Ok, another coolant reservoir discussion

[Rapid Red]

IMO, the factory and all aftermarket choices just look totally ugly…

I’m really surprised at this stage that no one in the aftermarket or even some guys on here have not designed a better coolant overflow bottle; instead of being an ugly tank mounted at the top, why not one that is designed to be vertical and hug the fan shroud…. OR be placed in another location where it is still easily accessible, BUT isn’t just “right in your face” after opening the hood.

There has to be a better way…

You are wrong on that, the football is bad, but the Steeda-type is a big improvement.

What is a better location do you think it would/could be? Love to read that. Hell, folks bitch about the simple task of pulling & reading dipsticks?


@ Lorne34
There is not a lot of difference in the capacity. That said there is a way to find out.

Fill the football to the correct level, using a dowel. Touch the water, then mark the dowel at the top or beginning of the threaded bung for the cap.

Using the dowel marked lower to the line, remove if wet good to go.

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[Angrey]

The Radium works great for me. It's a smaller footprint freeing up room, looks great, has no welds to worry about leaking and it's black. The only detractor might be that it features green accents which might clash with your particular color palette for your engine bay.

When you run the calculations for the total expansion of the coolant in the system volume, the OE grenade was honestly just way oversized. I guess if you heat the coolant to the point of boil (even under 1.5 atmosphere) then additional volume would be needed, but at that point, no amount of volume is going to be enough, it'll start purging coolant.

 

[galaxy]

The Radium is awesome and the best looking option. Unfortunately I had operational issues with the Radium that mde it just not work out for me. I personally think it's way too small even though it seems to work for others. Long story short, the ONLY way I could keep mine from spitting overboard was to run it bone dry when cold. If I had any identifiable fluid in it (sight gauge), much less half way, it would run completely full when at normal temp. Is my Mishi radiator a contributing factor? IDK. But I went back stock tank with the Mishi radiator and my coolant level stays rock solid half way throughout the temp range (minus a very minor visual increase in quantity when hot). I wish it had worked out because that one looked great and matched my Radium fuel rails.

 

[Angrey]

The Radium is awesome and the best looking option. Unfortunately I had operational issues with the Radium that mde it just not work out for me. I personally think it's way too small even though it seems to work for others. Long story short, the ONLY way I could keep mine from spitting overboard was to run it bone dry when cold. If I had any identifiable fluid in it (sight gauge), much less half way, it would run completely full when at normal temp. Is my Mishi radiator a contributing factor? IDK. But I went back stock tank with the Mishi radiator and my coolant level stays rock solid half way throughout the temp range (minus a very minor visual increase in quantity when hot). I wish it had worked out because that one looked great and matched my Radium fuel rails.

I have the Mishimoto and the Radium together as well, on a wild blown setup. Not sure why yours was constantly purging. Mine holds about halfway full. We both have 350's so we both have the same water pump, same or similar cooling system (I'm running a predator block, but that can't be drastically different), so it's curious the difference in outcome. I'm running the 170 thermostat (not sure how that would make a difference). I'm also running the MMR balancing lines in the back (again, not sure how that would make a difference).

 

[galaxy]

Yeah, IDK. I may put it back on and give it another shot just to see.

 

[Angrey]

Yeah, IDK. I may put it back on and give it another shot just to see.

I'm assuming you were running the Radium cap?

 

[Angrey]

I'm assuming you were running the Radium cap?

The only other thing I can think of, that would matter, but wouldn't explain it fully is if you're running a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze, it's going to swell more at temp.

The volume difference for pure water from 60-180 is about 3% compared to 4.5% for a 50/50 mixture. I run a 25% mixture, so somewhere in between those two.

At nearly 4 gallons, that would mean that pure distilled would swell about 2 cups. A 50/50 mixture would swell just under 3 cups. That extra cup might explain why it's at the bottom vs somewhere in the middle. I'm reaching here.

 

[galaxy]

I'm assuming you were running the Radium cap?

I did. Not a lot of cap options for that tank. Not that it's really needed. Didn't like the looks of the cap, but didn't hate it.

 

[Evolvd]

I run the radium at full on my Gt500 and zero issues.

 

[galaxy]

Yeah, I need to reinvestigate. I mean, it's an expansion tank....really not a way to install it wrong or screw that up, ya know?!?! LOL. That's what baffles me about how mine performed.

 

[Evolvd]

Yeah, I need to reinvestigate. I mean, it's an expansion tank....really not a way to install it wrong or screw that up, ya know?!?! LOL. That's what baffles me about how mine performed.

An overflow can be caused by a stuck thermostat or a clogged radiator.

 

[galaxy]

An overflow can be caused by a stuck thermostat or a clogged radiator.

I had a brand new radiator and zero temp issue with my “quantity” problem on the Radium tank. Further confirmed by constant, consistent temps and zero quantity issues when returning to the stock tank.

 

[Evolvd]

I had a brand new radiator and zero temp issue with my “quantity” problem on the Radium tank. Further confirmed by constant, consistent temps and zero quantity issues when returning to the stock tank.

I had a clogged radiator in an older car. It never overtemped, but it would piss fluid after I parked it. New doesn’t always mean it was built right.

 

[Lorne34]

IMO, the factory and all aftermarket choices just look totally ugly…

I’m really surprised at this stage that no one in the aftermarket or even some guys on here have not designed a better coolant overflow bottle; instead of being an ugly tank mounted at the top, why not one that is designed to be vertical and hug the fan shroud…. OR be placed in another location where it is still easily accessible, BUT isn’t just “right in your face” after opening the hood.

There has to be a better way…

I really don't mind the look of the Steeda unit, it fits with the square edge theme of the engine bay and does not stand out like a sore thumb, which is what that ugly plastic did.
I couldn't trust the mishimoto with the sight tube and all others seemed to be over priced.
at this point I am satisfied and ready to move on with my shelby life....

 

[Lorne34]

You are wrong on that, the football is bad, but the Steeda-type is a big improvement.

What is a better location do you think it would/could be? Love to read that. Hell, folks bitch about the simple task of pulling & reading dipsticks?


@ Lorne34
There is not a lot of difference in the capacity. That said there is a way to find out.

Fill the football to the correct level, using a dowel. Touch the water, then mark the dowel at the top or beginning of the threaded bung for the cap.

Using the dowel marked lower to the line, remove if wet good to go.

I was told to fill it half way which is what I am going to do.
I also ordered a new cap for it just to make sure it sealed properly...

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