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Re: Freeze plug for MG TC

To: Ulix Goettsch <ulix@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Freeze plug for MG TC
From: Rick Hoefle <NamasteRH@worldnet.att.net>
Date: Sun, 29 Sep 1996 17:20:34 -0400
Ulix Goettsch wrote:
> 
> I have never had an unsealed cooling system, but if it really is open to
> the atmosphere I would suggest that an overflow tank will not work.
> The water will overflow into the tank, but it will not
> be sucked back into the radiator since no vacuum can develop in the
> radiator.
> I.e. the radiator will suck some in some air rather than coolant through
> the tube.
> Am I missing something?
> 
>     Ulix

Ulix:
I too have never had an unpressurized system, which is what I think all 
the hubbub is about.  But that is different from saying an unsealed 
system.  I believe that radiators have always had caps, even if they 
were allowed to spew all over the road when they felt like it through an 
overflow tube (people, curb your cars!).  If that overflow is directed 
into a bottle of coolant with the end of the tube always submerged then 
the overflow will simply increase the volume of fluid in the bottle when 
it is hot and decrease it (by vacuum, provided that the radiator cap 
does not leak) when the temperature goes down again (i.e., fluids expand 
when heated and contract when cooled).  The principle is the same as 
when we use a tube, connected to our brake bleeder valves, that is 
submerged in a jar of brake fluid to allow air to escape and fluid to be 
sucked back into the system as one pumps the brake pedal (or pressurizes 
the system some other way).

Although I'm sure most everyone probably already understood this 
concept, I just wanted to make sure.  No offense intended.  And if I am 
wrong about the TC and the system IS open to the atmosphere, my 
apologies, and sympathies to the TC owners.
-- 


Rick Hoefle 1964 Tiger B9470508 - HIS
            1969 MGC            - HERS


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