Coolant Reservior, what the heck?
05-16-2010, 11:30 PM
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Coolant Reservior, what the heck? I didn't know the right section to post this in but I have searched this site Google, Bing, etc and can't seem to find the answer i need.
I want to get a different coolant reservoir for my 98 t/a. Before I can buy a replacement I need to have a full understanding of how it works.
I understand as the engine heats up the fluid expands and needs somewhere to go so it goes into the reservoir, when it cools it sucks it back up into the system.
In my Saturn and many other vehicles these reservoirs need to hold pressure because the system builds pressure (I think the cap is rated at like 16psi). This makes perfect sense to me.
Where I get lost is on the Fbodies it is not pressurized...
The cap is hardly sealed. On or off the car will act the same not run cooler nor warmer.
How can this be, why does it not need to hold pressure?
What is an alternative reservoir (smaller if possible) could I use?
The reason for change is I have a light weight battery that no longer utilizes the hold down and would just assume get a smaller reservior and conceal it a bit better.
I want to get a different coolant reservoir for my 98 t/a. Before I can buy a replacement I need to have a full understanding of how it works.
I understand as the engine heats up the fluid expands and needs somewhere to go so it goes into the reservoir, when it cools it sucks it back up into the system.
In my Saturn and many other vehicles these reservoirs need to hold pressure because the system builds pressure (I think the cap is rated at like 16psi). This makes perfect sense to me.
Where I get lost is on the Fbodies it is not pressurized...
The cap is hardly sealed. On or off the car will act the same not run cooler nor warmer.
How can this be, why does it not need to hold pressure?
What is an alternative reservoir (smaller if possible) could I use?
The reason for change is I have a light weight battery that no longer utilizes the hold down and would just assume get a smaller reservior and conceal it a bit better.
05-16-2010, 11:35 PM
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The cap on the reservoir isn't pressure sealed because the tube that draws from it sucks from the bottom of the tank. As long as the level is above the tube, the radiator will always draw coolant back in it as it cools.
05-16-2010, 11:54 PM
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I understand that like I said above but how can the cooling system build any pressure if there is a built in leak (non pressurized tank)?
The higher the pressure of the cooling system, the higher the boiling point of the antifreeze/water.
The higher the pressure of the cooling system, the higher the boiling point of the antifreeze/water.
05-17-2010, 12:55 AM
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I just recalled the overflow tube while its below the cap it is above the valve in the cap so it is sealed but can breath as needed when it gets to that certain pressure. Makes sense now!
05-17-2010, 12:57 AM
#5
Its all in the radiator cap, it has two separate ways for fluid to flow. One way opens via pressure if the fluid boils, releasing coolant into the overflow. The other is a one-way check valve that opens with negative pressure caused by the coolant cooling off, which basically acts as a vacuum to allow it back into the radiator.