coolant tank/battery tray broke
#2
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DORMAN Part # 603116 , is still available for around $24. This is only the tank, so you will need to transfer over parts from the old unit.
So after you get some new coolant recovery tanks you'll want to make a couple of L bracketsshaped to go from the hold down bolt at the at the base of the battery, then up over the top of the battery to one of the bolts roughly centered up in front of the battery. What I used was at least 1/8" thick steel, not aluminum. This will stop you from breaking the lower mount location on the new coolant recovery tanks.
Here's a photo of a YearOne bracket they used to make for that very purpose. I don't think they make them anymore, but it'll give you a very good idea of the bend you'll need to make in some metal to build you own.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/gearbox-yea...s/b/bhfblk.png
Here's the bracket that I made yrs ago.
So after you get some new coolant recovery tanks you'll want to make a couple of L bracketsshaped to go from the hold down bolt at the at the base of the battery, then up over the top of the battery to one of the bolts roughly centered up in front of the battery. What I used was at least 1/8" thick steel, not aluminum. This will stop you from breaking the lower mount location on the new coolant recovery tanks.
Here's a photo of a YearOne bracket they used to make for that very purpose. I don't think they make them anymore, but it'll give you a very good idea of the bend you'll need to make in some metal to build you own.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/gearbox-yea...s/b/bhfblk.png
Here's the bracket that I made yrs ago.
Last edited by 99Bluz28; 09-18-2014 at 09:19 PM.
#3
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You could still get the bottle from GM as recently as last year. It's only the bottle though, no grommet for the overflow tube. So you'll need to transfer that grommet over....I tried to order a new one from GM, but no luck.
#4
I gave up replacing that pos battery hold down I simply cut a piece of wood about 1 inch x 1 inch 6 inches long and sit it in frt of the battery where plastic has broken off. Works just as well when you tighten the hold down. Been doing this since the 3rd replacement tray broke 10 years ago.
#5
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I wonder what causes these to break so often for certain people? The original one on my low mileage '98 is still fine after 16 years, and the one on my '02 was just starting to crack a bit after 12 years and 100k+ miles (I only ordered a replacement bottle to have on hand for when it broke completely).
#6
I don't know but every LS1 car I've bought ( 6 ) have been broken. I suspect the battery case size and how tight you make the hold down bolt. Once that plastic gets heated up its prone to cracking if there is a lot of pressure on that tang. The wooden piece I use pushes against the metal body instead of the plastic and holds it solid.
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There are not even any boneyards around here to check for these, and even IF there were, they would NOT have even ONE 4th gen LS1 f body there to pick it from.
I am wondering if ANY of those Dorman replacement PCV grommets you see in all of the chain stores would work??
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#8
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I ended up selling the car before ever needing to install the new bottle so I didn't ever test this.