custom coolant expansion tank fabrication?

[mikey]

Any vendors on here capable of making a custom aluminum expansion tank? I would have tried Canton but they are not responding to one-off requests right now.

Looking for a shop that can fabricate and pressure check upon completion. Updated design based upon feedback to make it simpler. Could also be made without the flat tab on the side (would instead use a round clamp of sorts to secure it).




Here it is without the tab, and I also scaled the neck closer to proportions:

[Steve Demeter]

i have heard that Saldana in Indianapolis makes great aluminum radiators, possibly try them.

https://saldanaracingproducts.com/products/

[Rick Iverson]

i have heard that Saldana in Indianapolis makes great aluminum radiators, possibly try them.

https://saldanaracingproducts.com/products/

I see they also make oil reservoirs. The expansion tank is same same, just smaller.

[Rick Kirchner]

There's a guy here in Ridgecrest, Wayne Hennebury, fabricator for various LeMans cars. He made mine which is very similar to yours.

You can find him on Facebook

[Rick Kirchner]

by the way - make the mounting separate - and steel , not tabs on aluminum - ask me how I know....

[mikey]

by the way - make the mounting separate - and steel , not tabs on aluminum - ask me how I know....

In my application the mounting tab does not connect rigidly. Is this what caused an issue?

[Rick Kirchner]

yup.Had Wayne weld it a couple of times before I had him make a thin stainless tube that the tank slides into.

[mikey]

I found a nice 3.5" round clamp advertised for a muffler that will work so I don't have to have the tab welded to the side of the resevoir.

[VDF1]

Hi Mikey,

I can make this. I'm in W Palm Beach. You can reach me at 203-948-1413.

[mikey]

Thanks to everyone who jumped in with the ability to make this. Ted Arken happened to reach out first so I went ahead and had him make it.

He pressure tested it before shipping, so I expect everything will work fine. I obtained the rest of the hoses and fittings that I needed and will start the car up this weekend to check everything out. Overall this tank is 3x larger so hopefully I can retain some fluid in it when the system is cold and it will not push all the way out as the smaller tank did.

I still plan to secure the bottom better so that it doesn't bounce around. Right now it is being held by the bottom hose and the round clamp so it is quite easy to wiggle around a bit.

[mikey]

started the car up today with this new expansion tank 1/4 full. Let things warm up to 220F. Upon shutdown here's what I had noticed:

1) the 4lb pressure switch on the open side of the thermostat indicated that the system continued to be above 4lbs for 35 minutes after shut-down. The system reached 160 degrees at 35 minutes and I suspect the thermostat closed and the last of the pressure dropped. Maybe coincidence.
Note previously it only took 5 minutes after shut down for pressure to be below 4lbs. Even when the system was still hot. The system cap is/was 13lbs both before and after. Interesting... but I think good it's holding pressure longer now.

2) no coolant pushed out of the expansion tank into the overflow tank

3) the expansion tank was empty after cool down. I suspect upon refilling the system earlier in the week that some air is still working its way out. I will fill again and see what happens.

my goal is to have the expansion tank about 1/3 full when cold and not push any out to the overflow when hot and return to 1/3 full.