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MG TD TF 1500 - Coolant Recovery Reservoir

Hello Dave Dubois,

I read one of your articles concerning a coolant recovery reservoir for a TD.

Would you mind telling me about the one you built for your TD please? I'm replacing my old hoses tomorrow and although the car doesn't overheat, I thought it would be prudent to have a reservoir as I will be driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway quite often.

Thank you.
R C Flowers

See http://www.ttalk.info/Tech/Overflow_tank.htm for the approach that I've been using. Bud
Bud Krueger

Robert - The coolant recovery reservoir for the TD, I made out of some 3" or 4" plastic pipe, bringing in a line at the bottom from the overflow tube on the radiator and attached a line at the top of the reservoir to serve as an overflow. The picture in Bud's TTalk is doing the same thing using an external header tank from a late MGB. You can get coolant overflow systems at most auto parts stores such as NAPA. The Roadster Factory has a nice one also nice recovery tank at this site http://trf.zeni.net/sitesearch_results.php?ul=trf&q=coolant+overflow&cmd=Search%21 I am using a 26 group battery in our TD so there is room in the battery box to put the overflow reservoir. Cheers - Dave
Daved DuBois

Thank you Bud and Dave.

I liked the look of the one you made Dave, it looked as though it belonged to the period.

Thank you both again. The knowledge gleaned from this site is amazing and it wouldn't be possible if not for those of you so willing to impart your knowledge of experience.

Be well.
R C Flowers

Bud, I just took a second look at your installation. I am adding a period oiler and your installation on the battery support cross member will work well for me.

Again gentlemen, thank you.
R C Flowers

You folks might already be well aware of this but years ago a fellow that did radiator repairs out in the rural part of VA where I was raised told me to add a small bottle of Castor Oil to my radiator after flushing the system and adding water / anti-freeze.
He said the Castor Oil would prevent mineral deposits from building up.
R C Flowers

I picked up one used by the hot rodders at NAPA for the TD.


L E D LaVerne

Another shot.


L E D LaVerne

Robert,
I am using the overflow tank from an MGB also and it is mounted on the battery bracket. You mentioned that you were mounting an oiler so I thought I would show you the mounting of my oiler.
Mort


Mort (50 TD "Mobius")

another


Mort (50 TD "Mobius")

I guess a coolant recovery system is just that,,, a recovery system,, Unless you are presurizing the system, it doesn't do anything to increase the cooling ablility of the existing system,,,

SPW
STEVE WINCZE

Steve - Using Bud's system (MGB external expansion tank) and some high pressure hoses, you could adapt it to a pressurized system. I have seen other (highly convoluted systems to pressurize the TD cooling system). By using the 4 psi cap used on the TF, on the tank, you would gain a small bit of pressurization (4 psi is about all I would feel comfortable with).

Bud - you could use a standard pressure cap with the lower seal cut off and avoid having everyone telling you that your pressure release is in the "wrong position". Cheers - Dave
Daved DuBois

I pressurized my TD.
Buy a radiator cap neck from a radiator shop, with the cap, solder the bottom closed with a cap, drill & add a nipple to the bottom, connect a hose to the overflow tube, fabricate a bracket ( I used a removable side handle from a 3/8 drill motor). Done
7 # maximum pressure
Len Fanelli

YUP,,, I can understand that presurizing the system can increase the cooling, but a coolant recovery system on a stock TD system will not increase the cooling eficiency,,, all it does is to keep any coolant from dripping onthe ground, correct ???

SPW
STEVE WINCZE

Just about, Steve. If I accidentaly close the release valve on the cap I get the aroma of hot coolant as it leaks from the pump area. TD is not designed to run a pressurized system.

The whole pupose of the system is to allow me to operate with a full radiator and not have the expanded coolant coating the sides of my bonnet and fenders. My first trip of any serious distance was a run up to Abingdon Spares (about 3 hours) to show Lazarus off to Gerry Goguen. The mess on the bonnet and fenders was embarassing. Bud
Bud Krueger

My setup is simpler, and mainly to save coolant...
I just used a plastic oil "can", with a pickup tube inserted, and tapped off the overflow...No pressure.
You can see the top of the bottle and hoses in this photo. Somehow, the coolant gets sucked back into the radiator when it cools, even without pressure.
Edward


E.B. Wesson

Ed, the pressure is about 14.7 psi. That's the atmospheric pressure on the coolant in the bottle countering the vacuum created by the cooling in the radiator. Bud
Bud Krueger

EB,
Where did you connect the other ends of the black and yellow hoses? Also do they both have to be air tight at the plastic bottle?
George
GF Metz

Mort, nice installation. Supercharger huh? Nice.

I just want to capture fluid before it spews onto the ground via the overflow tub. No other expectations.
R C Flowers

Robert,
I was having all sorts of problems with water overflowing and running out every time I stopped. That is when I put the radiator overflow unit on. As I learned more about the car, rebuilding the distributor with electronic ignition and getting the timing right and a rebuild on the distributor and having it set right, things improved. But heat problems and other running problems persisted.
I finally tore down the Judson and completely rebuilt it. The DDDDPO had put the wrong bearings in and it allowed the rotor to shift enough to score the front casting. It eventually would stop running completely when hot enough. With advice and parts from George Folchi I replaced all the consumables, had some machining done and repaired it. Now it runs great. I no longer have any overflow issues as far as I can tell and am considering removing the overflow unit.
Mort


Mort (50 TD "Mobius")

GF
One hose is attached to a brass tube (through a hole in the cap),that goes all the way to the bottom of the bottle...The tip is cut at about 45 degrees, so it always sucks fluid....The other end of the hose goes to the overflow hose from the radiator.
The second hose (the black one), is just going onto a brass nipple through the cap, and runs toward the ground,
under the car. That is in case the bottle gets overfull.
(and permits air to leave the bottle).
When cold, I make sure that the bottle is about 1/4 full of coolant...That leaves plenty of room for overflow, but keeps the radiator from sucking air....
I also make sure that the fluid in the radiator, just covers the coils, by about 1 inch.
So far, with this setup , I have lost no fluid.
Edward
E.B. Wesson

Hello Mort,

Presently I'm not having any problems with overheating. It was my understanding that they tended to overheat when pushed.

I haven't overfilled the radiator, but thought it would be prudent to install a small overflow tank. I've never liked the odor of anti-freeze on hot surfaces.

I drive the car on a daily basis, weather permitting, but I haven't taken her up into the mountains yet. And again, the temperature holds steady at 80o C and the oil pressure holds steady at 50# at 4000 rpm in fourth gear.

After purchasing the car I added a pertronix Electronic Ignition and Pertronix coil. I put the new rotor button (red) on a sanding belt and thinned it all the way around so it would turn properly.
R C Flowers

This thread was discussed between 26/10/2012 and 30/10/2012

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