twobjshelbys Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 I'd been plagued with erratic water temperature swings, and concluded that the problem was caused by an air bubble in the cooling system. The solution is an overflow tank. In searching for one for a Cobra it was stated that the normal ones won't fit under the hood due to height. Kirkham (who makes the aluminum bodied Cobras) makes one that they said fit. If it didn't I could return it. So I ordered one and it came yesterday. It took about two hours to install, including running to the hardware store for clamps. I'd already gotten the necessary hoses but was two clamps short after the ones that came off couldn't be reused. It seems to work pretty well. The erratic water temperature swings are gone but it doesn't seem to warm up as much as it did before but I haven't taken it on a really long drive. It's billet aluminum. A retired friend of mine that works on restoring brass lanterns and old cash registers can polish it up but he couldn't do it yesterday. R&R for polishing will be one of the winter projects. I'd like to see the milling machine they use to make these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naumoff427 Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Looks good. The Kirkhams are good people. How does that feul injected Roush 427 FE run otherwise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted June 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 Looks good. The Kirkhams are good people. How does that feul injected Roush 427 FE run otherwise? It's running a little rich and still cuts out once in a while. I've got to get it up to the tuner but there just hasn't been time. My wife is out of school now so we will soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naumoff427 Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 So it is not sorted out yet. I will be very interested in what you think when it is running right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500-07 Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 It's running a little rich and still cuts out once in a while. I've got to get it up to the tuner but there just hasn't been time. My wife is out of school now so we will soon. Hope you get it sorted out, it takes some time. I'm hoping to see mine back with in the next two weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 So it is not sorted out yet. I will be very interested in what you think when it is running right. It's still pretty driveable. I think a tune will definitely help it run better (improve fuel mileage). But the expansion tank must not be the whole problem as the tank is dry after driving it for a short time and now I can see steam coming from the radiator cap overflow. I saw some anti-freeze near a coupling that might not be tight enough. Checkout tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted June 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 It's still pretty driveable. I think a tune will definitely help it run better (improve fuel mileage). But the expansion tank must not be the whole problem as the tank is dry after driving it for a short time and now I can see steam coming from the radiator cap overflow. I saw some anti-freeze near a coupling that might not be tight enough. Checkout tonight. OK, I solved it. I need a second overflow tank. I took it for a spirited drive -- ha ha -- by going 5000 RPM in 3rd for about 5 miles (it was still going almost 70). It got the engine well warmed. When it cooled down the tank was dry, but it took only about a quart to top it off, so I think the expansion is beyond the capacity of the expansion tank. So as an experiment I filled the expansion tank to the top, replaced the cap with a 22lb cap, and made an overflow tank: a 1-liter Coke bottle. After repeating the same spirited drive, I pulled over and the coke bottle had that much in it. So the total expanision is about a quart. I left it alone and checked it this morning and it had pulled the entire bottle's worth back into the tank - the tank was full and the bottle empty. So this definitely is "on the right track." I'll have to find something a little more permanent than the coke bottle. Now the temp cycles a little, but doesn't spike to over 110C. It will go from 80C to about 90C for a few minutes and then when the thermo opens come back down again. Oil temp now tracks engine temp nicely. We'll see. I've got to take a longer drive on Saturday morning. The weather here has been rainy since noon and is supposed to be all day tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naumoff427 Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Canton makes a nice can. I have one attached to the front of my passenger foootbox. Attach fitting to the bottom of tank and take the bottom gasket off the cap. This will allow the antifreeze to be pulled out of the overflow tank. I assume you know to only fill the surge tank half way. This is the one I used. http://www.cantonracingproducts.com/getimage.php?id=80-200 But they have others http://www.cantonracingproducts.com/store/tanks.html You might not be able to fit that tank as I did because I don't have a CSX. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted June 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2009 Canton makes a nice can. I have one attached to the front of my passenger foootbox. Attach fitting to the bottom of tank and take the bottom gasket off the cap. This will allow the antifreeze to be pulled out of the overflow tank. I assume you know to only fill the surge tank half way. This is the one I used. http://www.cantonracingproducts.com/getimage.php?id=80-200 But they have others http://www.cantonracingproducts.com/store/tanks.html You might not be able to fit that tank as I did because I don't have a CSX. I stared at mine tonight and was trying to figure out where to put one. The passenger side is the only place free. I could relocate the windshield wiper tank from the driver side to the passenger side and put the overflow tank there - then the pipes won't be going backwards. This is starting to feel like a winter project. By Colorado Standards that is only about 6 weeks away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500-07 Posted June 29, 2009 Report Share Posted June 29, 2009 test drove mine saturday, looks like she'll be back home this week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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