Stekman

Alright, I am beginning to set up my cooling system. I need to figure out which would be best for hooking up my surge tank. I have a threaded hole in the top of my radiators end tank:



Or I have a hole in my water neck in which I can thread a brass adapter for the surge tank:



Another idea would be a hole in the intakes crossover.

Now, by nature of the surge tank, function would lead me to hook it up to the water neck as it is probably the highest point in the cooling system. However, as you can see from the picture, it is off the side, and out of the real main stream flow. I would think that air, in a pressurized environment and high flowing one, would have a hard(er) time finding that little hole and ultimatly, the surge tank. The radiators end tank obviously doesn't have that issue but it sits several inches lower than the water neck. I can see how the air bubbles would eventually find their way to the radiator, though, so it is legitament. The third is the intake. The surge tank could bleed off air as it rises to the intake. Obviously, it wouldn't have the thermostat to help controll fluid flow, but I don't think it would have enough through-flow that it would fill up before the fluid return line could drain it off.

One thing to consider: my pressure cap (and then obviously the catch can) is hooked up to the surge tank, not the radiator.

Thanks for the insight.

sellmanb

Wouldnt the water neck be the best choice, seeing as it would be the highest point in the cooling system?

Stekman

My only issue with that is, the purpose of a surge tank is to create a place for air to escape to as it is created and makes its way up through the engine. If I plumb the line there, where I showed, the thermostat is between it. I don't want to drill holes in the thermostat. So, if that where to be the case, the surge tank would only be functional when the thermostat is open. And when it would open, fluid flow would too high and I think it and the air bubbles would tank the path of least resistance and flow right back to the radiator.

Perhaps I need an inline thermostat....