How does teh overflow work?

95snoozer

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Dec 14, 2002

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Mar 21, 2004

#1

• Mar 21, 2004

• #1

I know the radiator cap is rated 16 psi,
when the perssure and heat build up, water is allowed to push past the cap and travel into the overflow (hence what the water doeswhen the motor gets warmed up and the water reaches the hot level.

now how does it go back down to the warm level. what allows the water to go from the overflow back into the radiator?

laws of physics would require some kind of vacuum to draw it UP into it, so does the waterpump create the vacuum that sucks water back in or what?

or does it have to do with atmospheric pressures inside the radiator and collant passages versus the normal atmospheric condition?

if so the coolant could come from anywhere or is there some kind of design in our stock overflow tanks?

also, will the coolant level sensor throw any kind of code other than just the "coolant low" light?

some of you might actually know what I am thinking about doing

thanks for your input guys

 

blown93feature

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Dec 9, 2003

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living on edge like the motor

Mar 21, 2004

#2

• Mar 21, 2004

• #2

If you have ever noticed that when the car is running the fluid passes by the filler oppening for the rad.When the system is up to temp and the pressure increases due to air and rising temp which causes the fluid to expand than it expells the overflow to the overflow tank by the way of the pressure relief valve at the cap.There is two gaskets in a pressure reliefe cap a lower and upper.When the pressure builds it pushes up the upper gasket to allow the fluid to passThen as the fluid temp drops,the liquid contracts and is pulled back into the rad by whats known as vac as the fluid retracts and the vac is started (around .05inches of mercury) and pulls the cap's middle gasket down and allows the fluid to return to the rad.

There is two kinds of radiator caps(overflow and non overflow)

 

95snoozer

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#3

• Mar 21, 2004

• #3

thanks

that is what I needed to know I know that lower part of the cap was loaded for that but was wondering what caused the vacuum

 

blown93feature

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Mar 21, 2004

#4

• Mar 21, 2004

• #4

no problem.

 

95snoozer

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#5

• Mar 21, 2004

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so you know what I am leaning toward doing? I have heard of it being done on some foxes

 

mytight95

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Apr 11, 2003

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Dothan,Al

Mar 21, 2004

#6

• Mar 21, 2004

• #6

please tell us. adding a catch can or what

jason

 

95snoozer

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#7

• Mar 21, 2004

• #7

well.... I removed the windshield wiper fluid resevior which weighes practically nothing when you have nothing in it.

only reason for removing it was boredom and everytime I get an oil change, they fill it back up first thing before I can stop them.

but I find the placement of the stock overflow tank to be a PAI, not only that but the wires to the PCM, which you remount anyways when doing wire hiding.

I am gonna look at running the overflow tube to a moddified wiper fluid tank in the fender and removing the upper and lower tank brackets, relocating the wire, and making a looot more room between the radiator and the accessories

 

randomjoker

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Mar 21, 2004

#8

• Mar 21, 2004

• #8

sounds like a project to me :/

 

95snoozer

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#9

• Mar 21, 2004

• #9

its rather easy....

if you have messed wiht either you will see how.

I will be sure to doccument and maybe make a page for anyone who would like to follow suit.

I intend on having my car forever, it will be so modified when its ever sold this wont be an issue in resale.

 

Zero Signal

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Feb 24, 2003

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Mar 22, 2004

#10

• Mar 22, 2004

• #10

Dude, that was my b i a t c h! J/K

One of these days I'll get off my butt and do that. I think it would only take mild MacGuyver skills and about $5.

 

randomjoker

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Mar 22, 2004

#11

• Mar 22, 2004

• #11

95snoozer said:

its rather easy....

if you have messed wiht either you will see how.

I will be sure to doccument and maybe make a page for anyone who would like to follow suit.

I intend on having my car forever, it will be so modified when its ever sold this wont be an issue in resale.

Click to expand...

I noticed your sig you said you took off your front sway bar... you never have it on? is this bad in any sort of way?

 

95snoozer

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#12

• Mar 22, 2004

• #12

um.... how big are your balls?

jk

it deifintely rolls alot, but it scares people when I tap it next to them... or so they say. even faster cars. you have to take turnaround slower.... 30-35 and no 30 mph 90 degree turns into the fast food joint. but if you are a reasonable normal driver and dont drive like a 16 y/o then you should be just fine, just more front roll.

it makes bumps in the road smoother and rail road tracks are softer

weight transfer is badass, completely stock suspension

and this is just at the end of a burnout, not a launch.
the waterbox boy has sworn it pulls the front right a tiny bit but I highly doubt that.

 

95snoozer

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Mar 22, 2004

#13

• Mar 22, 2004

• #13

Zero Signal said:

Dude, that was my b i a t c h! J/K

One of these days I'll get off my butt and do that. I think it would only take mild MacGuyver skills and about $5.

Click to expand...

I did it tonight, well most of it. I dremeled out theopening of the resevior and took the overflow tank cap and level sensor off and put it on the new tank it fits just right so it will still have a working light

I will install it tomorrow, take pics and do a full write up