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Coolant Overflow


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I'm looking for some ideas on creating a container that will capture the coolant overflow. The hose runs right down into the bilge, and makes a really big nasty mess down there. Has anybody created a solution to this problem? I'm thinking I could attach some sort of container next to the engine that I could empty when it fills up. This way, I don't have the slimy mess in my bilge. What have you guys done with this?

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I'm looking for some ideas on creating a container that will capture the coolant overflow. The hose runs right down into the bilge, and makes a really big nasty mess down there. Has anybody created a solution to this problem? I'm thinking I could attach some sort of container next to the engine that I could empty when it fills up. This way, I don't have the slimy mess in my bilge. What have you guys done with this?

Something from a car engine compartment - small car so it saves space?

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do you have too much coolant in your system? This is my 8th season with my RLX, and I have never had an overflow...

Thats what i was going to say. Rather than bandaid the problem, fix it.

If there was really a need for an overflow tank, there would probably have been one from teh factory....

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I don't understand how a closed sys. could operate without an expansion tank. It seems like a required item to me. Notice I did not use the word "overflow".

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I don't understand how a closed sys. could operate without an expansion tank. It seems like a required item to me. Notice I did not use the word "overflow".

it can work without an overflow tank because its not truly a closed system. its a half closed loop system. Older cars never had an expansion tank...

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I think the LS1 was setup a bit differently than a closed cooling monsoon. There is an expansion tank of every one I've worked on, and that expansion tank has the hose that goes into the bilge. So either the system is overfilled past the "cold" mark or the expansion tank is undersized possibly due to the addition of a heater in the boat.

Solution will be to correct cold fluid level or find a larger expansion tank.

-Chris

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I guess that not knowing much about it, I just assumed that this was normal. So, is the consensus that I have too much coolant? It would seem as though it would eventually level itself out by overflowing into the bilge.

I do have a heater in the boat, so do you guys think that this is causing it? I very rarely use the heater.

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The heater adds a volume of coolant to the system, I would bet that the expansion tank was not desined for the extra gallon or so of coolant you have running to the heater core and back. Therefore when this coolant expands (with the rest of the coolant in the system) the tank is not big enough.

Even though you do not use the heater coolant is flowing through it at all times the boat is running.

My vote is for a bigger expansion tank.

Just to check when the motor is cold, is the coolant at the "COLD" mark on the tank?

-Chris

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i forgot about that with the LS1. I have a heater too (Monsoon though) and have never seen a drop of coolant in the bilge. reminds me that I need to do a flush this year, just another thing to add to the list. i am ordering new manifolds and risers today, so I am really looking forward to that task next weekend Yuk.gif

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i forgot about that with the LS1. I have a heater too (Monsoon though) and have never seen a drop of coolant in the bilge. reminds me that I need to do a flush this year, just another thing to add to the list. i am ordering new manifolds and risers today, so I am really looking forward to that task next weekend Yuk.gif

It's not too horrible of a job....but no finesse just muscling stuff around. Make sure you have some nice long studs to position the manifolds when you put them on. Makes the job 10X easier.

-Chris

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i forgot about that with the LS1. I have a heater too (Monsoon though) and have never seen a drop of coolant in the bilge. reminds me that I need to do a flush this year, just another thing to add to the list. i am ordering new manifolds and risers today, so I am really looking forward to that task next weekend Yuk.gif

It's not too horrible of a job....but no finesse just muscling stuff around. Make sure you have some nice long studs to position the manifolds when you put them on. Makes the job 10X easier.

-Chris

I am thinking that I will be breaking at least one of 2 studs (or more, with my luck). They are all originals, and have 7 years worth of corrosion, so I am sure I will be rounding a couple of them. Any suggestions? Do you think it will be easier just to grind the bolt heads off?

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i forgot about that with the LS1. I have a heater too (Monsoon though) and have never seen a drop of coolant in the bilge. reminds me that I need to do a flush this year, just another thing to add to the list. i am ordering new manifolds and risers today, so I am really looking forward to that task next weekend Yuk.gif

It's not too horrible of a job....but no finesse just muscling stuff around. Make sure you have some nice long studs to position the manifolds when you put them on. Makes the job 10X easier.

-Chris

I am thinking that I will be breaking at least one of 2 studs (or more, with my luck). They are all originals, and have 7 years worth of corrosion, so I am sure I will be rounding a couple of them. Any suggestions? Do you think it will be easier just to grind the bolt heads off?

Heat and some penetrating grease, only way to get them out easily, but maybe you'll get lucky, they are pretty big bolts and arn't crazy long so hopefully they won't break on you.

I was talking about how you can use two studs to support the manifold when you are installing the new ones. It is almost impossible to do it without them by yourself because you have the gasket gunk all over the place, 50 lbs of manifold/riser, and then you have to magically align and tighten atleast two bolts.

So use two long studs in 2 of the 4 manifold bolt holes on the block. Put your new great stuff gasket material on, lift the manifold up onto the studs and slide it in. Now you have two hands to put the two open bolts in, remove the studs (that's why they have to be so long, 6" should do it) two more bolts and you're done.

Make sure you get all that old gasket material off and get that surface nice and clean (down to shiny metal), then clean with acetone or simmilar solvent.

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i forgot about that with the LS1. I have a heater too (Monsoon though) and have never seen a drop of coolant in the bilge. reminds me that I need to do a flush this year, just another thing to add to the list. i am ordering new manifolds and risers today, so I am really looking forward to that task next weekend Yuk.gif

It's not too horrible of a job....but no finesse just muscling stuff around. Make sure you have some nice long studs to position the manifolds when you put them on. Makes the job 10X easier.

-Chris

I am thinking that I will be breaking at least one of 2 studs (or more, with my luck). They are all originals, and have 7 years worth of corrosion, so I am sure I will be rounding a couple of them. Any suggestions? Do you think it will be easier just to grind the bolt heads off?

Heat and some penetrating grease, only way to get them out easily, but maybe you'll get lucky, they are pretty big bolts and arn't crazy long so hopefully they won't break on you.

I was talking about how you can use two studs to support the manifold when you are installing the new ones. It is almost impossible to do it without them by yourself because you have the gasket gunk all over the place, 50 lbs of manifold/riser, and then you have to magically align and tighten atleast two bolts.

So use two long studs in 2 of the 4 manifold bolt holes on the block. Put your new great stuff gasket material on, lift the manifold up onto the studs and slide it in. Now you have two hands to put the two open bolts in, remove the studs (that's why they have to be so long, 6" should do it) two more bolts and you're done.

Make sure you get all that old gasket material off and get that surface nice and clean (down to shiny metal), then clean with acetone or simmilar solvent.

thanks. i knew about the long studs, i just dread the removing the old. last year i blew a hole in the starboard side riser, and those stock stupid allen bolts were a pain in the arse to get off. A lot of PB Blaster, a little heat, a couple of hard blows to the head with a hammer, and I eventually got them off. the outsides weren't bad, the inards were tough.

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Those riser bolts do suck, last time I replaced one of those it was 100* outside and I was in the sun....that was fun. Oh, and I still had to use heat to get those darn bolts out.

Manifold bolts arn't as bad.

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thats good to hear. when i did my riser, it was hot, and the boat was on my AirDock (which floats), and there was tons of traffic. I was seasick, sweaty and pi$$ed trying to get them off.

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