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Thread: What was the original radiator?

  1. #31

    Manufacturing Defect

    Quote Originally Posted by ew1usnr View Post
    Yesterday morning I saw a 3" x 12" coolant expansion tank that holds 45 oz of coolant. Oooooh ....
    See: http://www.amazon.com/Speedmaster-PC.../dp/B00SYFU2B0
    Well, this stinks.

    I received my big expansion tank today, but ... the top of the internal overflow tube ends ends 2.25 inches below the top of the tank.

    IMG_0476.jpg

    That is two inches lower than it should be. That means that this tank only holds 33 oz before overflowing, not the advertised 45 oz. The return policy says that I pay the return postage plus a 20% re-stocking fee. Before doing that, I e-mailed Speedmaster and asked "Are all of these tanks made the same way? I would like to get a correctly made unit, but it would not do me any good to return this one if you send me another incorrect unit just like it."

    I suppose that I could try to push a two-inch piece of rubber hose onto the overflow tube and it would correct the deficiency, but I should not have to do that. Dang it.

    Here is my math to calculate the actual volume:
    The barrel of the tank measures 10 3/4". The internal overflow tube ends 2 1/4" below the top of the tank, so the tube is 8 1/2" long. Area = pi * R squared = 3.14 * (1.5" * 1.5") = 7.07 sq in. 7.07 sq in * 8.5" = 60.1 cu in * (1 pint /28.875 cu in) = 2.08 pints. The actual volume of the tank is 2.08 pint *(16 oz/pint) = 33.28 oz, not the advertised 45 oz. The missing 2" of overflow tube = 0.49 pints, or 8 oz.
    Last edited by ew1usnr; June 8th, 2016 at 06:25 PM.
    Dennis Pierson
    Tampa, FL
    "The Wonder Falcon"

    '63 Futura Hardtop (260, Ford-O-Matic, bench seat)

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Federal Way
    Posts
    906
    Hum mm....did you ask them if you just return it for a bigger size?
    I would think they would swap it out for you at least without the restocking fee. They should want to protect their feedback rating on Amazon if nothing else.
    Don Bartlett
    Federal Way, WA
    61 Four Door Sedan
    144-6, 3 on the tree



  3. #33

    One-quart expansion tank

    Quote Originally Posted by dhbfaster View Post
    Hum mm....did you ask them if you just return it for a bigger size?
    I plugged a piece of 1/4" tubing onto the short internal overflow tube and used a razor blade to cut the tubing off near the top of the tank. This raised the internal overflow height by about 2 1/4" inches and increased the effective tank capacity from 33 oz to 41 oz, by my calculations.

    1 IMG_0486.jpg

    The larger expansion tank installed with no problems other than I had to drill one new mounting hole in the radiator frame.

    4 IMG_0491.jpg

    The new tank does not interfere with closing the hood so it looks like the Falcon is good to go.

    8 IMG_0496.jpg
    Last edited by ew1usnr; June 11th, 2016 at 06:49 PM.
    Dennis Pierson
    Tampa, FL
    "The Wonder Falcon"

    '63 Futura Hardtop (260, Ford-O-Matic, bench seat)

  4. #34

    Antifreeze

    I was out of antifreeze and needed some to top off my radiator. The last antifreeze I bought was labeled "Universal" and was yellow colored.

    AutoZone 50-50 Coolant.jpeg

    Probably over-thinking things as I tend to do, I read about coolant on the internet. Here is a summary of what I found:
    "The original green coolant is called Group 1 and contains quick-acting silicate and phosphate corrosion inhibitors for both iron and aluminum surfaces. Group 1 (green) coolant has a short life and must be changed every other year but is less expensive and works better with brass/copper radiators and heater cores. Group 2 (yellow) coolant is recommended for aluminum engines and radiators. It does not contain silicates or phosphates and can be changed at 150,000 if it is not mixed Group 1 coolant."

    Since I have an iron block and heads and a brass radiator and heater core it seemed like the original green coolant would be best. I bought a jug of this "Conventional Green" coolant at O'Reilly's auto parts for $12.99. The label says that it is for "Ford pre-2002 and most vehicles pre-1980". That includes my Falcon. Yes, mixing the green coolant with the yellow would shorten the yellow's 150,000 mile life, but it had probably already been mixed with some other fluid that had been in the radiator anyway.

    Conventional Gree for Ford pre-2002.JPG

    I bought a jug of distilled water at the grocery store to mix with the new jug of straight antifreeze.
    Last edited by ew1usnr; June 13th, 2016 at 02:30 AM.
    Dennis Pierson
    Tampa, FL
    "The Wonder Falcon"

    '63 Futura Hardtop (260, Ford-O-Matic, bench seat)

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