radiator overflow
I'm using a round universal billet aluminum overflow tank. Works great and looks good too. Mine is similar to these. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/o...SABEgJHtPD_BwE
Depends on the situation. Sometimes I use the stock overflow, sometimes I buy something that fits a space and sometimes I make something. All depends on the space I have, budget, time and what look I'm going for.
* On the cheap there are several sellers with the hot rod stainless tube design that don't cost a bunch, usually around $25 or so. Quality is decent on these and they all seem to work well enough. Probably come from the same factory, you know the drill...
* Some offer a billet version of above $$$
* For as much as you wish to spend some places sell fabricated aluminum tanks similar to what was built by showdog75. For those personally I've never been able to get the combination of fittings, size and budget to align for my build needs.
* If you have the skills you could build something (my favourite).
* Last but not least is the humble factory plastic overflow which works well depending on your goals and budget (assuming you already have it).
* On the cheap there are several sellers with the hot rod stainless tube design that don't cost a bunch, usually around $25 or so. Quality is decent on these and they all seem to work well enough. Probably come from the same factory, you know the drill...
* Some offer a billet version of above $$$
* For as much as you wish to spend some places sell fabricated aluminum tanks similar to what was built by showdog75. For those personally I've never been able to get the combination of fittings, size and budget to align for my build needs.
* If you have the skills you could build something (my favourite).
* Last but not least is the humble factory plastic overflow which works well depending on your goals and budget (assuming you already have it).
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 99
Likes: 2
I'm using a round universal billet aluminum overflow tank. Works great and looks good too. Mine is similar to these. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/o...SABEgJHtPD_BwE
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 99
Likes: 2
Depends on the situation. Sometimes I use the stock overflow, sometimes I buy something that fits a space and sometimes I make something. All depends on the space I have, budget, time and what look I'm going for.
* On the cheap there are several sellers with the hot rod stainless tube design that don't cost a bunch, usually around $25 or so. Quality is decent on these and they all seem to work well enough. Probably come from the same factory, you know the drill...
* Some offer a billet version of above $$$
* For as much as you wish to spend some places sell fabricated aluminum tanks similar to what was built by showdog75. For those personally I've never been able to get the combination of fittings, size and budget to align for my build needs.
* If you have the skills you could build something (my favourite).
* Last but not least is the humble factory plastic overflow which works well depending on your goals and budget (assuming you already have it).
* On the cheap there are several sellers with the hot rod stainless tube design that don't cost a bunch, usually around $25 or so. Quality is decent on these and they all seem to work well enough. Probably come from the same factory, you know the drill...
* Some offer a billet version of above $$$
* For as much as you wish to spend some places sell fabricated aluminum tanks similar to what was built by showdog75. For those personally I've never been able to get the combination of fittings, size and budget to align for my build needs.
* If you have the skills you could build something (my favourite).
* Last but not least is the humble factory plastic overflow which works well depending on your goals and budget (assuming you already have it).
If you don't have a radiator yet, I would do some research on a surge tank vs overflow. It really depends on what your long term plans are imo. I personally won't do another swap without a surge tank.
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Teching In
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 16
Likes: 3
Same input from me. When my swap first got started, I just had a universal overflow bottle. I tried running the steam port to the top of the water pump, and tapped into the upper radiator hose. I had cooling issues where it was constantly running about 230-240ish. Swapped in a surge tank from a late model colorado and ran the steam hose to it, and had the surge tank dump into the heater hose. The engine temps seemed to like it a lot more. I eventually made my own to replace the colorado unit for probably about 150$ and a couple sunday afternoons of work. All this said, my swap is cramped into a heavy truck with a small radiator and climate that's typically around 100 degrees, so I needed the extra cooling capacity. I might not have had the issue if would have been able to direct the steam port into the radiator, but I didn't have the option.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 99
Likes: 2
I do have a radiator already. It seems to cool everything fine even in texas summer heat. Just need to stop dumping antifreeze on the ground and having to fill up again
As for surge tanks, I have been swapping LS engines for close to 20 years and put several hundred thousand miles on them, without one and have had zero cooling problems.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 99
Likes: 2
If its cooling fine, then don't refill it. Not saying to not add an overflow, but it isn't completely necessary. Old school cooling systems that didn't have overflow bottles were not designed to have the radiator completely full, the full line was a few inches down from the radiator cap so that the expanding coolant has somewhere to go. If you overfill one they will puke out what they cant hold, then once its puked out the excess, it wont do it again. The overflow bottle just gives the expanding coolant a place to go until the system cools down again, so really you don't have much extra coolant with a system with an overflow since coolant hanging around in an overflow bottle isn't helping cool anything.
As for surge tanks, I have been swapping LS engines for close to 20 years and put several hundred thousand miles on them, without one and have had zero cooling problems.
As for surge tanks, I have been swapping LS engines for close to 20 years and put several hundred thousand miles on them, without one and have had zero cooling problems.
That's an interesting observation. hadn't thought about it like that. I was worried about possibly getting an air bubble induced into the system but I guess if the cap is sealed, it will minimize the risk of that.