Should I have an overflow bottle?

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Ruger64

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I am still trying to learn about my Mopar I bought.
I have a 1971 Valiant, with a slant 6, auto.
The rad and water pump were brand new when I bought it a few months ago. No thermostat is installed right now. And the heater core is disconnected.
I bought my new heater core and thermostat. The last guy left the thermo out, so the engine could keep being flushed.
The car sat for about 14 years.
Anyhow. There is no overflow bottle. The hose just comes from the top off the neck, and goes down in between the rad and core support and hangs there.
I don't really see where an overflow bottle would have really went, unless I am just not understanding something.
I flushed the other day again, and filled it up to the top. I drove it today, and both places I stopped, it spit water on the ground. About a 8 inch circle. Is this normal? I mean I know I don't want to spit water everywhere I go. I couldn't open when I got back to see how low it went. Any tips? Or do I need a bottle?
 
My 73 Duster didn't come with a bottle. It would spit water under two conditions (that I noticed, anyway): when I had too much in the radiator and when my head gasket was blown. The head gasket wasn't really a spit, it was a full on flow of water. I would put water in it every couple of weeks in the summer.
 
Put a bottle on it, itll suck the water back in when it cools. Prevents nasty rusty water from being spit out onto your driveway and rad support too. Just dont seal the bottle, they sell the plastic fender hangers for about 8 bucks at chain stores and it comes with a cap and hose.
 
My Dart didnt come with an overflow, however I do intend to put one in it... Like stated above, it beats having antifreeze spit out onto the driveway.. Plus in my case if I ever decided to take the car to the track, I would be required to have an overflow bottle...
 
Put a bottle on it, itll suck the water back in when it cools. Prevents nasty rusty water from being spit out onto your driveway and rad support too. Just dont seal the bottle, they sell the plastic fender hangers for about 8 bucks at chain stores and it comes with a cap and hose.

If you go this route, which I personally think isnt bad, make sure you drill the inlet hose. both me and a buddy got ours and they were not drilled, thus rendering the things useless until we did.
 
Factory coolant recovery bottle showed up in 74. NHRA and just about any local track require one for all cars.
 
If you have a radiator cap with two seals (one on the spring, the other on the cap itself) by all means install a recovery bottle. Most of the caps I've seen at the big box part stores are for closed systems, so they will work.

If you have only the cap seal, the system sucks in air. You'd probably need to spend $s @ YO or someplace with NOS parts to grab one of these.

Ideally the recovery bottle will have an overflow outlet that will allow you to protect the rest of your engine compartment. The recovery bottle will also need to have a tube that connects the radiator neck to the bottom of the bottle. Otherwise the recovery bottle becomes an overflow reservoir.
 
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I got this for $10. It's made by Dorman
 
I have to answer with a question... Is there 1 good reason to not have a coolant recovery system ?
 
some cars didn't have overflow bottles, they just ran the hose down the side of the rad, like Yours. You might get a different rad cap...up to 16 pounds and see if that stops it or install an aftermarket bottle, as I did on My 72 Demon. (chrome looks cool) If that little bit of spit bothers You then I would install a bottle, but also make sure the fan is positioned correctly in the schroud.
 
My '72 Dart came with a snapple bottle zip-tied to the radiator.

It works well enough that I haven't felt compelled to change it.
 
I have been using a prestone bottle until i found a factory overflow.
Any bottle is good for anything.
I used a big gatorade bottle mounted to a piece of road sign bent at a 90 and riveted to the trunk pan as a gas tank on our old 1974 valiant cause the trunk floor was gone.
 
For better looks, I have seen after-market aluminum overflow bottles that aren't expensive ($25?). Check ebay.
 
Your car did not come with a recovery bottle,or do you need one,unless your going tithe track.
The reason your car is spitting all over the ground,is because you are filling your radiator to high. The top portion of your radiator is called the "expansion tank". You are only suppose to fill the tank an 1"or so above the cooling fins on the inside of the radiator. Or 2-3" below the top. This allows room for expansion when the car gets hot. You can either remove coolant from the radiator,or let it puke until it self levels to the proper height. Once you find the right level,it shouldn't puke again,unless your overheating.
Try it.
 
Your car did not come with a recovery bottle,or do you need one,unless your going tithe track.
The reason your car is spitting all over the ground,is because you are filling your radiator to high. The top portion of your radiator is called the "expansion tank". You are only suppose to fill the tank an 1"or so above the cooling fins on the inside of the radiator. Or 2-3" below the top. This allows room for expansion when the car gets hot. You can either remove coolant from the radiator,or let it puke until it self levels to the proper height. Once you find the right level,it shouldn't puke again,unless your overheating.
Try it.

Exactly. Tony, you can purchase an inexpensive "catch can" or overflow from Summit. They have a valve at the bottom that you can open to drain out the water/coolant that flowed into it. Like this one....
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G1478/
 
My 73 Duster didn't come with a bottle. It would spit water under two conditions (that I noticed, anyway): when I had too much in the radiator and when my head gasket was blown. The head gasket wasn't really a spit, it was a full on flow of water. I would put water in it every couple of weeks in the summer.

Damn, I hope I don't have a head gasket problem! But my oil was a qt. low, so I don't think I do...LOL


If you have a radiator cap with two seals (one on the spring, the other on the cap itself) by all means install a recovery bottle. Most of the caps I've seen at the big box part stores are for closed systems, so they will work.

If you have only the cap seal, the system sucks in air. You'd probably need to spend $s @ YO or someplace with NOS parts to grab one of these.

Ideally the recovery bottle will have an overflow outlet that will allow you to protect the rest of your engine compartment. The recovery bottle will also need to have a tube that connects the radiator neck to the bottom of the bottle. Otherwise the recovery bottle becomes an overflow reservoir.

I have to look again. My cap did say 16lbs. I seen a rubber gasket on the bottom, with a spring above it. I am sure there is a gasket on the twist lid itself too. I think.

absolutely! i made a recovery system in this thread.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=201562

Checking that thread soon as I am done replying here. Thanks you!!

Your car did not come with a recovery bottle,or do you need one,unless your going tithe track.
The reason your car is spitting all over the ground,is because you are filling your radiator to high. The top portion of your radiator is called the "expansion tank". You are only suppose to fill the tank an 1"or so above the cooling fins on the inside of the radiator. Or 2-3" below the top. This allows room for expansion when the car gets hot. You can either remove coolant from the radiator,or let it puke until it self levels to the proper height. Once you find the right level,it shouldn't puke again,unless your overheating.
Try it.

Okay, you make good sense. I checked it today. And it is about 2 inches below the top of the rad top. And is not spitting now. I kept topping it off of course right to the top, since I am used to doing that.
The rad, and water pump, heater core...etc. are all new.
No thermostat in yet, and it is flowing great! Its like a river flowing when the cap is off and I am running it and watching. I am sure you are right on the money with what I was doing to cause this.

Exactly. Tony, you can purchase an inexpensive "catch can" or overflow from Summit. They have a valve at the bottom that you can open to drain out the water/coolant that flowed into it. Like this one....
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G1478/

Hey, thats pretty nice!!
 
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