Helllooo,

Need some help finding a cheap replacement for my coolant resevoir. I simply don't have one, wouldn't know where to mount it etc.. directly beneath the radiator cap is what appears to be relief hose connection but it's been broken off. Any ideas what I should buy? Also, a buddy of mine was saying that I should buy some sort of venting radiator cap? Is there such a thing?? If that's all crap, what should I get? Nothing flashy..

Thanks everyone!!

 

empty half gallon of milk might work......lol.......check minimania.com

 

You are talking about a 'classic' ... I'll assume yes....but then note that up thru what I have, a '79....I'm not aware of any Mini having a recovery tank...but I may be wrong (if so I'm SURE someone will point THAT out faster than they would have opined an answer....but I digress)

In my '79 engine bay - which is admittedly NOT stock - my rad' has the relief hose takeoff on the filler neck. All that connects to that is a piece of plastic tube which runs down the fender well. How it works is the pressure cap has a spring plunger closing the radiator. In the case of a boil-over, aka too much pressure, the spring is overcome and the plunger rises allowing the expanding juices to flow out the relief tube. The hose directs the spew under the car rather than all over the engine compartment. A tank would simply be on the end of that tube but I'm not aware of one in a stock MARK 1 thru 4 ...

per this parts page: http://www.minimania.com/web/CatPage...perCatalog.cfm

Note that the rad' cap is available in various pressure ratings.....this may be what someone else is referring to as a vented cap. Yes, you need a spring loaded or 'vented' cap.

By 'broken off' do you mean there's just a hole? If there is just a stub of metal tube...that's where the plastic connects. If the stub is broken off you could get 1/2 to 3/4 inch of metal tube braized on....or JB Weld might hold .... after all, under normal operating conditions this connection has no pressure on it. For that matter, if your rad' holds pressure and you can live with the possibility that in an overheat condition coolant will be shot thru your engine compartment....other than ensuring I had the right PSI cap, why mess with it?


BTW - I know how this works because when I bought the car I got almost 1/20 the way home b4 it pegged the temp gauge and illustrated ALL the fine points! (fortunately two sharp whacks on the thermostat housing with the handle end of a screwdriver fixed things....I guess freeing a stuck therm' cuz the temp gauge has never gone over the half way point since)

If you'd like a picture PM me.

 

Capt!

Great reply and yes, a 73 Inno! My setup is exactly as you have described.. I only assumed that the resevoir was missing because I'm so used to modern vehicles hah! I do believe that the little "outie" is still on my radio fill neck so all I really need is the thin tubing, no biggie.

Now onto finding a thermostat and a venting radiator cap.. thanks for the clarification!

freq