Mrmerlin

the tank that usually fails is the passenger side tank it usually fails at the very top where there is an air bubble that cant be removed this area is un covered by the coolant and thus it gets to see all of the vapors that the plastic is exposed to at 200 plus deg.
After some years of this the flange usually cracks and thus a leak is born.
This can verified by viewing the white crusty area just inside the top of the tank

Ron_H

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I'm about to replace my side tanks and need such advice. It started as a one pint a month leak and is now up to a one half gallon every three or four days leak. I'b better hurry.

Fabio421

650 degrees is the magic number.

Lizard928

Mark,

Yes the repeated heat cycles will probably have hardened them.
But if you anneal the aluminum (cant remember the annealing point but iirc it is higher than 200) and then let it sit for 12 hours or so (depending on size of piece etc.) it will return to its parent properties.

JHowell37

Sharkskin, PM and email sent. Thank you very much. It does use o-rings to seal at the fittings. I've got an assortment, and the ones I used the other day worked well.

Mine didn't have any white scale built up, but the area was always damp, and it started to leave a puddle under the passenger side after it got hot. Also got to a point where I couldn't do any city driving as the temp gauge would skyrocket.

SharkSkin

PM back at ya.