a small air vent in the top cap to minimize pressure.

View of the 90 degree port I used this time coming out of bottom. this way, fluid always ontop of port no matter how low the reservoir is and easier to run a hose to and easier and requires less mounting space (small foot print).

another view of the port - which seems to be totally H20 tight at this point. using a 3/8 bit makes a hole just small enough, and material at bottom is thicker, you can actualyl thread (like self tapping) the copper port into the lexan material which means a VERY snug fit and pretty water tight connection... but I still used the similar gasket setup as V1 to be safe.

 

[handcannon]

Looks really nifty! Under any average driving the vent hole in the cap will be more than adequate. But, for that one cataclysmic overheating incident that happens only once in a blue moon the heat/pressure buildup may very well be more than the plastic cap can contain and KABOOM!! Keep going with this project. I like what I see.

 

[Plowboy]

Nice idea. The size of the recovery bottle capacity will depend on the volume of the radiator. The larger the radiator, the capacity of the recovery must increase since you have more water expanding. I put in a small bottle from a Corolla and it continuely overflowed. I have a hugh radiator. Put in a bottle with a little more capacity than the stock 40 and problem solved. Hoffman Radiator in Orange make some really cool tanks for hotrods out of old GI aluminum water bottles. Looks great hanging in the Kakie Canvas GI bag

 

[wantatlc]

right now I run a stock radi. I have had the same amount in the overflow - or the overflow stays at a constant fill level - since I owned the rig so I am pretty confident that the 32 oz capacity should be okay from what I have measured and witnessed in the past.

if not..... bigger Nalgene!

 

[Mace]

(as for their more exotic lab type options I am sure I could get REI to order some oneses or twoses for me to experiment with.)

Just a FYI, REI supports the Sierra Club who tried it's best to stop you from wheelin..

 

[bsevans]

Nice job. Post up some pictures of the bottle mounted. Are you running one for the windshield washer?

 

[wantatlc]

Nice job. Post up some pictures of the bottle mounted. Are you running one for the windshield washer?

working on custom mount right now. going to rivet it togther today and will post up photos.

BTW... windshield washer?? I ain't got no stinking windshield washer on my 40... I just spit on the windshield

 

[wantatlc]

UPDATE

Here is the mount. simple, crude, effective, $2.75 in total cost from Home Depot - and totally solid! rivets holds it togther. Uses an attachment system like a money clip (best seen in the final photo) that goes over the radi support frame and is real snug.

will mount her up in the next few days after I clean up the mount (sand edges and prime/paint).

 

[TLCSKULLS]

Very Nice!

 

[camcruiser13]

hmmmmm

 

[wantatlc]

UPDATE

so I have been running it for a few weeks now. And, I can report that it works as planned. This is proof of concept for any and all doubters. Here are a few picts of it mounted and in use.

That being said, the 1 and only 'concern' I do have is that contrary to my initial thought, 32oz is a bit small. 32oz is about what I had in the original overflow as backup, so it does not leave much for expansion. becuase of that, I really think that 64oz would be best and 32oz is too small. So, now that I have proven I can make it work (solid mount, no leak, stable, etc) - I am going to try to source out a bigger square Nalgene and make a V3. In using this, I also have the bonus of it taking up less space and mounting in a place that is much better than the original cheezy reservoir. (yes, the dark lexan plastic and photos make the liquid appear much greener and heavier in anti-freeze content than it really is - look at the hose for a better indicator.)

UPDATE: FWIW, I started doing reserch on the size of radi overflow containers and see that many places (like Jegs, Whitneys, etc) sell many that are, in-fact, only 1 quart (32 oz). So, it seems that this size I picked is actaully pretty common. So, I am going to keep running it as I have and stick with the 32oz one. Maybe it was the size of the one I took out (maybe 2 quarts) that made me think you must have a larger overflow container than 32 oz - though I never called upon that much space.

 

[dustin]

I think it's going to look pretty for 2 days, then fog, crack, and you'll be back on the Summit website looking for a new one.

-Dustin

 

[wantatlc]

I think it's going to look pretty for 2 days, then fog, crack, and you'll be back on the Summit website looking for a new one.

-Dustin

seeing as how I have been running it daily for 12 days - I got your 2 days beat.. but thanks for the support - I guess you missed tha part about the weeks of tests I did on these Lexan bottles??

 

[trucruiser]

Nice job.

 

[Lupdog]

Cool idea and looks good. Could you post a pic from further back so we can see how it looks in relation to other things in the engine bay?

Thanks and nice job!

 

[camcruiser13]

walmart carries a universal puke bottle like that all hardware and mounting barckets for 10 bucks, if anyone feels lazy.




clever idea. will it crack from getting hot and cold?

 

[wantatlc]

clever idea.

thanks. I understand it is very unconventional and hard to swallow, but it is really a rather perfect container (despite size) for this need if you consider all of it's strengths (see post #1). If another company got Nalgene to make a Lexan bottle for this puropose, branded and sold it as such, I think people would never question it and roll with it.

will it crack from getting hot and cold?

well, that is the beauty of Lexan plastic. pretty balistic stuff, used heavily in the mountaineering community. thus, it can weather extreme temps (think Everest and Mohave). there was some data in my first post direct from Nalgene that quoted that these Lexan bottles can withstand great temperatures from -135ºC (-211ºF) to 135ºC (275ºF). Given that the bottle will never run up directly against these 2 temp issues (especially not the cold - as I have no top or heater and would be long dead before it mattered if encountering that type of cold), I am confident it will be no issue. I suppose the engine bay itself could reach 275 degrees, but not directly at the bottle. again, I think temp issues are not a problem.

 

[HawkDriver]

I hate nalgene bottles, they are the ultimate yupster, trendy, "I'm cool cuz I'm drinking water" bottles. I prefer the walmart knock offs myself. Now that that's out there...

Cool idea, glad it's working out for ya. I like the mount.

One question, can anyone explain to me just how exactly the liquid is supposed to manage to find it's way back past the 16 lb spring loaded oneway sealed plunger into the radiator when it's low again? I've never understood that. I see how it's an overflow res but why would there be a fill line on modern tanks. I don't get it.

Thanks.

 

[gladly]

I used a rubbermaid jug for a coolant reservoir on my honda, it lasted for the two years that I owned the car.