Auto Detailing and Appearance Share tips and tricks on how to make your Third Gen shine! Get opinions on products or how something tasteful looks on your Chevrolet Camaro or Pontiac Firebird.

Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 27, 2009 | 11:08 PM
  #1  
BlueZee28's Avatar
Thread Starter
Supreme Member
15 Year Member
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,258
Likes: 6
From: O'Fallon, MO
Car: 1991 Z28 convertible built 3/1/1990
Engine: Cammed 6.0L LSX
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: custom Ford 8.8", 4.10 gears
Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

If you have cut a hole in your battery tray to make room for a 4th gen coolant bottle/battery tray post up! I need your help, as I'm going to be cutting the hole for mine very soon before I repaint the engine bay. I don't know exactly where to cut the hole to make it fit best, or how big of a hole. Any pointers or tips (pictures are best!) would be great. And if you have some pictures of the cut hole WITHOUT the bottle in place that would be exceptional!
Reply
Old Aug 28, 2009 | 12:11 AM
  #2  
ssean92's Avatar
Supreme Member
20 Year Member
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,113
Likes: 0
From: Ga.
Car: sold
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

mine was a trial and error thing, and it is way bigger then I wanted,
Reply
Old Aug 28, 2009 | 01:16 PM
  #3  
BlueZee28's Avatar
Thread Starter
Supreme Member
15 Year Member
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,258
Likes: 6
From: O'Fallon, MO
Car: 1991 Z28 convertible built 3/1/1990
Engine: Cammed 6.0L LSX
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: custom Ford 8.8", 4.10 gears
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

Ya I'm hoping to be able to do it one time and only one time. It would be awesome if someone had pictures of how to do it.
Reply
Old Aug 28, 2009 | 01:21 PM
  #4  
CanadianRoots's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
From: Seaford, NY
Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI *355 Coming Soon*
Transmission: 700R4 *T56 Coming Soon*
Axle/Gears: 323
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

It was a royal pain in the @$$... I used a cutting wheel and just kept trimming away at the tray until it fit. It took me about an hour to get it in and its probably a little bigger than it needed to be, but it worked!
Reply
Old Aug 28, 2009 | 05:25 PM
  #5  
BlueZee28's Avatar
Thread Starter
Supreme Member
15 Year Member
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,258
Likes: 6
From: O'Fallon, MO
Car: 1991 Z28 convertible built 3/1/1990
Engine: Cammed 6.0L LSX
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: custom Ford 8.8", 4.10 gears
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

Do you have any pictures by any chance? One of the things I am not sure how it works is if the battery tray should sit flush with the sheet metal tray?
Reply
Old Aug 28, 2009 | 07:42 PM
  #6  
shr00m's Avatar
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 893
Likes: 0
From: Hattiesburg, MS, USA
Car: 1992 Jade Green---Trans Am Converti
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

If you position it so that the side bolt is in the frame rail and the hold-down bolt is on the upper part of the old battery tray, the 4th gen tray is rigid enough to hold fine. Any other way and the fill tube will hit the fender rail.

I can get some pictures with a ruler next to the hole in a 4th gen that you can print out to actual size to give you a guide.





Kevin D.
Reply
Old Aug 28, 2009 | 08:12 PM
  #7  
BlueZee28's Avatar
Thread Starter
Supreme Member
15 Year Member
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,258
Likes: 6
From: O'Fallon, MO
Car: 1991 Z28 convertible built 3/1/1990
Engine: Cammed 6.0L LSX
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: custom Ford 8.8", 4.10 gears
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

Ya that would be awesome. Thanks!
Reply
Old Aug 29, 2009 | 01:10 PM
  #8  
shr00m's Avatar
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 893
Likes: 0
From: Hattiesburg, MS, USA
Car: 1992 Jade Green---Trans Am Converti
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

Here you go. I tried to get as straight of a shot as I could. Might give yourself 1/4 to 1/2 inch more just in case. Print it so that 6" in the picture is 6" on the paper, cut it out, instant template.

Kevin D.


