Recommendation for adding a sight gauge/tube to aluminum tanks
- Thread starter Jkviper
- Start date
Ken Roberts
Supporter
Scott Swartz added one to his dry sump tank. I bought parts from McMaster Carr for my coolant recovery tank and expansion tank.
Scott
Lifetime Supporter
I ordered a sight tube from Peterson Fluid Systems for their 3-gallon tank. I don't think it's on their website so you might need to call them. It's just a couple of weld bungs, two 90-degree, swivel barbed fittings and a length of flexible clear tube. I think they supplied female weld bungs which requires an AN adapter before the fitting. To my recollection, I used a male AN weld bung to make everything more compact. Since the tank isn't pressurized, you can easily put together your own components. Knowing what I know now, that's what I would have done.
The coolant system is a little more complicated because it's pressurized. There are a lot of 90-degree, push-to-connect fittings out there, but most don't have a high-enough temperature rating. This one is zinc-plated brass and has good temp/pressure specs (that said, I haven't tested it yet):
Temperature Range 0° to 300° F
Maximum Pressure 290 psi @ 72° F
Push-to-Connect Tube Fitting for Air and Water, High-Temperature, Elbow Adapter, 1/4" Tube OD x 1/4 NPT Male | McMaster-Carr
The coolant system is a little more complicated because it's pressurized. There are a lot of 90-degree, push-to-connect fittings out there, but most don't have a high-enough temperature rating. This one is zinc-plated brass and has good temp/pressure specs (that said, I haven't tested it yet):
Temperature Range 0° to 300° F
Maximum Pressure 290 psi @ 72° F
Push-to-Connect Tube Fitting for Air and Water, High-Temperature, Elbow Adapter, 1/4" Tube OD x 1/4 NPT Male | McMaster-Carr
Joel K
Supporter
Thanks guys. Ken, do you remember which tubing you got for the expansion tank? To Scott’s point it needs to handle the pressure.
Ken Roberts
Supporter
Post #860 on page 43 Joel. That was for the coolant recovery tank.
The coolant expansion tank has a large bung welded on the vertical face and a port hole type of window threaded into the bung. I’ll take a picture of it when I get home from Montreal in a week or so.
The coolant expansion tank has a large bung welded on the vertical face and a port hole type of window threaded into the bung. I’ll take a picture of it when I get home from Montreal in a week or so.
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Ian Anderson
Lifetime Supporter
Question here.
could you not just utilise clear tube ( rated for the suitable heat and pressure) for the top feed into the expansion tank?
That would show the level of the fluid without having to modify the tank?
Ian
could you not just utilise clear tube ( rated for the suitable heat and pressure) for the top feed into the expansion tank?
That would show the level of the fluid without having to modify the tank?
Ian
Joel K
Supporter
That’s a clever idea Ian. Not sure it would show the level like I was thinking of, but it at least would show you have some fluid between the tanks.
I only use a sight tube on my expansion tank. As long as your radiator cap is working properly that’s really all that’s needed. If you lose enough fluid that the primary tank is low that’s usually an obvious leak or overheating situation.
My coolant arrangement
Joel K
Supporter
Thanks Rich, appreciate the info. How much total volume are you running?
Rich, your cap on that back tank is going to be a bear once the clam is on. Ask me how I know....
I believe the main tank is 2 quarts and the overflow is 1.5.......its been awhile since I had them made. The level in the overflow fluctuates about 2 inches hot to cold. I run it 1 inch above the lower fitting when cold.
Frank the body is relieved above the cap and although it is
tight the cap does come off and access to fill it is good.
Frank the body is relieved above the cap and although it is
tight the cap does come off and access to fill it is good.
Joel K
Supporter
Thanks Rich
Ken Roberts
Supporter
Here is the sight glasses installed on the two Moroso tanks for the future GT-R build.
Joel K
Supporter
Thanks Ken, That is a nice setup.
I actually bought the same expansion tank. Turned out the upper left bung gets really close to the roll cage down bar which is sort of annoying. I ordered a tank from Racetronix which looks pretty nice. Stephan has one. They have 9 ORB bungs and a built in sight glass. So easy To plumb. Should get it tomorrow to see how it looks and fits on the firewall. Then decide which one I’ll keep.
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Ken Roberts
Supporter
Mine is pretty close as well on the SLC.
Ken Roberts
Supporter
It would definitely be a bugger to get the cap off in that location. That’s why I moved mine to the other side and used standoffs to get the cap to clear the body.
Chris Kouba
Supporter
If you can weld alu, there are filler neck extensions available. Put a non-venting cap on the hard to get to opening (or weld it shut too), and then weld on the extended filler neck. It's how I built my expansion tank on my GT.
I don't think this is the one I used but it's similar:
www.summitracing.com
Will need to trim down/profile the tank end of the tube to get the right angle, etc...
I don't think this is the one I used but it's similar:
Canton Racing Products 80-096 Canton Racing Extended Water Fill Necks | Summit Racing
Free Shipping - Canton Racing Extended Water Fill Necks with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Radiator Filler Necks at Summit Racing.
Will need to trim down/profile the tank end of the tube to get the right angle, etc...
