Bill Ball

OK. I will make sure it is not over-tightened. Thanks for the follow-up, Jim, Heinrich and Macreel.

Bill Ball

OK, I just rechecked the fittings. I can easily loosen and tighten the fitting, so I don't think there is too much torque on it. There are no leaks currently. The leak was so minor (just a few drops on the bottom of the tank and a tiny amount of spray making it look like it might be the seal), I defintely don't want to make it worse.

Jim, I'm just gald to learn about that o-ring seal so if I have to have a sidetank replaced again I can ask the shop about that. This seemed like a good shop, so perhaps they replaced it. The radiator was leak-free for over 2 years after the sidetank was replaced. It seems good again after snugging the fitting.

Bill Ball

Argh! Just went for test ride. Leak is worse. But the fitting looks dry. Looks wet around the gasket. Also, the tank is bulging. The leak is actually far worse. Puddle on the floor. Hard to catch the source in the act. Looks like it is off to the radiator shop after all. Pressure test will reveal the source. Hope the sidetank can be replaced despite the previous replacement - the tabs look good as new.

IcemanG17

Bill
Thats a bummer......hopefully its isn't mixing water-ATF!!!!

Bill Ball

No, it's just an external leak. Most likely the gasket leaking.

Bill Ball

OK, I removed the fan shroud so I could see the sidetank better and ran the car until hot. Didn't see anything until I revved the engine to 3000 RPM. Then one whole side of the sidetank gasket began to dribble steadily. To the radiator shop in the am.

Bill Ball

Good radiator shop. The guy took one look at it and said the sidetank had been overheated as it was bulging. He asked me if I raced the car. He said I need an all aluminum radiator. I will repair it this time since I already had the new sidetank, but I will have to watch the coolant temps more closely and make sure I cool the car down at the end of the race. The supercharger probably is adding to the problem. A new aluminum radiator is in my future. Good news for now is that the tabs that hold the sidetank on will be fine with this second replacement. Also, he said they do replace the fitting o-ring seals. They won't get to it until Tuesday due to the holiday, but it will be done that day.

jorj7

Glad you've got it under control. Sounds like your on schedule to get everything
done before the Bonneville 100.

I put an Aluminum Radiator on my 81 when the old one died. Haven't had to do
it yet on the 90.

Bill Ball

I may have cooked the radiator after one race when I had to shutdown immediately at the end of the race. The engine was VERY hot and oil pressure at idle when I can to a stop was too low and tripped the alarm. I was running 10W 40 Castol Syntec. Went back to M1 15W 50 after that.

Since you're running Amsoil, you will never have this or any other problems whatsoever!

Charley B

Well, maybe an occasional spin in a carousel.

marton

Bill posted
"said the sidetank had been overheated as it was bulging"

How can you achieve that?
once the water gets around 100C+ (depending on coolant system pressure) it turns to steam - does not get hotter..
Oil can get much hotter but there is water around the oil cooler so ...

Marton

Bill Ball

Marton:

First, why can you not have superheated steam? Also, with antiboil properties of coolant and elevated pressure, the solutiuon gets a lot hotter than 100C before it boils. When you shutdown the engine, the block heat migrates into the coolant and heats it up, at least locally, a lot hotter than when it was circulating and getting cooled by the radiator. BUT I get your point - you'd think it would have to get a lot hotter than even the highest coolant temps to warp the plastic. The oil cooler side is fine. Maybe my tranny fluid overheated the tank during one of my 1/4 mile burnouts!

marton

Bill wrote
Of course you can but with 14/15 psi cooler cap it is not so easy to achieve; and if you did I suspect your rubber hoses would be in small pieces welded to the hood..
No worries, i am just jealous of your 1/4 mile times
Marton

Bill Ball

I'll ask the radiator guy. He was aware of this problem with the plastic sidetanks.