Homemade Coolant Recovery Tank

[threewood]

Got bored and made this tank for my car. No catch can on my 1962 and noticed it likes a bit of breathing room in the radiator. Added this tank and now radiator stays full. Pretty cool how it sucks fluid back in lol

Used extra 2 1/2" exhaust pipe and welded the ends shut with 18 ga metal. Drilled a hole for hose (ran to the bottom of tank) and a small hole to let air escape. Added a couple rings of cut intertube to the tank to keep it from rubbing paint off.

Made a bracket with a tab that bolted to lower pass side mounting bolt. 2 1/2" hose clamp goes around the tank and captures the tab. Tightened up there is little movement. Size of tank is 10" tall, 2 1/2" diameter = .84 quarts. Fits neatly between the bottom radiator support and horns.

 

[RustyRatRod]

That's purdy cool!

 

[j par]

Nice goin, way to fab it!!

 

[the67fish]

Old, used, discarded small fire extinguishers are good to use, just have to be able to weld aluminum. A/C dryer bottles work good too...once again aluminum, cut two in half and weld the closed ends together and put whatever fittings you need on it.

 

[clifftt]

Looks like something original back in the day. Nicely done!

 

[threewood]

Thanks! I don't have a tig setup to weld aluminum, so scrap steel was my medium. I could probably get 3" diameter but would have to cut the height down to clearance the horns, it is pretty tight down there. Cost was free. I do have a propane bottle that would work but the darn thing refuses to go empty, seems like I have been using it for years lol.

 

[Darter6]

I've seen Jack Daniel bottles with a hole drilled in the cap and held in place with a hose clamp

I have a propane bottle from the defunked Montgomery Wards that I truly believe refills it's self.Has to be over 40 years old.

 

[gtsdude]

Nice! looks factory.

 

[TrailBeast]

Check out this recovery tank that I made out of a shotgun shell thermos.
It's plumbed in from the bottom, and if it ever overflows the coolant passes between the layers and comes out the bottom because I drilled a vent just down inside the neck to let that happen.

With a 26 inch radiator it needs all of that volume.