Last edited by shr00m; Aug 30, 2009 at 07:49 PM.
Reply
Old Aug 29, 2009 | 06:05 PM
  #9  
BlueZee28's Avatar
Thread Starter
Supreme Member
15 Year Member
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,258
Likes: 6
From: O'Fallon, MO
Car: 1991 Z28 convertible built 3/1/1990
Engine: Cammed 6.0L LSX
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: custom Ford 8.8", 4.10 gears
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

Well I got it done today. Thanks for the help. The hole is still a little larger than it needs to be, mostly on the fender side of the bottle, but that's ok. It's hardly noticeable. I need to get a new reservoir now though, because this one has a huge crack in it that I didn't see before. So I didn't even bother with bolting it down or anything.



Name:  IMG00301.jpg
Views: 129
Size:  85.6 KB
Reply
Old Oct 31, 2009 | 08:37 PM
  #10  
BrOdBaNd's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 376
Likes: 2
From: Summerdale, AL
Car: 92 Camaro
Engine: El Tee Juan
Transmission: Tee five six
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 4:10's
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

I got my 4th gen coolant mod done tonight... Too dark for pics (camera has no flash) but will get pics tomorrow. Surprisingly, my overflow cannister is very snug, I actually had to tap it kinda hard to get it through. Holds my battery just fine as is with no bolts, but am going to add the 2 hold down bolts also.
Reply
Old Nov 1, 2009 | 06:56 PM
  #11  
QUICKCHICKEN's Avatar
Supreme Member
25 Year Member
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,420
Likes: 5
From: Byhalia MS, just south of memphis
Car: 89 Firebird
Engine: 6.0 LS
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.70
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

Kevin can ya post up the specs and info on doing the washer bottle as well? you did yours in your bird and im wanting to do the same.
Reply
Old Nov 2, 2009 | 01:58 PM
  #12  
BrOdBaNd's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 376
Likes: 2
From: Summerdale, AL
Car: 92 Camaro
Engine: El Tee Juan
Transmission: Tee five six
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 4:10's
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

Here are the best pics I could get.
Attached Thumbnails Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle-2009-11-02-13.41.20.jpg   Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle-2009-11-02-13.41.44.jpg   Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle-2009-11-02-13.42.21.jpg  
Reply
Old Nov 2, 2009 | 01:59 PM
  #13  
BrOdBaNd's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 376
Likes: 2
From: Summerdale, AL
Car: 92 Camaro
Engine: El Tee Juan
Transmission: Tee five six
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 4:10's
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

More...
Attached Thumbnails Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle-2009-11-02-13.42.42.jpg   Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle-2009-11-02-13.42.56.jpg   Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle-2009-11-02-13.43.04.jpg  
Reply
Old Nov 2, 2009 | 02:02 PM
  #14  
BrOdBaNd's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 376
Likes: 2
From: Summerdale, AL
Car: 92 Camaro
Engine: El Tee Juan
Transmission: Tee five six
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 4:10's
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

More....
Attached Thumbnails Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle-2009-11-02-13.43.42.jpg   Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle-2009-11-02-13.43.53.jpg  
Reply
Old Nov 2, 2009 | 02:12 PM
  #15  
BrOdBaNd's Avatar
Member
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 376
Likes: 2
From: Summerdale, AL
Car: 92 Camaro
Engine: El Tee Juan
Transmission: Tee five six
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 4:10's
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

Here is a video, lemme know if y'all need anything else.

http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h8...2-13-44-16.flv
Reply
Old Nov 3, 2009 | 09:44 PM
  #16  
shr00m's Avatar
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 893
Likes: 0
From: Hattiesburg, MS, USA
Car: 1992 Jade Green---Trans Am Converti
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Re: Need help with cutting hole for 4th gen coolant bottle

Originally Posted by QUICKCHICKEN
Kevin can ya post up the specs and info on doing the washer bottle as well? you did yours in your bird and im wanting to do the same.
I've got pictures up on the build site:

http://www.ms-fbodies.com/jade_ta.htm

Pretty much cut a hole where you want the fill tube to go, remove the center support brace and fabricate brackets to hold the bottle in place, and then cut and strengthen the center support brace until it fits around the bottle.

Kevin D.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Jeremys87
Electronics
16
Jul 14, 2022 09:08 PM
cam-mike
Suspension and Chassis
8
Aug 24, 2015 07:23 AM
Elliswon
LTX and LSX
4
Aug 10, 2015 12:33 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:47 AM.