ok, has anyone cleaned off their coolent tank? what do you have to do to make them have that white "like new" look to them?


i did a search but couldnt come up with anything other then a bunch of threads with people having cooling probs....

 

Most people just go and purchase new ones at the dealership. I think they are like $18. I don't think anyone has had the ability to make it look like new, but I will be interested to see if anyone has.

Post pics if you have cleaned them up please.

 

I bought new. For $18 it wasn't worth the effort.

 

I don't have any pics, but I just used soap and water for my overflow tank. I then used toilet cleaner to clean the grime and stains on the inside. It sure doesn't look new, but it looks a lot better than what it did before.

 

well... i think i'll try to clean mine up..


when i reverse flush the system, i plan to clean out the tank...

i think im going to try to wetsand the outside with some very fine grit and see if the color change is just from the surface.....

(i have more time than money..) $18 for the coolent tank and however much for the winshield washer tank could be better spend elsewhere..... if i can make it look better for free, fine, if i cant, they dont look too bad.

 

id like to know if bleach would work???

 

i dont think it would.... if you want to try it, go ahead..... let me know how it goes.

 

i dont got a third gen no more. but im pretty sure im gettin one tomorrow, so ill try it on that one and let u know

 

I cleaned mine and painted them glossy black with a red cap.. looks great..

 

picture?




im really wary of using paint since:

they flex.
they get really hot.
most paint doesnt bond well to plastic.



i wonder how that new plastic paint would work on it though...?


in anycase, im thinking about detailing out my engine like i did with my 82, but with the 82, i ended up removing the tanks and using a tiny overflow mounted hidden between the batt and the radiator...


i kinda want the coolent bottle and windshield washer bottle looking like new..

 

i tried bleach, i didnt work that good. My dad has this pink acid like stuff he used to clean grease of his Semi's fuel tanks before we painted them, i put that stuff in there, let it sit for 30 mins and hiik it around real hard and rinsed, it looks real good now

 

I was thinking of getting some carbon fiber print and wrapping the tanks, but I probably will not since its a daily driver. Thought I would through the idea out there though. you can buy the vinal they use for graphics that has a carbon look to it. Or buy some expried carbon fiber and resian and do it right. Aerospace carbon has to be used by a certain date for strength but the tanks will not but pulling 9 G's.

 

I tried sanding. The tanks were stained all the way through the plastic. I said screw it and I bought 2 new tanks.

Pic in the sig..

 

Part numbers for new ones for firebirds can be found at the link below:


http://www.geocities.com/vipervenemgts/odds_ends.html

 

wheres the cheapest place to get both the coolent tank and the windshield washer tank?

i know its probly a thru some GM source... so whats the cheapest one?

anyone know what my local dealer would charge?

 

and anyone know the partnumbers?

its a 91 RS Camaro L03

 

MRD.


You cheapass.


Total cost is like $30 from the dealer for both tanks.


I'll reply with P/N's in a sec.

 

Coolant tank 10170175






GM PART # 10170175
CATEGORY: Radiator Tank Hardware
PACK QTY: 1 CORE CHARGE: $0.00
GM LIST: $15.45
OUR PRICE: $8.81
DESCRIPTION: RESERVOIR

 

here are mine, i just cleaned the windshiled washer tank because it wasnt in bad shape, and i cleaned and painted the coolant tank a satin white, and so far it has held up great, no chipping, cracking, or flaking. This pic is about a year old, and now that i look back at it let me just say that wow that looks cluttered. Since this pic i have removed all smog and a/c equip. Looks 100% better, when i get some new pics i will post em.

 

sorry wrong pic, lets try this one

 

sorry wrong pic

 

ya know what i quit, you get the point

 

Why would you want to paint the tanks though?

I'm sure it looks good and everything, but I like how the tanks are see through.

I dunno thats just my opinion

 

I might buy some more later it was an idea at the time.. turned out really well tho, I sanded them down primered them and painted them with high temp paint..

 

and you got the "our price" from?????


also, whats the windshield washer pt number? or you could tell me where i need to go to look it up.

 

What about transparent paints, like nightshade? That way you could still see through it to see the fluid level, but it'd be tinted. So if you had a red car you could tint it red, etc.

 

me and a friend did a flush for someone and her coolant tank was so grimy u couldnt see through it at all. soap didnt work, oxy-clean didnt work, bleach barely worked so we got some brake cleaner, sprayed it in and swished it around then rinsed with water, got all the grime off but it was stained through the plastic so it still looked dingy.

if u keep movin the cleaner around in the tank it shouldnt eat through the plastic.

 

Travis


www.gmpartsdirect.com


As far as the windshield one, I havent searched for it.


I found the first P/N using the mighty search button on TGO.

--ben

 

i already found that one that way too..

 

For coolant tanks, I use Castrol Super Clean straight-up (not diluted) inside and out (wear gloves).

I spray cleaner on the outside and scrub well witha stiff brush. I then pour in the cleaner and some uncooked ******* and shake it up (maybe you can get those two girls from the Michigan Transit Museum to shake it for you)

Pour out and rinse throughly.

For *******, don't use Uncle Ben's. You need to use real uncooked *******.

 

I just bought new one from the dealer too. I tried to clean the old ones, but had no luck. Brake cleaner helped the best for the old tanks though.

 

ya know what d00d if youn want to spend a little money how about get a tiny bootle to take its place. if you barely use windsheld wiper fluid why get a large tank, if your radiator barely uses that stuff fast then why have a huge tank. Get a tiny one maybe half a gallon for each or something. There are better ways cause the small ones are less weight and improve speed/gas mileage (but barely).

 

car looks wierd without it... heh...


the idea for right now is to have the hood pop open and look clean, but basicly stock looking.

 

WD-40 on a rag worked for me.

 

I was going to go get a new one from a dealer, but... i think im gunna spend the big bucks and get a little aluminum side tank for the overflow bottle... then it will clear up the clutter and i can mount the MSD-6A box there...

and blue... that IROC is one sweet looking car!! I really like the blue color on third gens..

 

well d00d i got a good result from my tanks. see below. you cans see the crack in the tank so you can tell its original. I cleaned it with undiluted simple green. srayed it on hansomly and let it sit for 5 min. got an old tooth brush and rubbed it in circles on every dirty spot and it came brand new white color.
look here

 

I used Grease Lightning, the stuff works awesome.

 

Originally posted by 12 Sec GTA
Coolant tank 10170175






GM PART # 10170175
CATEGORY: Radiator Tank Hardware
PACK QTY: 1 CORE CHARGE: $0.00
GM LIST: $15.45
OUR PRICE: $8.81
DESCRIPTION: RESERVOIR


after you pay there shipping charge, you spend mokre money then getting it from the dealer

 

Yeah, that is the major draw back to GM Parts "Direct"!! lol I would think the "direct" part would make it cheaper. I am sure that is where the majority of their profit comes from, the shipping and handling charges.

 

I tried cleaning my old coolant tank and gave up a long time ago. If i remember it was $11 from my work( GMC dealership) with my discount.