Turbo owners: Read before turning the coolant tank sideways!

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 11:31 pm

In some other threads I've suggested to people installing intercoolers that a neat way to avoid having the intercooler interfere with the coolant filler tank is to remount the tank sideways, using one of the original two mounting holes but with the other hole of the tank.

I did that many months ago, and it seemed good. But occasionally I'd notice some dried coolant around the radiator cap neck. I had removed and installed that cap many, many times, so I figured the rubber gasket built into the cap just wasn't sealing anymore. I'd just wipe it up and refill the overflow tank periodically, and I planned to get a new rad cap.

So a couple days ago I finally put a new cap on, proud of myself for promptly fixing the problem five months after noticing it.

But the problem was still there.

That was worrisome... I started wondering if the tiny bit of overheating that happened each time I broke the tank could have caused damage to a head gasket. So then I dropped by a local shop and asked them to test for exhaust gas in my coolant. It was clean.

I finally figured out what was causing the radiator cap to leak. The tank in its new position was slightly higher than its original position. When the engine rocked on its mounts, the cap would actually bang on the hood hard enough to temporarily unseat the gasket and spray some coolant out.

So... Don't just remount it sideways using the stock mounting point. Until I figure something else out, I've just eliminated the filler tank and am idling longer when I park.

Edit: Changed title to reflect the fact that Matt posted useful info below

legacy92ej22t · Post by **legacy92ej22t** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 3:40 pm

I found the fix for this! I remounted/rotated mine in the OEM location using the stock mounting points and it actually sits about 1-2" lower then OEM!

What I did was, take the smaller of the two mounting points on the tank and press out the metal sleeve that the bolt runs through. This will allow you to be able to get the larger bolt through the hole. I then mounted it to the larger attachment point. This points the coolant nipples towards the driverside strut tower. It sits slightly lower and there is no pressure on the nipples! You will have to rerun all the coolant lines except the one off the cap, it still reaches. I'll try and get some pics up soon.

Actually, it's such a good fix, maybe I should write up a DIY and it should be a sticky.

Post by **Legacy777** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 5:40 pm

Yeah I'd like to see pics Matt

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 11:21 pm

Nice, Matt. Definitely at least take pictures with your whizbang digital camera. =)

MY92 · Post by **MY92** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 1:10 am

No probs with it located here

legacy92ej22t · Post by **legacy92ej22t** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 1:13 am

Ya, yours are mounted in a different location OEM too.

I'll try and get some pics up tonight.

Post by **Legacy777** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 2:08 am

That is a LHD car though.....

legacy92ej22t · Post by **legacy92ej22t** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 3:55 am

OK, here's a couple of pics.

The rest can be found here:

http://www.thawa.net/gallery/view_album ... me=album94

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 3:58 am

Wow, that looks great!

Title of the thread changed accordingly.

legacy92ej22t · Post by **legacy92ej22t** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 3:02 pm

Thanks!

It was really easy once I figured out how I wanted to do it. The only hard part was threading the larger bolt in and that was only because it was hard to get my fingers in there.

Tleg93 · Post by **Tleg93** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 4:05 pm

Good, good, I can feel the coolant flowing through you now! With each passing moment you make yourself more MY coolant reservoir! You want this? Take your wrench, turn me. I am defenseless.

free5ty1e · Post by **free5ty1e** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 1:21 am

Profound, man. Poetry in motion.

That sure is a purty engine compartment on your Legacy, John. Is that a Garrett turbo I see's there?

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 7:38 am

Legacy777 wrote:That is a LHD car though.....

free5ty1e wrote:That sure is a purty engine compartment on your Legacy, John. Is that a Garrett turbo I see's there?

It's a US STi.

free5ty1e · Post by **free5ty1e** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 12:48 pm

Oh ... well nevermind then. Damn STi's and their 300+ base horsepower

Tleg93 · Post by **Tleg93** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:27 pm

I'd like to put my .02 in on this. Has anyone here ever heard of plastic welders? I was talking with an engineer at work today and he was telling me about plastic welders that might be another way to fix this broken coolant tank nipple.

corsair · Post by **corsair** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:50 pm

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/prod ... tic+welder

Like this?

Tleg93 · Post by **Tleg93** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 11:01 pm

I don't think that is exactly what we were talking about. This welder actually had a plastic rod feeder like a tig/mig welder does.

Warp3 · Post by **Warp3** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 12:56 am

Something more like this then, perhaps?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=41592

corsair · Post by **corsair** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 2:05 am

Scott there is a better picture of it in the Eastwood paper catalog. The welder itself is basically an attachment for a heatgun that feeds a bit of plastic rod to the heating part.

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Turbo owners: Read before turning the coolant tank sideways!

Turbo owners: Read before turning the coolant tank sideways!