I have a 2001 LS1 motor in my Mazda. I'm making a custom radiator for my application, and I want to make sure I route all the hoses correctly. On the motor, I have:

* The water pump outlet
* The water pump inlet
* The front steam vent tube

On the chassis, I have the overflow bottle. As is the case in Corvettes, my radiator will sit low enough that the fill cap can't be on the radiator body. I'll need another location to fill the system. I want to make sure that the system will purge air from the radiator and the motor. So I'm asking what connections I need to make between the motor, radiator, and fill tank to make this work.

Thanks,

-ch

 

Man, I know I'm late to this, but I'm in the same boat (I have a 240sx) and the radiator sits a little lower than the heads, but I've been driving about 150 miles w/ no problems. I have my steam tube 'T' capped off w/ no problems...yet. Everyone seems to act like it's a big deal.

But, as far as finding some good info here...probably not going to happen. The only people who know anything only know what applies to the factory junk, so unless we figure this out ourselves, we're up **** creek. Let me know if you've figured it out and I'll do the same.

 

Hey, so I figured this out. Here's what you have to do:

1) Get an expansion tank (I used a Canton) that has three fittings: one on the cap (vent), one on the side, and a large one at the bottom
2) Connect the large one on the bottom to the radiator body or one of the hoses. I welded a fitting onto my radiator body near the outlet tube.
3) Connect the upper fitting to the steam vent tube that's just behind and to the right of the throttle body
4) Connect the vent tube on the cap fitting to the overflow bottle.

I've tested this and it works great! I used this Canton tank:

http://www.cantonracingproducts.com/...ion_tanks.html



Just make sure the top of the tank is higher than the water pump and steam tube so the air will stagnate at the top of the tank.

-ch