![]() If it has a plastic screw-on cap, the recovery tank is not pressurized. ![]() You can tell if the reservoir is pressurized or not by the type of cap on the tank. On most newer vehicles, the coolant recovery tank is not pressurized.īut on many older applications (1990s), it may be pressurized. Coolant FlowĪ hose or pair of hoses connect the coolant recovery tank to the radiator and allow coolant to circulate back and forth between the radiator and tank as the coolant temperature and pressure changes. The air and coolant inside the tank may be under pressure (especially if the engine is overheating) and may spray out of the opening with great force and burn you! Wait at least 20 minutes or more after shutting the engine off to open the cap. WARNING: NEVER open a coolant reservoir cap or radiator cap when the engine is hot. If the coolant level inside the tank is lower than the COLD or ADD mark when the engine is cold, coolant needs to be added to the reservoir to bring the level up above the mark. The highest level is often marked HOT FULL.Ī lower COLD or ADD mark may be on the tank indicating the lowest level the coolant should be at when the engine is cold. The coolant level inside the tank should be maintained so that it does not exceed the highest marking when the engine is at normal operating temperature. The tank has markings on the side that tell you when the coolant level is low. The plastic tank is translucent so you can see the fluid level inside. It might be mounted near the radiator, on an inner fender or against the firewall. The coolant recovery tank is typically a white molded plastic tank. So the radiator is connected to an external reservoir that serves as both an expansion tank and coolant recovery tank. With modern coolant recovery systems, the radiator cap is no longer on top of the radiator, and the radiator has no upper tank to allow for expansion. If the coolant got too hot, it would force its way past the spring-loaded radiator cap to relieve pressure, and any coolant that escaped would flow through a discharge tube into a recovery tank. In older top fill radiators, an inch or two of dead air space in the top of the radiator provided the necessary room for expansion. Low-profile crossflow radiators do not have top tanks like older top fill radiators, so a separate recovery tank mounted somewhere under the hood serves as both a coolant reservoir and expansion/recovery tank.Īs engine coolant heats up, it expands. The coolant recovery system is an important part of a vehicle�s cooling system. Auto Repair Library, Auto Parts, Accessories, Tools, Manuals & Books, Car BLOG, Links, IndexĬoolant Recovery Systems by Larry Carley copyright
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