[Tigers] Coolant queston

Wed Sep 9 14:34:30 MDT 2026

Mark,
Yeah, my experience is it helps but only a little.  The only place to put
an electric fan is on the front, and then that blocks some
of the core.  Running it all the time is fine but seems like a real waste
to me.
Somebody commented that all Tigers overheat in traffic and that is sort of
true.  The temp will go up high, but if it doesn't start
puking fluid it isn't really overheating..  It took me years to figure that
out.  I put my 260 2bbl back to stock cooling.. little 4 blade
fan, stock size radiator (though a more modern late 1980's core) and drive
it in traffic is Sacramento, CA heat..  it has been fine.
My recovery system keeps the coolant full.  The overheating driver is more
of a concern, LOL.
Gary Winblad

On Wed, Sep 9, 2026 at 1:21 PM Mark L <coolvt at aol.com> wrote:

> My experience has been that the electric fan in addition to the mechanical
> fan does a good job in keeping the temp in check. But, if the engine does
> overheat, turning on the electric fan doesn't do much in  getting the temp
> back down.
>
> In a message dated 9/9/2026 3:35:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> jbbrown1980 at gmail.com writes:
>
>
> When I first got the car running I didn't know how much coolant to have in
> the expansion tank so I started out with it filled up.  It boiled over
> pretty quickly so I kept experimenting with it until I found a level that
> didn't puke; maybe about a quarter full.  I added the overflow tank later
> just in case.  I suppose I could fill the expansion tank back but I haven't
> bothered.
>
> I tried using a 13psi cap but it blew a radiator hose off, so I went back
> to a 9psi cap. I also read that the higher pressure could be hard on the
> heater core. I also installed an electric fan that comes on at 190 degrees
> and I haven't had any other issues.
>
> Thanks,
> Joe
>
> On Wed, Sep 9, 2026, 12:35 PM Gary Winblad <winbladgary at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Yes, I think it is a recovery type!
> How high is the coolant in the TIger tank?  If it is full, you are good
> Gary Winblad
>
>
> On Wed, Sep 9, 2026 at 9:13 AM Joe Brown <jbbrown1980 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I went back and looked at my cap.  Everything I've read says that the
> recovery style caps have two seals; one at the top of the cap and one on
> the spring loaded part.  Here is a photo of my cap.  Can I assume that I
> have a recovery style cap?
> [image: PXL_20260909_160805998.jpg]
>
> Thanks,
> Joe
>
> On Wed, Sep 9, 2026 at 7:00 AM michael king <michael.s.king at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> Joe.
>
> You describe how the system works..but without a specific recovery cap the
> water cant get back into the header tank once its out.. it just becomes a
> catch overflow
>
> Regards
>
> Michael King
>
> On Wed, 9 Sept 2026, 19:57 Joe Brown, <jbbrown1980 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I've got the regular pressure cap on the original expansion tank and my
> understanding was that it would open up if the coolant was boiling over and
> the excess coolant would then flow into the catch can.  And then as the
> coolant cooled down it would be sucked back into the expansion tank.  Do I
> need some other kind of radiator cap?
>
> Thanks,
> Joe
>
> On Tue, Sep 8, 2026 at 5:50 PM Gary Winblad <winbladgary at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Joe,
> Hopefully you also added the double seal cap?  You need that to make it a
> recovery system, not just a catch can
> With recovery, the overflow is pulled back in during cool down.  That is
> what makes the radiator always full to the top,
> for a few more tubes of cooling.
> Gary Winblad
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 8, 2026 at 3:21 PM Joe Brown <jbbrown1980 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hey,
> I added an overflow tank several years ago and I went with one I found on
> Amazon.  It's called an 800ml aluminum expansion tank from BDFHYK and it's
> around $25.
> [image: image.png]
>
> I wasn't using the remote oil filter, so I mounted this tank in the filter
> bracket.  This tank is slimmer than an oil  filter so I had to fabricate a
> new clamp to secure it.  Here is a photo.
> [image: PXL_20260908_220938306.jpg]
>
>
> Have Fun,
> Joe Brown
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 8, 2026 at 4:51 PM Mark L via Tigers <tigers at autox.team.net>
> wrote:
>
> So, the plastic kit you mentioned will stand up to the heat of the engine
> compartment okay?
>
> In a message dated 9/8/2026 5:18:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> winbladgary at gmail.com writes:
>
>
> Mark,
> IT is worth adding.  Cost and trouble are minimal. You can buy a kit at
> the auto parts store (plastic tank, dual seal cap, tygon hose) for cheap.
> Hard to say exactly how much cooling capacity it really adds..  it DOES
> keep the radiator full to the top, the extra quart doesn't matter.
> I put the tank in the wheel well behind the headlight, out of sight, out
> of the way.
> A very important reason to add is that it stops the leak of antifreeze,
> which is toxic to small animals.  When we were in Big Sky for SUNI, we
> stopped
> into a small museum.  I will never forget the huge stuffed Condor on
> display.  The placard said he died from driniking anitfreeze from an
> overheated car... so sad, he was beautiful rare bird.  Please install the
> system..
> Gary Winblad
>
> On Tue, Sep 8, 2026 at 7:56 AM Mark L via Tigers <tigers at autox.team.net>
> wrote:
>
> I know some have added an overflow to the expansion tank. This seemingly
> allow the expansion tank to be filled to the top rather than only 1/2
> full.  Is the addition of an overflow worth installing?  It appears this
> would add an additional  1 quart to the system.   How much difference would
> this make on cooling?
> Thanks,
>  Mark L
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