So I just ordered another coolant bottle, so that the 92 can have the existing one from the 91... anyways... I want to keep the bottle from yellowing as they all do, and I am thinking that maybe I could apply a clear paint/finish internally to the bottle to protect it from yellowing.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone tried "clearing" the inside of the coolant bottle. Suggestions on a product that could hold up to the hot coolant? Should a satin clear be applied to outside also?

I feel like I got nothing to loose on this, so might just be worth it.

 

GM bottle I installed in 2004, pic from 2006.


Same bottle last year... dingy and starting to yellow... Not bad, but not show status.

 

I feel your pain. I did the same thing. Installed a new bottle when I did my motor. Its only had coolant in it for a couple of years now and it's starting to yellow already. I removed it, let it sit overnight in a bucket of water/bleach, and it was a modest improvement. I may up the concentration and try it one more time before I go buy my THIRD coolant bottle for shows and what not.

Will

 

There is no way I would paint or do anything like that to the inside of the bottle I would not want to chance the paint or clear getting into my coolant and then flowing in the engine. IDK what to tell you, I mean even if you painted the outside of the bottle with a clear of some sort you are still going to see the yellowing. My bottle is OEM from 87 and it looks like crap-hard to see through LOL!

 

I have heard the bleach treatment works ok. Might give my old one a bath before it goes in the vert.

I hear ya about risking getting anything in the cooling system. I feel like there would have to be something that would work without flaking off. The good news is that the bottle is under a constant circulating pressure like the radiator, and my 91 sits most of the year.

 

Paint it black and just leave a "slot" that isn't painted to see the level.

 

I have only seen one (black88cam) that was able to pull that off and look GOOD... Not the look I'm going for. I will pull the bottles and smooth the engine bay when it comes time for engine to come out

 

I ended up going the route I take on a lot of my cars, I did not shave or smooth my bay area but I may use that spot for other options. I like to use an aluminum stack bottle and tuck it right in by the radiator support it looks clean and professional.

 

I say paint the outside of the jugs white with krylon Fusion for Plastics, iv done it before and they will look great ... but in the 3rdgen i ditched the washer and overflow completely!

 

Yeah I won't be ditching the bottles until LSX finds its way under the hood, but for now... I'm gonna try and use a krylon satin clear paint on the outside, and I'm not sure what is I'm gonna do on the inside.

 

Might have something that would interest any of you attempting to clean your bottles.

I used brake fluid... yes , brake fluid on a shop rag, and scotch bright pad to clean my washer bottle. Brake fluid will eat paint off metal... why not stains and some sort of sprayed paint? that was on it.

Before: (not an amazing pics - cell phones)


After:


If any of you attempt this just be careful with your brake fluid, you would sure hate to ruin something else while trying to clean a bottle.

 

oh man your brave, i would have pulled it before i cleaned it like you did...

 

They are basically like hairy grapefuits...

Only applying brake fluid to the rag, and the scotch pad reduced the chances of getting it on the paint, but yes the safest route would hae been to remove it for sure.

 

remove coolant tank , rinse & flush , pour in "liguid plummer gel" along with handfull of small gravel , cap openings with plastic baggies & rubber bands . slosh mixture around to cover inside of tank well . let set 1/2 hr. on each inner wall . slosh around well . open up & rinse well . repeat as needed . has worked for me , good luck . (did i mention rinse well)

 

Guys on the Pontiac restoration boards say take tanks off, fill with gas and let sit overnight. I have also heard of guys using denture cleaners to soak the tanks in. ( I haven't tried either but should since I have a big box of tanks from buying new ones every few yrs.)

I don't run any coolant in my overflow tank, haven't for 20yrs. You don't need to. Its just a expansion tank for coolant when it gets hot. Now if you spring a leak you won't have any backup coolant to go into your motor. Just keep a eye out for leaks. simple.

 

I thought that I would let everyone know what I used to clean my "old" bottle.

I filled the tank with a solution of Clorox w/ bleach brand toilet bowl cleaner and water, then filled a trash can (5-6gal?) with water and 1 gallon of Dollar store bleach I let the concoction sit completely submerged for 32 hours... I actually forgot about it. I think it came out pretty good for NO scrubbing

 

I just put a summit/aluminum vertical tank in my car, and mounted it by the radiator support. Not so good for that "stock" look, but if that's not your goal, this is a great way to go. I ditched the windshield washer fluid bottle all together. Very clean look, which was my goal. ...but not for everyone.

 

You those vertical ones do look great, and I have thought about that for the 91 with all its other custom billet goodness under the hood. On the 92 I'm going for strictly stock appearance, so this works well for the ones of use going through "restorations"

 

I just ordered one of hawks custom made reproduction coolant tanks for 91-92 camaros looks identical to factory and made with better quality lets see how it goes !

 

Yeah just got mine too. The whole reason I started the thread was to find if anyone had used anything to keep the brand new bottle from yellowing.

The Hawks bottle is def not higher quality, the cap threads are off and the lower mount tab is not quite positioned correctly (doesn't line up well with factory holes)... It does look good under the hood of my 91 though

 

Get a 4th gen overflow tank and be done with it

 

+1

 

Thanks guys, really appreciate it. Haha! Going to stay stock on the vert and the bottles were purchased already. Someday the 91 engine bay will get a facelift, and bottles will be hidden

 

i went with the 4th gen coolant and washer and have never looked back. washer bottle is hidden and the coolant bottle is almost invisible except the snout.

 

So for anyone that still has bottles, and may have bought new ones, and might be willing to try something to protect it... I did spray the outside and inside with Eastwood Diamond clear high temp wheel paint. Used two very light coat externally, and sprayed as even as possible on the inside of the new bottle. You cannot tell that anything was done to it

 

Im wondering how one goes about painting the inside of the bottle?

 

Planned chaos... spray can style. I'm positive some spots got little to no coverage