Coolant overflow catch can, NHRA rules...
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,089
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From: West Linn, Oregon
Coolant overflow catch can, NHRA rules... Hey guys,
In an effort to remove weight I pulled the stock battery mount/overflow tank. and I was planning on either making up a catch can or buying one, and wanted to know the rules first...
I searched and found a reference to it in the sticky , but that only said:
Is that really the only thing in the rules about it? I have head of guys getting hassled for one reason or another about it so I just want to be sure I do it right the first time...
Also, I was thinking about making it vented and recirculationg since that is how our stock systems appear to be, is that OK for the rules when putting in a non-stock catch can?
Thanks,
John
In an effort to remove weight I pulled the stock battery mount/overflow tank. and I was planning on either making up a catch can or buying one, and wanted to know the rules first...
I searched and found a reference to it in the sticky , but that only said:
-All cars must have a catch can for radiator overflow of at least 1 pint. These must be securely fastened (bolted or clamped). Factory overflow in most late-models is fine.
Also, I was thinking about making it vented and recirculationg since that is how our stock systems appear to be, is that OK for the rules when putting in a non-stock catch can?
Thanks,
John
You can have a recirculating can, that is fine. I would run at least a quart though.
Personally I mounted mine in the spare tire well, this way if the car does overflow it will not overflow the can and hit the tires. I didn't hook mine up to recirculate, I just drain it after every run, and top the radiator off on a regular basis. Now that I can't run anything other then water, I'm not overly concerned with the coolant/water mixture. I just know I have to drain out at least a gallon and a half in the fall, and refill with water for the winter if the motor is in the car still.
Personally I mounted mine in the spare tire well, this way if the car does overflow it will not overflow the can and hit the tires. I didn't hook mine up to recirculate, I just drain it after every run, and top the radiator off on a regular basis. Now that I can't run anything other then water, I'm not overly concerned with the coolant/water mixture. I just know I have to drain out at least a gallon and a half in the fall, and refill with water for the winter if the motor is in the car still.
If you end up making one and don't run it in the rear of the car, I would advise you to put a fitting on the side near the top of your overflow can. Then run a hose off that to the rear of the car. If your overflow can ever gets full it will go out that hose and to the rear hopefully. You don't want coolant under your tires.
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,089
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From: West Linn, Oregon
Thanks guys, I never thought about relocating it, what type of hose do you guys use to run all the way back the rear? And has anyone ever done a recirculating can in the rear, if so how well did it work?
I had my can hooked up to recirculate, it does work. I just use the amount of water that goes into the tank as a guage if there's any pressurization occuring, and by draining it every run, I know what I should be getting back there. It's a good way to keep an eye on head gaskets.
I just ran a regular piece of fuel line, it's worked out fine. Ran it right thru the firewall by the computer and along the floor on the passnegers side to the spare tire well. I hooked up a hose that goes out the bottom of the spare tire well. I will probably adda 2nd fitting to the hose so that way if more hten a qt were to make it into the bottle (in the event I lose a head gasket, because only a shot glass gets back there now) the coolant will have somewhere to go other then all over the trunk.
I just ran a regular piece of fuel line, it's worked out fine. Ran it right thru the firewall by the computer and along the floor on the passnegers side to the spare tire well. I hooked up a hose that goes out the bottom of the spare tire well. I will probably adda 2nd fitting to the hose so that way if more hten a qt were to make it into the bottle (in the event I lose a head gasket, because only a shot glass gets back there now) the coolant will have somewhere to go other then all over the trunk.
I ran poly-flo lines for all my stuff just because I had it. Regular fuel rubber hose also will work fine as mentioned above.
Mine is not hooked up to recirculate. I just add it back in the radiator if need be.
Mine is not hooked up to recirculate. I just add it back in the radiator if need be.
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From: Gainesville, Florida # of drag strips runs: ?!?!?
The rule is just as you referenced it. The NHRA doesn't require a specific style, but at some tracks I've seen a gatorade bottle clamped in place with a good hose arrangement work and pass tech. Would I reccommend this, nope! But it does leave plenty open to interpret.
Derek
Derek
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A street car definitely needs a recirculating can setup.. I didn't have a recirculating setup on my race car and when I drove it on the street it would over flow the catch can and over heat.. I got tired of emptying the can after every pass so I hooked it up to recirculate and its so much easier to deal with now.
