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Expansion Bottle

2K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  AstroCooperS 
#1 ·
I have not even received the car yet and I am already looking at what is best to do before
things can start to go pop, end the first one is the Expansion Bottle/Tank, has anyone fitted
one of these?

Aluminium Alloy Radiator Coolant Expansion Tank
Found on ebay item number 282368229694

Not allowed to post link yet..

Are they any good, or can someone suggest a better one?
I know it will look great but if it fails after a week the it’s no good to me..
 
#5 ·
Don't forget your going to need to be checking it when its cold and hot and if its the S your working with pressure when its hot. Easier to stick with the OEM bottle and they don't crack as often as ppl would have you believe, both mine are OEM and both cars were built in 2001 and 2006 respectively and neither has cracked or leaked. I can pop the bonnet and do a quick visual check at either hot or cold without opening the bottle. The hype on cracked bottles is way over the top and more than likely used as a marketing tool to sell alloy bottles.

Your choice though :) but there are better things to spend your money on.
 
#6 ·
Mine header bottle is very brown and discoloured and I can't see the coolant through it. Should I change it?
I have to take the cap off and I use my OE 'human digit' dip stick. It was free and I've had it ....... well for my whole life really. Only works when the car is cold though.
 
#7 ·
LMAO..I only Googled that....:big_grin:

The Coolant tank is currently sitting in the shed,
its 5" wide and 4" deep so I am going to make up a dip stick
from a 10-12" piece of wood with white pipe cleaners securely
attached to it, the colour of the coolant should shows on the pipe
cleaner, so as long as it’s between 2-3 inches from the bottom I
will have a good level of coolant,
I am going to have it fitted at the same time as I get the coolant flushed
and replaced, that way whatever they use I can also use the same,
unlike now when I have no idea what’s in it..

When it’s cold I can use the digit referred to before...
That was soo funny..:crying:
 
#8 ·
I replaced mine a couple of weeks ago as the original had started leaking after 15 years. Got a like for like replacement as can't see the point of one that costs 4x as much. Not sure about the aluminium ones, but the plastic one has a ridge in it that you can see when the cap is removed. If the fluid is over this ridge, then it is at the max level, so even if you can't see the level from the outside (e.g. if it's heavily discoloured), you can still see it in the tank.
 
#9 ·
Glad you liked it Astro::wink::
Today I looked at a nearly new OE one (not on a car) and it was as brown as my 12 yo one. There are loads of kind of convoluted vains or baffles in it, standing up from the bottom, which you can see when its empty and off. The liquid should be just over those. As Nobby has posted.
You can feel them with said digit if you can't see in. Unless you are Mr Donald J Trump, in which case it wouldn't reach.

I think there must be cryptonite in the supercharger or somewhere in there because my Superman Xray vision can't see through the brown plastic and the ridge.:no6xn:
 
#10 ·
I have seen these things in the bottom of the bottle, I will be getting the
silver one fitted in the next couple of weeks, still looking at the dipstic
side of things, but I am sure I will work something out..
The next shiny thing I am looking into is a Strut Brace,,now I know they
stir some different emotions in people,,but it will all look perty...:big_grin:
 
#11 ·
I found a second hand Forge strut brace for £70. It had been painted black, badly and flaking. Getting it stripped an polished, stiil a fair bit less than new. What I like about them is the chunky 3 bolt tops that go on the strut towers. Should provide a bit of strengthening. Plus you can take off the centre bar easily to work on the engine. Agree, mixed opinions, but they look nice!
I put on a new OMP lower brace earlier this week. They are supposed to make a difference. Graphite one, cheap, I think £63?
The big, big difference for me was fitting the Powerflex poly lower arm rear bushes.
 

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#12 ·
I found a second hand Forge strut brace for £70. It had been painted black, badly and flaking. Getting it stripped an polished, still a fair bit less than new. What I like about them is the chunky 3 bolt tops that go on the strut towers. Should provide a bit of strengthening. Plus you can take off the centre bar easily to work on the engine. Agree, mixed opinions, but they look nice!
I put on a new OMP lower brace earlier this week. They are supposed to make a difference. Graphite one, cheap, I think £63?
The big, big difference for me was fitting the Powerflex poly lower arm rear bushes.
Looks very nice,,::smile::
What you really need is a silver expansion bottle behind that, ::wink::
I have heard they are not very practical,
but man would they be shiny together..::smile::

Update on the Bottle topic, I have been out tonight to check oil & water and although the
water level is good I do have the tale tale white marks round the seam, with two points
of white streaking down it, I may have purchased the wrong replacement, but I think its
just in time..

Another thread I have started is about the Dipstick..

All prevention rather than a troublesome maybe expensive fix..
 
#13 ·
Thought it was time for an update,
managed to find time this weekend to fit the expansion tank
and also to fit the strut brace to see what it will look like..

Looks very nice and I have a coolant level tester as well..:big_grin:

Couldnt help myself with the red paint pen..
needs a tidy up but looks OK,,I think..
 

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