Expansion tank ideas

[1980escort]

Right I need a bit of help from the retro rides collective.
When it comes to modifying cars I'm a bit of a 1 trick pony and don't have much experience with many makes of other cars and I was hoping you guys could help me out.
Here's the issue I have, I'm currently putting a 1700 puma engine into my escort and I'm trying to make it look as "factory fitted" and "retro" as possible, what I would like you guys to help with is the expansion bottle for the radiator, I am planning on using a radiator from a vw polo as the inlet and outlet are on the passengers side and there's obviously no way of filling the radiator so I need an expansion bottle, I took the polo one when I got the radiator as it has a mounting bracket on it (and it was free) but I feel it's a bit modern and bulky.
Now this is where you guys come in, could somebody sugggest an expansion bottle that's not too big, sort of retro looking and fairly cheap that won't look out of place under the bonnet of a mk2 escort. In an ideal world it would need to have just one outlet on the bottom and maybe an over flow near the top.

Thanks for taking the time to read this

[composimmonite]

Loads of older cars had expansion tanks of the same basic design. Two main versions - brass (often painted black) and clear plastic. They both could be vertical or horizontal orientation. The Range Rover Classic brass version has a level sensor on some models (I have the one off my Vogue I kept when it was broken for parts)
Vertical brass (polished) -

Horizontal plastic -

You normally fill the rad and then top up the expansion tank. The rad has a plain cap - ie no pressure spring so coolant then goes into the expansion tank which has the pressure cap. In your case you'd have to probably fill up the rad via top hose if Polo rad cap wasn't accessible.

[ChrisT]

That top one comes in various configurations depending on the source vehicle - the upright ones are probably easier to fit....



as found on MGB/Triumphs etc.

or this wouldn't look out of place either....

[welshpug]

I don't quite get the point here, you want parts that look original to a mk2 escort, yet are using a 1700 zetec? ...

[welshpug]

generic puma or fiesta tank looks ideal anyway, if it fits.

pics of your engine bay would help

[Dez]

bmw e30 rads are great, as they have a built-in header tank down the side of the rad, giving a pretty clean/unobtrusive look. think theres a couple of different hose configurations depending on engine.

[ejenner]

I seem to remember the LTI Fairway (i.e. London taxi) had a metal expansion tank.

Anything metal whether brass or whatever will polish up nice and look retro.

Rubbish picture but you can see what it looks like here. It's a vertical mount. I'd say you'd get one for peanuts.

[ejenner]

Looks a lot like the MGB / Triumph one pictured above actually. Wouldn't be surprised given that the London taxi is a 'British' car.

[Bozwell]

there are lots os Suburu Impreza ones on ebay as they get changed a lot for blingy ones. usually about £5

[ChasR]

IMO alot of the tanks posted here will not be all that suitable and it will make it a royal PITA to bleed the system correctly, something which your current setup will do very well, The tanks in ChrisT's posts are designed to work with a 'closed' system, and generally the engines have a filling point elsewhere (generally on the engine). IMO the BMW rads with the built in tanks have the same flaw ; they are pain to bleed (it is one reason why I am putting off a coolant change on my E36).

If I were you I would stick with your current setup or go for a modern Puma or even an Escort MkIII/IV header tank but made from Stainless to look more period. Both allow for self bleeding to take place .

[Bozwell]

some are expansion tanks and some are header tanks. to fill a system a header tank is needed.

any tank with a hose at the bottom and pipe at the top will work as long as it is at the highest point in the engine bay. with a metal tank there is nothing stopping you adding small bleed pipes straigh back to the tank from varoius points on the engine.

thats one reason i chose the Subaru tank . it is cast alloy with a steel lid that bolts on. very easy to drill and tap for some -3 fittings for a self bleed system. plus it's quite small. (possibly too small we shall see)

[1980escort]

Thanks for all your replys ? i had another idea while in the workshop tonite. Would it be possible to move the bottom hose outlet so its on the same side as the as the top hose? Its made of brass so I'm not sure if its possible but it would an ideal solution imo

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[colnerov]

Hi, it depends whether it's a crossflow rad or not. If it's a crossflow, then unless there is a barrier part way down the tank, no. The coolant will just go in the top, down the tank and out the bottom because that is the easier route than going across the core. A convector rad is OK but coolant flow will be slow on the far side of the rad and could be prone to silting up.

Colin

[1980escort]

Nov 3, 2014 0:27:28 GMT colnerov said:

Hi, it depends whether it's a crossflow rad or not. If it's a crossflow, then unless there is a barrier part way down the tank, no. The coolant will just go in the top, down the tank and out the bottom because that is the easier route than going across the core. A convector rad is OK but coolant flow will be slow on the far side of the rad and could be prone to silting up.

Colin

Cheers colin i hadnt thought about that

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